For more than 130 years, Kaesler Wines' vineyards have been part of the Barossa landscape, with some of the estate's oldest vines tracing their roots back to 1893. The release of the 2026 Icon Collection honours that history while marking an important new chapter for the winery under Chief Winemaker Tim Dolan.
The collection is the first Icon release crafted under Tim's leadership. A third-generation Barossa winemaker and Len Evans Tutorial Dux, Tim sees himself not as someone rewriting Kaesler's story, but as a custodian helping guide its next phase.
"2023 being my first vintage at the helm, I felt incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such passionate people within the business – particularly Nigel and Dewy, who have been at Kaesler since the early 2000s," Tim says. "What I hope to achieve and leave behind as a custodian of Kaesler is to continually help shape the wines in a way that genuinely reflects what we're doing in the vineyard from a sustainable and regenerative perspective."
The 2026 Icon Collection showcases four of the estate's flagship wines, each sourced from distinctive vineyard sites across the property.
At the pinnacle sits the 2022 Old Bastard Shiraz, produced from a tiny parcel of gnarly vines planted in 1893. Rated 96 points by Halliday taster Dave Brookes, it is a concentrated, classically framed wine built for long-term cellaring.
The 2023 Old Vine Shiraz continues the story of those historic vines. Established in 1961 from cuttings taken from the original Old Bastard vineyard, it delivers a plush and harmonious expression of Barossa shiraz, balancing richness with structure.
The 2023 Alte Reben Shiraz, sourced from 1899 plantings in Marananga, captures the distinctive character of one of the Barossa's most celebrated subregions. Layers of black fruit, spice and dark chocolate are framed by freshness and precision, with French oak adding further complexity.
Rounding out the collection is the 2023 Age of Light Cabernet Sauvignon, produced from a single one-hectare block planted behind the winery. Released only in select vintages, it offers a distinctly Barossa interpretation of cabernet sauvignon.
Underlying each wine is Kaesler's commitment to regenerative viticulture. Across the estate, initiatives focused on increasing soil carbon, restoring native flora and encouraging biodiversity are helping reshape the vineyards for future generations. The program has earned recognition through Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification and SAWIA's 2025 Environmental Excellence Award.
For Tim, that long-term vision is central to Kaesler's identity. "What I love most about Kaesler and the site is that, while we take every aspect of growing grapes and making wine incredibly seriously, we never lose sight of the enjoyment that comes with sharing a bottle," he says. "That balance of authenticity, quality and humour is something that makes Kaesler unique."
The 2026 Icon Collection captures that philosophy perfectly: wines shaped by history and place, yet firmly focused on the future.
To shop the wines, visit kaesler.com.au. And, for a limited time only, you can enjoy a complimentary Icon tasting when you visit the Kaesler cellar door in the Barossa Valley – simply mention this article (valid until September 1, 2026).
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Dave Brookes' notes on Kaesler's 2026 icon collection
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Kaesler Wines
Old Bastard Shiraz 2022
Barossa ValleyI gave my dad a bottle of this for his 70th birthday and the empty bottle still sits on the shelf of his workshop. I think I might take another over for his 88th birthday this year; I'm sure he'll be just as chuffed with it. It's in fine form. 1893-planted shiraz, deeply cut with blackberry, doris plum, fruitcake spice, dark chocolate, roasting meats, cedar and earth. Classically framed (like my dad) but showing some nice energy and line with a raft of fine, sandy tannin and fine acidity. -
Kaesler Wines
Old Vine Shiraz 2023
Barossa ValleyI like the '23 vintage from the Barossa. There's a concentration and depth to the fruit without any overbearing heaviness to the wine's form. Red plum and dark berry fruits with fruitcake spice, dark chocolate, pan juices, purple flowers, gentle oak and earth. There's a savoury palate shape here; sleek and showing just the right amount of sinewy and verve at it sails forward. -
Kaesler Wines
Age of Light Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Barossa ValleyDeep blackberry and black cherry fruits on display with layers of baking spices, meadow herbs, morello cherry, turned earth, cedar, violets and roasting meats. Plenty of dark and black fruit depth with light pastille tones and an earthen facet. Tannins cascade thick and fine through the powerful fruit, finishing with a wash of cassis and spice. Good cellaring potential here. -
Kaesler Wines
Alte Reben Shiraz 2023
Barossa ValleyAlte Reben is German for 'Old Vine', a resource that Kaesler has an abundance of, and the team are dab hands at guiding that old shiraz to bottle in a most beautiful way that reflects the region and its history. It's a full-bodied wine with a core of plush satsuma plum, blueberry and black cherry fruits over a base of baking spices, pan juices, pastis, dark chocolate, panforte, violets, vanillin oak and earth. The flavours stretch out luxuriously on the palate, framed by fine, powdery tannins and a fine, lacy acidity. While it is undoubtedly delicious now, there is plenty of cellaring upside.
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