Team C&J
When you sip Yalumba’s 2017 “The Menzies” Cabernet Sauvignon, you experience the best of one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wineries. Made with grapes from Coonawarra, this Cabernet sings with all of the attributes that put this Australian wine region on the map. Complex notes of dark red fruit, bold spice, and, of course, the signature scent of mint that Coonawarra Cabs are known for.
Yalumba, meaning “all the land around” in the Aboriginal language, is one of Australia’s oldest and most distinguished wineries with a rich history that dates back nearly two centuries. Established in 1849 by Samuel Smith, a British immigrant, the Yalumba story begins in South Australia’s Eden Valley, where Smith planted the family’s first vines on his 30-acre plot of land.
The Yalumba winery’s legacy continued to flourish through the hands of the Smith family. Samuel Smith’s son, Sidney, took over the reins in the late 19th century, expanding the vineyard and cellar operations. The family’s commitment to quality and innovation laid the foundation for Yalumba’s reputation for excellence, and today, fifth generations have contributed to its success.
Robert Hill-Smith is the current owner of Yalumba, and he isn’t resting on the laurels of his ancestors. An innovator in his own right, after Robert started helming the company, he created Australia’s First Families of Wine, a very cool project that pools the knowledge of Australia’s oldest wine-making families, and he shepherded the creation of The Caley Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz red blend, the brand’s most prestigious bottling.
The portfolio at this winery is pretty deep, and it takes a village to pull off all of the unique imprints. Leading that team is Chief Winemaker Louise Rose, who joined Yalumba in 1992 while she was still in college. In 2006, she was named Chief winemaker across all Smith Family brands.
Louise is highly regarded in the wine community. She was named Australia’s Winemaker of the Year in 2014.
Yalumba’s portfolio boasts an array of wines, showcasing their expertise across various grape varieties and styles. From their iconic Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz to the renowned Viognier and innovative red blends, the winery offers a diverse range of wines that reflect both tradition and innovation.
A quick note about Yalumba’s Viognier: the winery doesn’t just make great Australian Viognier. They were the first to introduce it to the region.
Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in just about every wine region in the world, but Australia’s interpretation is distinct. Red blends from Bordeaux are a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Producers like Yalumba take this concept and make it their own by using the country’s popular Shiraz grape with Cabernet Sauvignon.
How is this for a cool winery feature, Yalumba is the only winery in the Southern Hemisphere to have an on-site cooperage. To craft the wine barrels, Head Cooper Kym Venning works with the winemaking team to select the right oak for each barrel-aged wine. The oak used to make the barrels is imported from around the world. It’s then toasted to a “medium toast,” which works best with the wines in the Yalumba portfolio.
Australia’s Coonawarra wine region sits on South Australia’s Limestone Coast. The region is known for producing some of the country’s most highly regarded Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style wines. But, what really distinguishes this land is the Terra Rossa Soil, a reddish-brown topsoil overlying a limestone base.
Winemakers believe this unique soil composition provides ideal drainage and conditions for vine growth and helps give grapes from Coonawarra a signature minerality that comes through in the wines.
There’s an interesting story behind the name of this Coonawarra wine. The year was 1965, and while Australia’s then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, was sipping the 1961 vintage of a Yalumba Galway Vintage Special Reserve Claret, he proclaimed that the wine was “…the finest Australian red I have ever tasted.”
More than twenty years later, the winery created a wine dedicated to the Prime Minister, and the Menzies Yalumba Cabernet Sauvignon was born.
In the glass, the 2017 Menzies Yalumba Cabernet Sauvignon is an intense ruby with streaks of purple. The wine is still young for a Cabernet, but the nose shows good development for its age. Aromas of dark fruit emerge immediately. Black cherry, black currant, and blackberry steal the show. Secondary notes of red cherry, spicy black pepper, and cedar provide support. Softer notes of eucalyptus and mint also appear.
Once your nose hones in on that mint, it’s a classic giveaway that this is an Australian Cabernet Sauvignon.
The palate mimics the aromas on the nose, but everything is focused on the dark fruits. Superb flavors intensity and a long pronounced finish buttressed by delicate tannins left us thoroughly impressed.
The 2017 Menzies Yalumba Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to Yalumba’s rich history and dedication to crafting exceptional wines. This iconic bottle, named after Australia’s former Prime Minister, delivers an unforgettable experience with its complex flavors, elegant structure, and impressive aging potential. For those seeking a truly premium Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, look no further than The Menzies.
Australia
Coonawara
Cabernet Sauvignon
13.5
Louisa Rose
62–68°F / 16–20°C
Burgundy
1 Hour
Now to 2030
Yalumba
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