For all the enthusiasm directed towards Yalumba’s Shiraz-based reds, the Cab/Cab Shiraz blends are where it’s at for me. This Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 epitomises the slowburn, quietly classy mode that Yalumba Cab-based reds can deliver, and for a very fair price at that.
For anyone not used to the Menzies story, it comes off a single vineyard on the terra rossa ‘cigar’ in the middle of Coonawarra. It can be hard to tell who owns what in Coonawarra because it’s just flat vineyards on both sides of the Riddoch Highway, but the Menzies vineyard looks pretty prime (or it was the last time I was there). This Cab spent 18 months in 34% new French oak too.
The only thing wrong with this Menzies is the seal, as Yalumba insist on cork for these releases. Fancy cork, mind you, but still tree bark. Meh. That’s a negative because this has the form, the balance, the stuffing and the composed mediumness to last for decades (and I have older bottles in the cellar), so you get to play cork roulette. Anyway, this is all about mint, dark berries, Coonawarraness and that choc/cedar/red earth fruit/oak/varietal thing that Coonawarra does so well. The tannins are still rough-edged, but that just reminds this is a cellaring wine, and I can very much appreciate the long finish, capping off a mint-flecked, deep and powerful palate with ease, with none of the desiccation that sometimes hits this wine.
Love Coonwarra reds? You’re going to really enjoy this.
Best drinking: now, with a decant, or in many decades time (tree bark seal dependant). 18.5/20, 94/100. 13.5%, $60. Yalumba website. Would I buy it? Sure would.
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6 Comments
Yes cracking wine – never changed in its depth and characters unlike others that have been “bastardised” over the years and are not of the same quality they used to be.
I agree with Richard. I understand your anxieties about cork Andrew however I have a great deal of wines with cork now and the quality of the cork is now totally different to what it was in the 90s. I am still unconvinced about the debate around screw top closure and long term maturation but everyone has an opinion on this. I tend not to panic about this any more except when I am less than careful opening a thirty year old bottle and the cork breaks!!
I agree Stuart re cork, I much prefer to age wines under cork at 12-15 degrees. The tertiary characters develop much better and at a better rate.
Get yourself a Durand opener for your old corks – combination of screw and Ah So. Foolproof opening of old wines but not cheap. (winedecoded.com.au). Recently opened ’93 389 with a dodgy cork no problem.
I have found mid (and more so) late 90’s vintages are more variable with cork quality, which prompted the wholesale move to Stelvin.
One point never mentioned by winemakers is they have to vinify slightly differently to accommodate Stelvin closure particularly aromatics. I once had a Dry River Gewurztraminer (first vintage under Stelvin) and it was undrinkable it was so heavily ‘perfumed’.
Hi, not overly impressed with the 17 Menzies, tried many times, a bit thin and harsh. The 12, 14, 16 and the 19 (tried when in Coonawarra recently) are far better propositions. Great wine, but not a great vintage.
Hi Richard. I checked on the Durand opener. You’re right. It’s not cheap. Frustrating that I have both of those openers but not in one piece
Clever fellow!