the menzies

yalumba
the menzies

“Menzies is a wine that speaks
volumes about Coonawarra and its
affinity for Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Peter Gambetta, The Menzies Estate Winemaker

Yalumba &
Provenance
yalumba coonawarra / cabernet sauvignon / provenance
In 1849 a 30-acre parcel of land on the
eastern edge of the Barossa was planted
with vines by Samuel and Sidney Smith.
Father and son worked under the
moonlight, planting Shiraz and Mataro –
varieties that are naturally suited to the
loamy soils underfoot.
163 years later Smith’s descendants
continue to instinctively marry vineyard
sites with specific grape varieties: Viognier
in the cool, rugged conditions of the Eden
Valley, Chardonnay in the damp, elevated
Adelaide Hills, Shiraz on the patchwork of
soils and aspects that make up the Barossa
Valley floor and Cabernet Sauvignon in
Coonawarra. This concept, widely known
as natural appellation, is now well accepted
in Australia – along with the exceptions
that prove the rule. Investments of time
and patience have led to these vineyards
producing some of the best and most
celebrated wines of their variety around
the world.
In 2012, and led by fifth generation
proprietor Robert Hill Smith, Yalumba’s
wines of provenance continue to add a
distinctly Australian flavour to the old
world philosophy of terroir – that distinct
characteristic bestowed on a wine by a
particular place.
An innovative mindset cultured and
fostered within Yalumba has also led to
emerging varieties being expertly paired
with ideal locations – the Hill Smith family’s
pioneering work with Eden Valley Viognier
more than 30 years ago is a clear example
of this.
From the mid-1980s, the Hill Smith family
was able to source Cabernet Sauvignon
fruit from an exceptional vineyard the
‘Ming’ block in the heart of Coonawarra.
The family purchased the property outright
in 1993 and The Menzies Vineyard, as it
became known, has since produced 22
vintages of classic Cabernet Sauvignon,
each created with longevity, depth and
structure in mind.
This foresight in micro managing individual
sites has extended throughout the family’s
vineyards and beyond, with Yalumba’s
growers encouraged and assisted both on
and off the land.
With success intrinsically linked to the
land, Yalumba is acutely aware of how
its presence impacts the environment.
Looking to the future, Yalumba has created
a sustainable business in which responsible
environmental practice is integrated into
everyday activities.
>2

“Yalumba has honed in on the detail
of its Coonawarra vineyards, with
every section of each vineyard
treated differently according
to soil type and depth.”
Tyson Stelzer, November 2011

Coonawarra
Riddoch Highway(A66)
Tricia Reschke Rd
Memorial Dr
V&A Lane
Maaoupe Rd
Yalumba
Coonawarra Estate
The Menzies
“Cabernet Sauvignon is king of
grape varieties and Coonawarra
is its natural throne.”
Peter Gambetta, Senior Winemaker
Racecourse Rd
Penola
Terra Rossa Ridge
Kilometres

nawarra
the cigar shaped strip
The geological development of the
Coonawarra as a premium winegrowing
region had its roots when the region
was submerged by the waters of the
Great Southern Ocean. Geological
activity, coupled with variations in the
polar ice caps, gradually raised the land,
leaving a scattering of millions of fossils
and artefacts.
Thousands of years of erosion then
accumulated air-borne dust which
has laid down the famous terra rossa
soil. This is further enhanced by an
underlying porous limestone layer
which has an excellent capacity for
storing water.
Taking its name from the Aboriginal
word meaning ‘honeysuckle’,
the region was first cultivated in 1891
by Scottish settler John Riddoch, who
recognized the potential of the cool
climate and rich red terra rossa soil to
grow grapes of exceptional quality.
The perfect marriage of red sandy loam
over limestone is complemented by a
long, cool growing season and makes
Coonawarra one of the gems in the
global red wine crown
Cabernet Sauvignon is by far the most
widely planted variety throughout
the region, with more than 60 per
cent of Coonawarra vines bearing this
favoured red grape.
Coonawarra vignerons humbly
recognise the style of their wine would
be impossible if not for the millions of
years of geological development that
have created an achingly small strip
of premium soil in the south-east of
South Australia.
Time, patience and intelligence are
integral in the development of fine
red wine.
To own a vineyard upon that famous
terra rossa soil over limestone is the
holy grail of all Cabernet Sauvignon
purists. Since 1987, the Hill Smith
family has counted themselves among
those fortunate enough to produce an
estate grown Coonawarra Cabernet
Sauvignon, naming it after red wine
enthusiast and former Prime Minister
Sir Robert Menzies, who so generously
praised Yalumba’s Special Vintage
Galway Claret 1961 at an influential
gathering in Adelaide in 1966.
yalumba coonawarra / cabernet sauvignon / provenance
>5

Yalumba
The Menzies
Cabernet Sauvignon
longevity and complexity
yalumba coonawarra / cabernet sauvignon / provenance
Yalumba has long held the unequivocal goal of
capturing the best of the superb patch of Coonawarra
terra rossa and bottling it as Yalumba The Menzies
Cabernet Sauvignon.
Experimentation, innovation, minimal intervention
and small batch winemaking has resulted in Yalumba
The Menzies’ reputation as one of the best wines of its
type to emerge from the region – a wine of longevity,
elegance and structure.
Grapes for Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon
are harvested from nine sub-plots across the vineyard.
Fruit is grown using a combination of traditional and
modern viticultural practices to ensure the naturally
low yielding vines produce grapes of colour and
intensity. Later the parcels of fruit are fermented and
aged individually, maintaining the expression of
The Menzies Estate vineyard.
“Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon draws
from nine individual subplots, and we can maintain
the integrity of those parcels with small fermenters.
Blending decisions can be made much later, and
solely on wine quality, not the capacity of the tanks.”
Peter Gambetta, The Menzies Estate Winemaker
>6

Yalumba The Cigar
Cabernet Sauvignon
vibrant and approachable
The Cigar is an award winning
wine produced from fruit grown
in The Menzies Estate Vineyard.
Approachable, generous and
much loved, this wine has won
praise since its first vintage
release in 2006.
The Cigar shows the versatility
of Cabernet Sauvignon in the
hands of a master winemaker.
Whilst predominantly the same
grape variety (The Cigar differs
in that it can have up to 10%
merlot and malbec included
in the wine. It is crafted to
highlight the varietal strength
of cabernet, with softer tannins
and brighter fruit flavours,
in contrast to Yalumba The
Menzies which can be restrained
and ‘brooding’ in its youth.
This wine is named after the
unique cigar shaped strip of
rich red terra rossa soil that
has cemented Coonawarra’s
reputation as a premium
winemaking region. In contrast
to its worldwide reputation the
strip is relatively tiny, running
only 12 kilometres long and two
kilometres wide.
“…the wine to drink while
Yalumba The Menzies
sorts itself out for a decade
in the cellar.”
Tyson Stelzer, July 2011
yalumba coonawarra / cabernet sauvignon / provenance
>9

Peter
Gambetta
“Fine winemaking is a holistic pursuit, giving the
winemaker an infinite number of possibilities to
practise their craft during the creation of a wine.”
Peter Gambetta, Yalumba The Menzies Estate Winemaker

With close to 20 years of winemaking experience in Coonawarra,
Peter’s knowledge and understanding of the region is not only
extensive, but a treasured resource as he continues to enhance
Yalumba The Menzies with each vintage. His approach to
winemaking is holistic with care from the vine to the glass a
testament to his attention to detail.
Peter’s outstanding red wine making experience and skills,
combined with his intimate understanding of the premium
wine-growing region of Coonawarra, have made him an
invaluable asset to Yalumba.
“Working with this region has delighted and challenged me for
years. Having the opportunity to draw on my past experience
and increase my understanding and ability to take the best of
this region and nurture it until the final resultant wine, never
loses its appeal to me,” he said.
Peter has always taken a meticulous approach to his
winemaking, believing in attention to detail at every stage.
From harvesting at optimal ripeness and fruit flavour, to
continuing to monitor the wine once in bottle - ensuring they
are released only at their most enjoyable.
yalumba coonawarra / cabernet sauvignon / provenance
“The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon draws
from nine individual subplots, and we can
maintain the integrity of those parcels with
small fermenters. Blending decisions can
be made much later, and solely on wine
quality, not the capacity of the tanks.”
Peter Gambetta, The Menzies Estate Winemaker
>11

“I find the future for our Menzies vineyards
really exciting, especially learning what we can
do with each new clone we put into the ground.”
James Freckleton,
Limestone Coast Vineyard Manager
“The Hill Smith family has always had a
good eye for an exceptional vineyard site”
Robin Nettelbeck,
Yalumba Viticulturist

Thousands of years of erosion has
accumulated air borne dust which has laid
down the famous terra rossa soil. This is
further enhanced by an underlying porous
limestone layer which has an excellent
capacity for storing water.

The Virgilius Viognier
[Eden Valley]
The Virgilius Viognier is Yalumba's
pre-eminent white wine and premium
Viognier offering. Complemented by its
younger sibling, Yalumba Eden Valley
Viognier, The Virgilius represents the
pinnacle of more than 30 years of work
with the variety.
The Virgilius has evolved since its first
release with the 1998 vintage. Winemaker
Louisa Rose most recently discovering the
wine’s ability to peak approximately five
years after release. A truly individual wine,
Viognier exhibits layers of opulent and
luscious flavours, including musk, rose,
pear, lychee, apricot, ginger and spice.
The Signature
Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz
[Barossa]
The Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz blend
is a distinctively Australian style, and
The Signature has set the benchmark,
drawing heavily on Yalumba's great
Barossa resource of Cabernet Sauvignon
and Shiraz vineyards.
Deep and intense, the wine displays full
palate weight with powerful fruit and soft
oak, hand-coopered at Yalumba. This is
a wine made for longevity, which is very
much The Signature style.
The Signature has a recognisable
thumbprint that epitomises this style.
This is a wine that is made to last, and for
lasting enjoyment.

The Octavius
Old Vine Shiraz
[Barossa]
Born of the Barossa and celebrating the
quality of the region’s established Shiraz
vines, the Octavius Old Vine Shiraz is
Yalumba’s premier Shiraz offering
Yalumba is one of only a handful of
wineries around the world to enjoy the
privilege of its own cooperage, and The
Octavius is the only red wine in the
world to be matured in 100-litre octaves.
The secret of the wine not becoming
overpowered by the oak lies in the wood
which is seasoned at Yalumba's own
on-site cooperage for three to five years
before the octaves are crafted.
Rare
and
Fine

“I am incredibly proud of what we have
achieved throughout our 160 years of
winemaking – so far, for we are still young.
Yalumba seeks not only to leave a legacy of
great wine, but to also pass on our natural
resources to future generations in better
condition than when we inherited them.”
Robert Hill Smith, Yalumba Proprietor

Environmental
Stewardship
With success intrinsically linked to the land, Yalumba is acutely aware of how
its presence impacts the environment. Looking to the future, Yalumba has
created a sustainable business in which responsible environmental practice are
integrated into everyday activities.
revegetation
program
Yalumba has sourced fruit from The Menzies Vineyard since 1982 and during
this time has developed a strong affiliation with the site. After purchasing the
land outright in 1993, Yalumba and the Hill Smith family have been working to
protect, rehabilitate and rejuvenate the remnant trees, shrubs and grasses of
the of district.
In addition a four acre patch of vegetation was set aside in order to foster the
growth of the Red Gums native to the area.
This patch helps conserve natural biodiversity, local plants and birds, and is
compatible with sustainable vineyard development.
Precision
Viticulture
Precision viticulture is an important practice for Yalumba The Menzies Estate.
Through infra red satellite imaging, individual selections of vines can be
assessed for health, vigour and, ultimately, fruit quality.
This aids in identifying the best Cabernet Sauvignon from the Estate and
further defines the wine style through an enhanced vineyard sustainability and
heightened fruit quality.

“Yalumba’s commitment to integrating the
vineyards with the surrounding environment is
beautifully demonstrated at the Menzies with
four acres in the heart of the Coonawarra strip
dedicated to native revegetation rather than
converting the land to vines.”
Dan Newson, The Menzies Estate Viticulturist

sustainable
future

“We are committed to minimising
environmental impact for a sustainable
successful future”
Dr Cecil Camilleri, Environmental Manager Yalumba

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