Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

From The Menzies Estate vineyard situated in the heart of Coonawarra. Blackcurrant, bay leaf, pan juice umami and whispers of mint are followed by earth, graphite and an underpinning of cedar. A very gratifying mix of fruit and umami savouriness showing nice lift and glide through the palate which is full bodied but fresh. Blackcurrant, cedar, liquorice root and earth make way for tinges of graphite and mocha before gravelly tannins and a burgeoning acidity wrap it up and pull it long through the mouth. Very long, in fact. There’s a lot to like here, for its elegance, savoury complexity, and long, even length. This will show beautifully following a decade in the cellar. Right now, however, It’s screaming out for a perfectly cooked piece of eye fillet. 

Tom Kline

Wine Critic at Winepilot

Tom Kline is a wine writer, reviewer, presenter, and educator based in Victoria, Australia. He is the Australian correspondent for the internationally respected publications Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy and Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux, where he highlights the top tier of Australian wine for a global audience. Tom also writes for leading outlets including Decanter (UK), Wine Spectator (US), and Halliday Magazine, among others. An experienced wine show judge and WSET educator, he has authored several consumer-focused wine courses aimed at making wine more accessible and engaging. In 2023, Tom was awarded Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column at the prestigious Wine Communicator Awards, presented by Wine Communicators of Australia.

Wine tasting and writing