Cumulus Wines, the company that emerged from the restructuring of the failed Reynolds Wines, has become the vehicle for the return to Australian wine of Keith Lambert, the former Southcorp CEO. Lambert, who joins the board as director and chairman, has bought the 51% stake in the business that was owned by underwriter and insurer Assetinsure, which spent $30 million buying the winery, vineyard and assets after Reynolds’ collapse in 2003. Lambert joins a team with a powerful former Southcorp flavour headed by Philip Shaw as managing director, winemaking & production, and Jeffrey Wilkinson as the new CEO. Wilkinson says that the three represent more than eighty years of experience in the wine industry, and that already a large number of people are emerging who want to do business with them. Critical to Cumulus’ ultimate success will be the way in which overseas markets accept its innovative Rolling and Climbing brands. The company is launching its US office shortly, and has established its own US subsidiary, Cumulus Wines USA, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri. Wilkinson reports that the US market appears to have a strong affinity with the ‘whimsy’ and ‘quirkiness’ of the brands. ‘We believe there are a lot of people in their alte 20s and early 30s who not only want wine to be fun, but like the idea that the people making wine think it’s fun as well. They’re not interested in 120 years of history, but they do want a quality product that deserves respect.’ He has received a strong initial response from major potential customers in the UK, already has a strong presence in Japan and will receive listings in Canada by March next year. The release of the 2004 reds and 2005 whites provide a strong base for Cumulus’ overseas activities, especially since they were the brand’s first wines to have truly been assembled by Philip Shaw, who had assumed full control of viticulture and winemaking by the 2004 vintage. Cumulus does not intend to roll out a number of other brands as it expands, but according to Wilkinson will focus on Rolling and Climbing. ‘We believe there is room for a whole range of Australian wine that does not revolve around big blockbuster style with high alcohols, but instead with length and elegance. Orange can deliver that. While with Southcorp I was always a huge fan of Rosemount’s Orange Vineyard Chardonnay and Merlot wines.’
