Wynns

Written By Angus Hughson

2025 Wynnsday Release

The 70th vintage of Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a reminder that time marches on and that change is always inevitable. The ‘Black Label’ livery has been updated to mark this historic waypoint of this series. First made in 1954, the wine has been the longstanding regional reference for cabernet Sauvignon. While 2023 will not be remembered as the finest vintage of this decade, the newly badged ‘The Original’, is a decent claret style, albeit short in stuffing. The firm, almost muscular structure reflects a cool and difficult growing season while the flavours are not as generous as one would expect of this series. Nonetheless a short time in the cellar will probably allow things to settle to reveal something more complete. The 2022s are better wines but their true colours are probably hidden by bottling-shock. The Michael Shiraz looks great because of its ethereal aromatics and plush lines, but the cork-sealed John Riddoch, a style which I have always admired, seems jagged and unresolved. All the elements are still fighting it out and the oak dominates. But this is probably illusional and fleeting. In all likelihood, the fruit has been knocked unconscious through the process of bottling. It will come back and bring everything into balance, doubtless in time for the September ‘Beyond Bordeaux’ tastings which take place in advance of its release on ‘La Place de Bordeaux.’ The 2022 Childs Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is also looking a touch incomplete although the fruit is more present it the wine. With a few more years, it will be drinking perfectly. The 2024 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Chardonnay shows typical varietal definition and creamy textures while having very good volume and linear freshness. Its conventional and safe rather than exciting, but this is exactly what a general audience wants. Nonetheless, I get the feeling that subtle changes in winemaking are taking place at Wynns Coonawarra Estate but it’s difficult to know whether this is a reflection of nature or nurture? Or rearrangement of the furniture? The brand’s new strapline ‘Brutally Elegant’, however, suggests that different directions are taking place.

2024 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Chardonnay, Coonawarra – South Australia

Pale colour. Fresh lemon glacé, white peach, tonic water aromas with hints of roasted almond/ marzipan. Creamy and refreshing on the palate with ample lemon curd, stone fruit, tonic water flavours, fine loose knit chalky textures, attractive mid-palate creaminess and underlying vanilla/ marzipan notes. Finishes crisp and minerally. 8 months maturation in 27% new and 73% seasoned French oak barrels. Drink now – 2030 13.2% 93 points

2023 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra – South Australia

Deep crimson. Fresh blackcurrant pastille herb garden/ bush garrigue aromas with underlying roasted chestnut/ vanilla notes. Inky deep cassis, blackberry fruits, some graphite/ cola notes, fine grainy/ touch grippy tannins and well-integrated roasted chestnut notes. Builds up al dente/ leafy firm at the finish with bitter-sweet notes. A cool expression of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and missing the mid-palate volume of the best years. It should develop more richness with bottle age, but the tannins will always remain sinewy. The 70th vintage in a contiguous and unbroken line since 1954. Has always been referred to as Black Label by collectors in the secondary wine market but now rebadged ‘The original’ with new and polarising corporate livery.  16 months maturation in French oak barriques (32%) hogsheads (58%) and stainless-steel vats (10%). 31% new French oak, 27% one-year-old and 42% seasoned barrels. Drink now – 2038. 13.8% alc 93 points

2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Childs Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra – South Australia

Deep crimson. Intense and lifted black cherry, cassis, sage, aniseed aromas with underlying cedar notes. A classical claret like style with pure blackcurrant, black cherry, mulberry fruits, finely grained tannins, attractive mid palate volume and well-balanced vanilla/ spice notes. Finishes chewy firm, long and minerally/ juicy with chinotto notes. Still in its elemental phase but beautifully balanced wine. Needs a few years to reach completeness. 16 months maturation in French oak barriques (80%) and hogsheads (20%). 30% new French oak, 30% one-year-old and 40% seasoned barrels. Drink 2027 – 2038 13.6% alc 95 points

2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra – South Australia

Deep crimson. Blackcurrant, dark cacao, roasted chestnut aromas with bush garrigue notes. Generously concentrated pure cassis, dark chocolate, roasted chestnut flavours, plentiful fine-grained tannins, a touch of cloves and some chinotto inky complexity. Very good mid-palate richness, underlying vanilla notes and persistent mineral acidity. The oak tautens the wine to a bittersweet dark chocolaty/ cedary finish. Expressive, classical and linear, but will unfold with time. One for the long haul. 17 months maturation in French oak barriques and hogsheads. 43% new French oak, 42% one-year-old and 15% seasoned barrels. Drink 2028 – 2042 13.5% alc 95+ points

2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz, Coonawarra – South Australia

Deep crimson. Beautiful black cherry, peppercorn, sage aromas with vanilla, roasted chestnut notes. Inky deep wine with black cherry, mulberry, blackberry fruits, fine persistent chocolaty tannins and beautifully integrated new oak. Finishes claret firm with peppery/ chinotto spice notes. A lovely characterful Coonawarra Shiraz with impressive definition, richness and flow. Delicious drinking already. 12 months maturation in French oak barriques and hogsheads. 25% new French oak, 44% two-year-old and 31% three-year-old barrels. Drink now – 2038 13.1% alc 96 points

2024 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Coonawarra – South Australia

Medium deep crimson. Lifted peppery, graphite aromas with underlying blackcurrant brambly notes. Inky deep and minerally textured with attractive blackcurrant, graphite, hint cedar flavours, finely grained and persistent tannins and well-integrated roasted walnut oak. Chalky/ graphite notes at the finish. Impressively balanced and refined cabernet franc with excellent purity and definition. Best to drink early to medium term, Drink now – 2030. 12.9% alc 95 points

2024 Wynnsday Release

2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon,
Coonawarra – South Australia

Medium deep crimson. Fresh blackcurrant, herb garden aromas with hints of graphite and spice. Inky deep blackcurrant pastille, earthy, black olive flavours, fine slinky al dente textures and underlying savoury oak. Medium bodied style. 13.4% alc 90 points

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Messenger Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra – South Australia

Medium crimson. Fresh inky, cassis, sage aromas with hints of espresso. Supple cassis, vanilla hint roasted chestnut, marzipan flavours and persistent fine- grained tannins. Finishes long with pastille like notes. Lovely flow and mineral length. 13.6% alc 94+ points

2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz, Coonawarra –
South Australia

Medium deep crimson. Cassis, blackberry, herb garden aromas with sage hint mint notes. Fresh slinky textured wine with blackcurrant, dark plum, fruits, fine loose knit chalky touch leafy tannins combined with savoury oak minced; the Shiraz gives buoyancy of fruit and fills the mid palate but still and elegant style 12.3% alc 93 points

2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Old Vines Shiraz, Coonawarra – South
Australia

Medium deep crimson. Aromatic and elegantly styled with white pepper, blackberry, mulberry aromas with hints of dark chocolate. Well-balanced with ample dark berry fruits, fine chocolaty textures. Attractive mid palate volume and well integrated acidity. A fine tannin plume at the finish. 13.1% alc 94 points

2022 Wynns Coonawarra Estate V&A Lane Shiraz, Coonawarra – South
Australia

Medium deep crimson. Attractive blackberry pastime, mulberry, cassis aromas with herb garden sage notes. Chocolaty and slightly grippy with abundant blackberry, praline flavours, fine gravely tannins and underlying vanilla notes. Finished claret firm. 12.4% alc 92 points

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz, Coonawarra – South
Australia

Deep crimson. Blackberry, hint elderberry, chinotto, praline aromas and flavours with attractive roasted chestnut, vanilla crème brûlée notes, fine chocolaty textures and superbly integrated oak. Impressively balanced with plenty of years ahead. 13.2% alc 96 points

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon,
Coonawarra – South Australia

Deep crimson. Classical claret style wine with beautiful cassis, leafy, dark chocolate roasted chestnut, nutmeg aniseed aromas. Still elemental but well balanced wine with Bristol pure blackcurrant, dark plum praline flavours, fine grained slightly al dente tannins and very well balanced new oak complexity. Quite taught throughout but the acidity is crystalline and minerally. Should all fold together with time. 13.5% alc 97 points

2023 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Release

The 2021 vintage was a cool and long growing season resulting in classical Coonawarra reds. Neither the Black Label Cabernet or the Black label Shiraz disappoint. While the Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon needs about an extra year to start fully expressing its virtues, it has all the elements of a classical Coonawarra Claret style. It will fill out on the mid palate with a touch of bottle age and develop into a brilliant wine. The Black Label Shiraz is of exceptionally high quality with amazing fruit complexity and balance. The V&A Lane Shriaz and V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz are cooler expressions and sit on the cusp of ripeness. This results in beautiful violet notes, a touch of grip and moderate alcohols. These will have wide appeal as well. The well-balanced and appealing Glengyle Cabernet Sauvignon highlights the fidelity of the vintage and the versatility of Cabernet Sauvignon in all Coonawarra seasons. The 2020 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon will be released in September in Australia and globally through La Place de Bordeaux. For a detailed history on Wynns Coonawarra Estate you can access ‘Imagining Coonawarra’ here on The Vintage Journal.

 

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Old Vines Shiraz, Coonawarra - South Australia

Deep crimson. Lovely pure blackberry pastille, cassis hint dark chocolate pepper aromas. Generous and inky with ample blackberry, mulberry fruits, fine loose-knit velvety textures and underlying vanilla, marzipan notes. Finishes chocolaty and minerally. A brilliant Coonawarra Shiraz with superb fruit definition, density, buoyancy and length. Based on heirloom vineyards – Undoolya (1894) and Johnson’s Block (1925).  A wonderful vintage with the structure for long term aging. 13.8% alc Drink now – 2035+ 97 points

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate V&A Lane Shiraz, Coonawarra - South Australia

Medium deep crimson. Musky plum, blackberry dark cherry aromas with mocha, herb garden notes. Inky deep wine with pure blackberry, dark cherry flavours, briary/ grippy textures and well-balanced mocha, vanilla notes. Finishes slinky and long with crunchy notes. Still in its elemental phase but should develop well. 12.7% alc Drink 2024 – 2034 93 points

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz, Coonawarra - South Australia

Medium deep crimson. Attractive blackcurrant, blackberry, elderberry, dark chocolate aromas with herb garden, hint leafy notes. Well concentrated blackberry, cassis fruits, fine cedar, touch leafy tannins and well-integrated savoury notes. Finishes grippy firm and long with bittersweet chocolaty notes. 12.8% alc Drink 2024 – 2034 94 points

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra - South Australia

Deep crimson. Beautiful cigar box, blackcurrant aromas with underlying roasted chestnut notes. Classically structured with plentiful cassis, black cherry, cedar flavours, fine grained savoury tannins, attractive quartz-like acidity and well-integrated roasted chestnut/ vanilla oak. Finishes chalky firm and minerally. Archetypal Coonawarra Claret withs superb vibrancy, and cabernet bloodlines. Deserves a year or more cellaring time to allow all the elements to unfold. 13.4% alc Drink 2024 – 2038 97 points

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Glengyle Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra - South Australia

Deep crimson. Fragrant violet, pure cassis aromas with hints of dark chocolate. Expressive wine with blackcurrant, Parma violet, touch cedar flavours, fine grainy/ al dente and sinuous tannins, attractive density and well-balanced marzipan, roasted chestnut oak notes and fresh crisp acidity. Finishes sinewy with bittersweet cacao notes. Delicious minerally wine with seductive pure cassis notes. Drink now – 2034 95 points

2020 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia

Deep crimson. Lovely blackcurrant pastille, roasted chestnut, marzipan aromas with hints of bush garrigue. Dense and compact with plentiful cassis, dark cherry fruits, fine slinky/ grainy tannins, attractive mid-palate volume and well-integrated new oak complexity. Finishes grainy firm with fresh acidity at the finish. Still elemental but will unfold and develop really well. The bush garrigue/ sage notes give an appealing ethereal freshness. Keep for a while. Drink 2026-2038 13.5% alc 95 points

Angus Hughson
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