▻ Australia’s First Growth

Let's Talk About

26 Jul

Written By Sarah Kemp

John Stimpfig in conversation with Sue Hodder, talking about Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon

Episode Summary:-

Sue Hodder has been head winemaker at Wynns Estate in Southern Australia for 25 years. She talks to John Stimpfig on the eve of the 2020 Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon launching on the prestigious La Place de Bordeaux. Sue explains how John Riddoch was a Scottish pioneer who emigrated to Australia and made his fortune in the gold rush, where he invested in agricultural land in the 1880s and started the Penola Fruit Company, which made wine. In 1957, the Wynn family (Polish emigres from Melbourne, who were art patrons and restauranteurs) bought the winery. Early on, the Wynns established their reputation for quality, and in 1982 they decided to create a flagship wine, Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, which was to be produced only in the best years. It was immediately recognised as one of Australia’s greatest Cabernets, and today is considered Exceptional in the Langton’s Classification.

Sue grew up in Alice Springs and went to Roseworthy to study oenology. Today she is one of the few people who actually live in Coonawarra, which is remote, with only 58 living in the town and 150 in the wider Coonawarra community. She tells John about the considerable investment made in the vineyards, including the decision not to make wine for a couple of years. “Medium-bodied wines, largely red fruit with moderate alcohol, that’s our style,” explains Sue. In September, Sue will be introducing the 2020 vintage onto the Bordeaux Place, She describes how it was an interesting year, with a cool Spring leading to a small crop, which is quite concentrated. For John’s tasting notes, see below.

Running Order:-

0.00 – 9.46

“The quality of Cabernet coming out of Wynns established itself pretty early on.”

– John Riddoch, Scottish pioneer comes to Australia and buys land.
– Wynn family buys the estate in 1957 and invests in the vineyards.
– The decision to make the flagship wine in 1982.
9.47 – 21.48

“The ‘90s decade was a really favourable condition for grape growing.”

– Sue Hodder’s background.
– Investment in the vineyards in the early 2000s.
– The style of Wynns wine.
– Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon “Exceptional” in Langton’s Classification.
– Launch of the 2020 vintage on Bordeaux Place.

Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
An outstanding effort by winemaker Sue Hodder, this latest release again speaks eloquently of the cooler 2020 vintage and its privileged terra rossa soil. The nose has a lovely purity of classic cassis fruit with a floral whiff. On the palate, the attack is bright and fresh, with superbly delineated blueberry and blackcurrant-pastille flavours. As always, the juicy, fine-boned acidity is exquisitely balanced alongside the ripe, gliding tannins that provide frame and texture. The John Riddoch style is about precision and elegance, and this carries through to the wine’s extended finish. This is almost drinkable now and will reward a couple of decades in the cellar. Made from very low yields, the 2020 spent 17 months in French barriques and hogsheads (23% new, 45% one-year-old and 32% two years old.)

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
13.5%
Drink from 2024 to 2048+

Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
From a classic Coonawarra vintage comes another sublime John Ridddoch Cabernet, with iris-like perfume wafting from the glass. Deep crimson in colour, this young, immensely promising and vital wine is brim-full of seductive flavours, ranging from the cool blackcurrant, cherry and blueberry fruit to tapenade, cedar and spice box. Lovely linearity and texture here, with svelte, super-fine tannins working in tandem with the beguiling acidity and medium-weight structure. As always, there’s fabulous polish, poise, complexity and length, due to ultra-strict selection, impeccable sourcing and outstanding winemaking by Hodder and her team. Bravo!

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
13.5%
Drink from 2025 to 2050+

Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
An important, statement vintage for this historic label, as it was the first John Riddoch made following the intensive three-year ‘rejuvenation’ of its terra rossa vineyards under the auspices of Sue Hodder and her team. The wine was rewarded with considerable acclaim on release, and continues to impress nearly two decades on. A core of cassis fruit continues to shine, as do savoury bottle-age notes of sous-bois, mushroom, chamomile and tobacco pouch. Grainy tannins, refreshing acidity and elegant structure lead on to a sustained dry finish. This is now at or near its peak, where it will remain happily for several more years.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
13.5%
Drink from 2023 to 2032

JS – July 23

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