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50 YEARS OF WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON PRAISED BY THE WORLD’S TOP PALATES
In November 2004 some of the world’s most influential palates gathered at Wynns Coonawarra Estate to celebrate 50 vintages of the winery’s famous Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon with a back vintage tasting.
Joshua Greene from US publication Wines & Spirits, Daryna Tobey Wine Enthusiast (USA), Giles MacDonagh The Financial Times and Decanter (UK) and Anthony Rose Independent (UK) were by joined by 11 Australian wine critics including; James Halliday The Australian, Huon Hooke The Sydney Morning Herald, Jeremy Oliver Onwine Guide and Qantas Magazine and Campbell Mattinson Australian Table and Winefront Monthly.
The group tasted 48 vintages (Wynns did not produce cabernet sauvignon in 1961 or 1963 due to the poor vintage conditions) of cabernet sauvignon from the first commercial release in 1954 through to the 2004, which will not be released until 2006.
Reports from the media show they very much enjoyed the tasting. On the day they were challenged to choose the outstanding cabernet sauvignon from the line-up with the 1991 coming out the winner. Just to prove that Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon can last in the cellar, their second favourite choice was 1954, followed by the 1996 vintage.
Chris Shanahan had this to say about the tasting in the Canberra Sunday Times, Sunday 5 December 2004
“The tasting revealed the inherent worth of Coonawarra cabernet and the reliability of Wynns Black Label as a realistically priced red for the cellar. But the impressive strength of the more recent vintages showed that the average quality ought to be higher in the future and that the quality of future great vintages - successors to the 1996, 1991, 1954 and 1982 John Riddoch - may move a notch or two higher.
The quality of Wynns Black Label rests on the company's unequalled vineyard holdings in Coonawarra - about 950 of the 5600 hectares planted in the region. Cabernet plantings alone stand al 450 hectares and the Black Label is drawn primarily from 240 hectares of vines that are over 30 years of age - a key quality factor”
To read full accounts of the tasting please follow this link: www.wynns.com.au/news/
As well as tasting the wines, a highlight for the assembled media was gaining an insight into the modernisation of winemaking in Coonawarra. Many were surprised to learn of the difficulties in the 1950s when there was no mains power in Coonawarra and when a local football team had to be co-opted to help with pruning. At this time the grapes often came into the winery on horse and cart and the winemakers had to begin their day by lighting the boiler so they had steam to run the crusher.
It was these stories behind the production of Coonawarra’s most famous cabernet sauvignon which were shared the by former Wynns Coonawarra Estate winemakers. Ian Hickinbotham OAM (1952 – 1954), Norm Walker (1954 – 1958) Warren Ward (1968 – 1969), Ken Ward (1971 – 1977), John Wade (1978 – 1981) and Robin Moody (1981 – 1985), joined the current winemakers Sue Hodder and Sarah Pidgeon.
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Chief Winemaker Sue Hodder says because of the limited plantings of cabernet sauvignon in Australia in the 1950s, Wynns is one of the few Australian wineries that can celebrate a 50-year history of this variety, which has become the backbone of the Coonawarra wine industry.
“The tasting was an excellent opportunity to showcase Coonawarra Cabernet to an international and local audience and reinforce its contribution to the Australian wine industry since the 1950s. At the same time the winemaking team used the tasting to learn from the past and look forward to the cabernet sauvignon of the future”, she said.
Sue Hodder is now taking the Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon tasting on the road. In early 2005 she hosted tastings for trade and media in Canada and the United Kingdom.
In the future devotees of Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from the tasting with the winery in the process of producing a book giving the combined tasting notes for very vintage of cabernet. It is hoped this book will be available in Australia by the middle of 2005.
View our video of the 50th Anniversary event:-
