Rahona Valley Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2006 $27 and Reserve Pinot Noir 2006 $34 Dromana Estate Mornington Estate Pinot Noir 2008 $30 After a few initial misgivings, the Rahona Valley pinots offered delicious drinking for several days after opening. They have the heady aroma, deep flavours and rich texture of good pinot, marred slightly by … Continue reading Wine review — Rahona Valley, Wynns, d’Arenberg and Hewitson
Helm Canberra District Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 $27–$32 There’s bad news and good news. First the bad – frost decimated Ken Helm’s cabernet crop in 2007. And now the good news – the small, crop, much of it second-growth fruit, developed ripe flavours at low sugar levels, meaning lower alcohol wine. And more good news – … Continue reading Wine review — Helm and Wynns Coonawarra Estate
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2008 $10–$20 It’s just released, the bottle price hit $15.99 by the dozen immediately – and since publishing this review in The Canberra Times has hit $9.90 — a screaming bargain. Stock up as this is an exciting red with a fifty-year pedigree. It’s a beautifully aromatic, vibrant, cool climate shiraz … Continue reading Wine review — Wynns Coonawarra Estate
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2007 $8.50–$21 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz 2005 $69–$76 The price range of $8.50–$21 a bottle for the 2007 Shiraz is not a mistake. You’ll find single bottles in convenience stores at the higher price. And the $8.50 was a Dan Murphy (Woolworths) reaction to a 1st Choice (Coles) advertisement at … Continue reading Wine review — Wynns Coonawarra Estate reds
They say that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Wynns Coonawarra Estate was never broken. In fact, for all but a short period in the seventies, it produced reliable, long-cellaring reds. But by the late nineties, with winemakers restless to do better, small-scale vineyard restoration began. “From 2000 on”, says winemaker Sue Hodder, “we … Continue reading Wynns Coonawarra — great winemaking but the marketing sucks
Wynns Coonawarra Estate – Shiraz 2006 $12-$15 – Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $23-$30 My only quibble with these two new releases – and especially the shiraz – is that they ought to be a year older at release. Not that you’ll be putting the cork back in. The shiraz offers lovely, sweet berry flavours with cool-climate … Continue reading Wine review — Wynns
The old adage that the only thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn anything from history is bunk. At Wynns Coonawarra Estate, a close study of historic wines taught Sue Hodder and her winemaking team plenty about Coonawarra wines. A decade on from two retrospective Wynns shiraz and cabernet tastings — stretching … Continue reading How Sue Hodder’s history lesson improved Wynns’ Coonawarra reds
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 $19 to $25 Two years ago I was fortunate to taste the entire sequence of Wynns Coonawarra cabernet’s from Ian Hickinbotham’s inaugural 1954 vintage (still drinking well) through to barrel samples of the 2003 and 2004 vintages. Clearly the wine has an extraordinary pedigree. And, fittingly, we see in … Continue reading Wine review — Wynns Coonawarra Estate, Kingston Estate & Lillypilly
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 $21 to $30 City Supa Barn last weekend offered a sky-high stack of Wynns 2002 at $20.99 – a bargain price for this satisfying, long-cellaring Coonawarra classic. It was one of my twelve gold-medal rated vintages at a recent tasting of all the Wynns cabernets back to the 1954 … Continue reading Wine review — Wynns, Framingham & Brookland Valey
After a half-decade absence, Wynns Coonawarra flagship reds are to be re-launched in March. Once headline grabbers and eagerly sought by collectors, Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon and Wynns Michael Shiraz fizzled and faded at the height of the red-wine boom, giving up the game to a flood of new, mostly unknown $50 to $100 … Continue reading Wynns to re-launch John Riddoch Cabernet and Michael Shiraz