'Monumental wine': Wynns John Riddoch Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 is the elite of Cab Savs hailing from prominent South Australian vineyard

Sky News AU

25-06-2025

Does Australian cabernet sauvignon get any better than this? Pic Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
Wynns John Riddoch Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($175) is a monumental wine saturated with the taste of cherries, plum and cassis.
It comes from Wynns Coonawarra Estate's fabled terra rossa region, a 20-kilometre strip that has some of the most prized vineyards in Australia.
It's close to the Victorian border and has a maritime influence. The rich red soil and cool southerly climate is optimal for growing intensely flavoured grapes, explained Sue Hodder, chief winemaker.
The best cabernets have a distinctive red cherry character with hints of dried mint (and sometimes spearmint) adding to its complexity and elegance, she said.
The latest John Riddoch shows an enticing savoury element with tobacco and chocolate notes. Yet it has a gentle mouthfeel for a wine of such intensity.
The wine honours the achievements of John Riddoch who arrived in Australia from Scotland in 1851. He was born at Turrif in Aberdeenshire. He was a shopkeeper, a gold digger, a philanthropist, a parliamentarian, a wool grower, a property investor and fruit producer, as Master of Wine Andrew Caillard tells us in his magnificent, three-volume Australian wine history, The Australian Ark.
Riddoch was known as the Squire of Penola who moved to the Coonawarra region in 1861. Caillard described him as gentlemanly.
He even hosted a visit by Prince George, later King George V, to his Yallum Park mansion.
The community entertained the royals with wheelbarrow races.
Fast forward to 1951 and property fell into the ownership of Samuel Wynn and son David. But the Riddoch name persists.
Ms Hodder said the John Riddoch cabernet came from fruit from the Johnson's Block planted in 1954 from genetic material that pre-dates the European phylloxera outbreak.
'Fruit from Johnson's Block has been part of Wynns' flagship wine, the John Riddoch cabernet, for the majority of vintages since its first release in 1982,' she said.
The John Riddoch leads a stellar lineup of wines from the Wynns 2025 luxury collection.
And there is a surprise newcomer this year.
Introducing Wynns Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2024 ($80). It is a medium-bodied wine with a commanding amalgam of juicy strawberry, mulberry and red cherry flavours. Ms Hodder said it has taken about 10 years to get the vineyard in the right condition to deliver the quality needed for a new single vineyard offering.
She said the grapes came from the McKillop Vineyard in the northern part of Coonawarra.
'A shorter maceration period, coupled with maturation in neutral 3000L French oak vats, has allowed the distinct character of cabernet franc to shine through,' she said.
She spoke of the 'alluring fragrance' with notes of purple verbena flower, fresh raspberries, musk and a hint of graphite.
The set also includes Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 ($45) one of the nation's favourite 'everyday wines'.
The black label is one of the one of the most keenly collected wines in the country because of its reputation for ageing gracefully and displaying excellent varietal characteristics.
'The wine is produced from only the top quality 20 to 25 percent of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit grown in our terra rossa vineyards,' Ms Hodder said.
It shows the aromatics of blackberry and white sage accentuated by subtle lavender notes followed by a palate of red cherry and plum, leading to deeper, contrasting notes of moss and earth.
The set also includes Wynns Michael Shiraz 2022 ($150), Wynns Single Vineyard Childs Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($80) and Wynns Black Label Messenger Chardonnay 2024 ($45).