Wynnsday returns with an impressive collection

It is hard to think of a wine producer that can match Wynns Coonawarra Estate for quality and value across the board.

Winemakers Sue Hodder and Sarah Pidgeon consistently over deliver on both counts - and the new releases for Wynnsday on June 3 do not disappoint.

The new releases are composed, complete and effortlessly stylish.

Wynnsday has been - for several decades - the day Wynns Coonawarra Estate releases its new vintage luxury wines.

I remember attending one at the winery when Peter Douglas was the chief winemaker - so the late 80s or early 90s.

The 2026 Wynnsday Collection features eight wines across three vintages from a range of vineyards.

This year’s release is headlined by the return of the very elegant V&A Lane Shiraz and Cabernet Shiraz blend, along with the debut Cabernet Shiraz, to the stellar Wynns Black Label range.

Wynns senior winemaker Sue Hodder (above) says the three very different vintages in the 2026 Wynnsday Collection - 2023, 2024, and 2025 - are testament to the quality and versatility of Wynns terra rossa vineyards and their ability to produce superb medium-bodied, cool-climate wines year on year.

“From the cooler, wet 2023 vintage we welcome the O’Dea's Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, representing the next gen of Wynns Cabernet vineyards," says Hodder. who has been in charge since 1998.

"Each year our winemaking team selects a premium parcel from a single cabernet vineyard to bottle separately, and that year O’Dea's excelled. This vineyard was originally planted in 1989 and later replanted to a selection of Wynns heritage cuttings and some new and interesting clones. We have been delighted to see these younger vines flourish in wet conditions and to bring this elegant wine to Wynnsday."

The 2024 reds are outstanding.

“2024 was a classic Coonawarra vintage, from which we crafted five stellar reds," says Hodder. "We are thrilled to see our V&A Lane Shiraz and Cabernet Shiraz wines return in superb form.

"Crafted by Sarah Pidgeon, they continue to set the benchmark for fresh, spicy, and naturally moderate alcohol red wine, sitting at only 12.6% each."

It's hard to pick a favourite, but I can't think of a better $45 bottle right now than Wynns 2024 The Original Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.

Coonawarra is synonymous with high-quality cabernets and this one hits the bullseye for composed quality. It has lovely structure, elegant tannins, balanced oak, and impressive length. It is immediately accessible and deadly drinkable.

Youthful inclusions are the 2025 Black Label Messenger Chardonnay and the Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc - both are delicious despite their relative adolescence.

The 2026 Wynnsday Collection comprises: Wynns O’Deas Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, RRP $80, Wynns MacKillop Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2025, RRP $80, Wynns V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz 2024, RRP $60, Wynns V&A Lane Shiraz 2024, RRP $60, Wynns Black Label The Original Cabernet Sauvignon 2024, RRP $45, Wynns Black Label Old Vines Shiraz 2024, RRP $45
Wynns Black Label Cabernet Shiraz 2024, RRP $45 and Wynns Black Label Messenger Chardonnay 2025, RRP $45

All the wines are released on Wednesday. See www.wynns.com.au and fine wine retailers across Australia.

Wine industry veterans recognised

 

Three wine industry icons who have mad a major impact in Coonawarra and further afield have been honoured by their peers. 

The Coonawarra Vignerons this weekend named Coonawarra’s newest Patrons, at a gala dinner at Parker Coonawarra Estate. 

Sue Hodder, Ian Hollick and Allen Jenkins were formally awarded the honour, recognised their years of service and outstanding contributions, promotion and development of the Coonawarra Wine Region.

“The honour of Patron of Coonawarra is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding contribution, commitment and service to the Coonawarra wine region over many years, above and beyond the requirements of their own job or business,” said Coonawarra Vignerons president Dan Redman. 

“Their energy and enthusiasm for the region is infectious, with an open-minded attitude for the future and a willingness to see change for the betterment of the region as a whole. As leaders in their respective fields they’ve served as mentors, offering guidance throughout their careers to many of today’s wine leaders.” 

In inducting three new Patrons, the Coonawarra Vignerons also recognised their past Patrons: Eric Brand (deceased), Ken Ward (deceased), Colin Ross-Smith (deceased), Colin Kidd (deceased), and current Patrons Doug Balnaves, Doug Bowen, Wendy Hollick, Bruce Redman, Michelle Stehbens and Greg Clayfield, all of whom were in attendance on the night.

“Each recipient has demonstrated an enormous effort in elevating Coonawarra and contributing to the wine region’s success," said Redman. "They are all truly worthy of this accolade.” 

Sue Hodder has been at Wynns Coonawarra Estate for over 30 years and in 1998 she became the winery’s first female senior winemaker. She has won myriad awards. 

Hollick arrived in Coonawarra to work for Mildara Wines in 1972 and established a vineyard with his former wife Wendy two years later. Hollick Estate twice won the coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy.  

Allen Jenkins was appointed Wynns viticulturist in 2001, and for the next 20 years was a strong contributor to the Coonawarra and Limestone Coast wine regions.

Hodder, Hollick and Jenkins were each presented with a badge and framed certificate commemorating their induction.

Wynnsday wines mark a major milestone

Wynns Coonwarra Estate winemakers Sue Hodder (right) and Sarah Pidgeon (left) make a formidable pair, always producing wines of interest at fair prices.

This week's 2023 Wynnsday Collection - to be released on Wednesday, June 7 - marks Hodder's 30th vintage at the prestige estate. 

The new release comprises five elegant, medium-bodied Coonawarra red wines from what senior winemaker Hodder describes as "the outstanding 2021 vintage".

Hodder, who joined Wynns in 1993, said the new collection reflect what is destined to be a classic vintage.

Wynnsday 2023 is headlined by the 66th vintage of one of Australia’s most cellared wines, Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, and also sees the return of Black Label ‘Old Vines’ Shiraz. 

The Glengyle Vineyard north of V&A Lane was selected as our single vineyard release in 2007, 2009 and now in 2021. 

Pidgeon, meanwhile, has made early picked cabernet and cabernet shiraz wines from the estate V&A Lane vineyards.

“The heralded 2021 vintage was cool and there was low rainfall, and no extreme heat or cold," Hodder says. "The wines have a noticeable iridescence to their colours and a similar vibrancy and depth of flavour. 

"The 2021 vintage is one that we are very proud of and one that will be cellared in Australia and indeed around the world." 

The 2023 Wynnsday Collection comprises:

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2021; Always a favourite and a wine that offers exceptional value and reliable cellaring potential. Dark with cassis-like fruit this vintage is exceptionally elegant. $44.99

Wynns Black Label ‘Old Vines’ Shiraz 2021: A very stylish representation of cooler-climate shiraz that includes fruit from vines planted as far back as 1890. A wine of impeccable balance. $$44.99

Wynns Glengyle Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021: The definite star of the show as the best single vineyard cabernet of the year. Inky, deeply flavoured and very varietal. $79.99

Wynns V&A Lane Shiraz 2021: This manages to be at once powerfully ripe fruited, and elegant and is made from some of the first vines to ripen each season. $59.99

Wynns V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz 2021: The two stellar grape varieties in the region are blended  in a classic "Claret" style. Grapes were harvested on the same day and then co-fermented. Red fruits and just 12.% alcohol. $59.99

Eagle-eyed readers will note the absence of the flagship Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The 2020 vintage will be launched globally in September as part of Bordeaux's prestige La Place market offering. 

The 2023 Wynnsday Collection is on sale from Wednesday from wynns.com.au and fine wine retailers. 

Major milestone for Coonawarra wine legend

The winds of change have blown vigorously through the wine industry during the 30 years that Sue Hodder has been a winemaker at iconic Wynns Coonawarra Estate.

Climate change, different wine fashions, the acceptance of women winemakers and very different styles of marketing have all occurred during the three decades Hodder has spent crafting thoughtful cool-climate wines, almost a quarter of a decade as head winemaker.

Then there is the switch from cork to screw caps, higher quality oak and far greater attention to what happens in the vineyards.

Hodder's long stint comes despite other opportunities, a fleeting desire to craft wines from her own vines and the tendency for winemakers to seek pastures new after a few years at the one address.

The release this week of a quartet of premium Wynns red wines marks 30 years of Hodder and 40 years of John Riddoch Cabernet, one of Australia's most globally respected high-end wines and a relative bargain at $150 a bottle compared to many rival releases with far inferior pedigrees.

Hodder took over from legendary Peter Douglas as Wynns senior winemaker and has spent over two decades working in tandem with friend and colleague Sarah Pidgeon in a rare all-female winemaking team.

"I find great satisfaction in the fact that we are able to produce quality cooler-climate wines that are collectable, but also accessible and affordable," she says.

"When I started at Wynns in the early 1990s, the fashion was very much towards big, rich, powerful red wines that appealed to the critics of that time, and I'm delighted that medium-bodied wines like the ones that we produce in Coonawarra are very much back in vogue.

"A lot of people dipped into their cellars over the pandemic and it has been gratifying to recieve so much feedback on how some of the older wines have rewarded the people who looked after them, often for decades."

Hodder says that after 30 vintages at Wynns she still enjoys her role, and being part of a close-knit team.

“I still have great joy in walking out the back door to our historic triple-gabled winery,” she says. "While this beautiful building remains largely untouched, we do now use smaller tanks, oak fermenters, different oak barrels, and an optical berry sorter.

"These winemaking tools just enable us to be more confidently creative.

"Our winemaking team has had remarkably few changes over the years – we are a family at Wynns, and our house style remains clear.”

That house style is, for me, confident elegance.

Hodder's wines are always well balanced, impressively structured and immediately accessible, while often destined for a long haul in the cellar.

Hodder grew up in Alice Springs and began her wine career as a viticulturist before moving into winemaking. She joined Wynns in 1993 as a winemaker under the guidance of the ebullient Douglas before being appointed senior winemaker in 1998.

She was named a Fellow of the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology (ASVO) in 2021 for her outstanding contribution to the Australian wine industry.

I ask her why she has not been tempted, as so many winemakers are, to strike out on her own with a small plot of land and her own label.

"I've been tempted, but I love it here and working with our special team," she says. "I would have lost access to some great vineyards, great viticultural support and our high-tech lab.

"I like being part of a page in history, and Wynns certainly has that great history."



Over 40 years of Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon it has been hailed as one of just a handful of truly great Australian wines and is named after the pioneer who first plated the vineyards back in 1891.

The new-release 2019 is one of the greatest; judiciously utilising great fruit to produce a stunning wine. I gave it 98 points, and I'm generally at the lower end of the scorings table. It has intense fruit concentration but also a brightness and lightness about it.

John Riddoch Cabernet is made using the top 1% of all the fruit from estate and grower vineyards, many of them decades old.

“The 2019 John Riddoch is certainly amongst the best wines we have made at Wynns Coonawarra Estate," says Hodder. "It was a brilliant vintage and has produced a fine and medium-bodied wine from an optimal growing season.”

The other wines in the 2022 Wynns Premium Release launching on Wednesday are the superb-value 2020 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon ($50), and the 2019 vintages of the Michael Shiraz ($150) and the Davis Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($80), that uses fruit sourced from Hodder’s favourite vineyard. All are of exemplary quality.

# Wynns Coonawarra Estate was established in 1951 with history dating back to the late 1800s. It is the region's pre-eminent wine producer, and largest single vineyard holder.

See www.wynns.com.au