Review: Wynns Black Label 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon
- vinterest
- Jul 14, 2015
- 2 min read
The low-down: Our festival of vintage Aussie cabernet is sadly coming to an end! Following the 1987 Orlando St Hugo, the 1972 Wynns Black Label Cabernet, and the 1994 Grant Burge Shadrach, this evening we're opening a 1994 Wynns Black Label Cabernet.
The Coonawarra region (which is an Aboriginal word meaning 'honeysuckle'), distinguished by its bright red soil (terra rossa), contains the southernmost vineyards in South Australia and its proximity to the chilly southern ocean and Antarctic winds makes it ideal for growing cabernet sauvignon, along with chardonnay and shiraz. It's an isolated region 450 km from Melbourne and 380 km from Adelaide.
Wynns are a Coonawarra icon (largest - 1,000 ha under vine - and oldest holdings in the Coonawarra) that was founded in 1891 by John Riddoch and is part of the Treasury Wine Estates group. This "house" cabernet was first produced in 1954. In addition to this, Wynns offer their flagship cabernet "John Riddoch" at a whopping $150 price point.
There's an interesting article here in which they share:
Decades ago, the late Bill Redman said: ‘From 1890 to 1945 you can write failure across the face of Coonawarra.’ Most of the wine was distilled into brandy, and in the 1930s the South Australian government offered ex-servicemen in the area a bounty of four pounds and ten pence an acre to remove their vines and convert the land to dairy farming. The vineyards of Coonawarra were soon reduced to 121 hectares from 365 hectares at the turn of the century.
In 1951, a far-sighted David Wynn decided to buy the stone winery and cellars built by John Riddoch back in the 1890s. At the time, the Redmans were the only people making wine in Coonawarra – a Shiraz they sold in bulk to Woodley Wines, and later to Thomas Hardy, Reynella, Leo Buring, Yalumba and Mildara. With red wine sales booming in the sixties, these companies soon rushed in to buy land and plant vineyards. Two decades later, Coonawarra had established a reputation for producing Cabernets that rivalled the great reds of Bordeaux.
This set us back A$60 - yeah a little pricey but it's over 20 years old!
The take: The appearance is dark red, medium transparency. There's some sediment which isn't a surprise here given its age. The nose is initially polished wood, blackcurrant and blueberries. With time, the bouquet develops into cinnamon, fruit spice, honey and vanilla - delish! There's plenty of juicy acidity on the attack. The tannins are comfortably chewy. Easy going on the palate, fruit spice finish, not showing its age at all - the wine is peaking! Hints of sour apple, the tannins are perfect.
In closing: Smooth, suave and in peak condition!
Rating: 8 out of 10 (my drinking partner P gives it a 9).
Fact corner:
Country: Australia
Region: Coonawarra
Producer: Wynns
Vintage: 1994
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Serving temperature: n/a
Price range: Premium
