Wynns Coonawarra, Red Earth, Refined Wines

Wynns Coonawarra, Red Earth, Refined Wines.

There are wine lunches that showcase craftsmanship, and there are wine lunches that reveal a legacy. The afternoon hosted at Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Maurits at the Park—with wines imported by Hanos and presented by Treasury Wine Estates—belonged unmistakably to the latter. It offered guests an intimate journey into the world of Wynns Coonawarra Estate, one of Australia’s most quietly influential fine-wine producers.

At the center of it all was Sue Hodder, one of Australia’s most respected winemakers and the guiding hand behind Wynns’ modern identity for more than three decades. Calm, grounded, and deeply connected to the region she calls home, Sue brought with her not just wines, but the story of a place: Coonawarra, a remote, cool-climate district defined by a narrow strip of red earth and the ever-present influence of the Southern Ocean.

What unfolded across five courses was far more than a tasting—it was a narrative of soil, tradition, innovation, and the people who have spent their lives listening to the quiet rhythm of vines.

Wynns Coonawarra: A Legacy Written in Red Earth

Wynns’ story begins with Scottish settler John Riddoch, who planted the first vines in Coonawarra in 1891. He recognized something special in the region’s defining feature: terra rossa, a cigar-shaped band of iron-rich red earth lying atop porous limestone. Free-draining yet moisture-retentive, this unique combination naturally restricts vine vigor and produces berries of remarkable concentration.

Coonawarra’s climate further distinguishes it. Situated inland from the Southern Ocean, the region is cooled by maritime breezes and a seasonal upwelling of frigid coastal waters. These conditions ensure a long, gentle ripening period—an ideal scenario for the medium-bodied, age-worthy Cabernet and Shiraz that have become Wynns’ hallmark.

Today, Wynns is the largest vineyard owner in the region and its most historic producer. Its iconic triple-gabled winery, built in the late 1800s, stands as a symbol of continuity in a landscape where old vines, cool winds, and red soil converge to create wines of purity, structure, and longevity.

Sue Hodder: The Custodian of Style

Few winemakers embody their region as completely as Sue Hodder embodies Coonawarra. Her career began in viticulture—training that instilled a close understanding of soil and plant behavior—before roles in California, Bordeaux, and at Penfolds led her to Wynns in 1993.

Over the decades, Sue has overseen vineyard rejuvenation, refined small-batch winemaking techniques, and shaped a style that honors finesse over force. She has cultivated a philosophy built on clarity, balance, and respect for site. Under her guidance, Wynns has strengthened its identity as one of Australia’s premier cool-climate Cabernet producers and a benchmark for elegant, age-worthy Shiraz.

Her work reflects a deep belief in continuity: that each vintage adds a new chapter, but always within the same enduring narrative of place.

Understanding the Wynns Portfolio

Before joining Sue for lunch, the group received an introduction to Wynns’ portfolio—structured to express both heritage and exploration.

1. Wynvale Range (Estate Range)

Fresh, varietally expressive wines crafted for earlier drinking but still reflecting Coonawarra’s elegance. This includes the Chardonnay and Riesling poured with the first course.

2. Black Label Series

Wynns’ historic core. Produced since the 1950s and sourced from the best 20–25% of estate fruit, these wines—especially Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon—are renowned for longevity and consistency.

3. V&A Lane & Single Vineyards

Small-parcel wines that explore stylistic nuance and site character. V&A Lane Shiraz, for example, reflects early harvesting and whole-bunch fermentation to highlight a brighter, more perfumed style.

4. The Founders Series – Michael & John Riddoch

The pinnacle wines of Wynns. Made only in outstanding vintages from the most exceptional parcels of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Tasting: A Story in Five Courses

After sharing the history and philosophy of the estate, Sue invited guests for the tasting—a rare opportunity to experience Wynns’ wines in her presence, each bottle unfolding in conversation with the next. With introductions complete, the lunch evolved into five chapters, each illustrating a different facet of Coonawarra’s character.

Amuse-Bouche

Jerusalem artichoke velouté with truffle oil

Paired with:

Wynns Estate Chardonnay 2023 & Wynns Estate Riesling 2024

Wynns Estate Chardonnay 2023 – 90/100 DWA

A restrained cool-climate Chardonnay from the Wynvale Range showing poached pear, nectarine, cashew and soft acidity. Subtle oak adds gentle structure.

Tasting impression: refined, balanced, quietly confident.

Wynns Estate Riesling 2024 – 89/100 DWA

Fresh citrus, green apple, white blossom and soft, rounded acidity. A more delicate, approachable style compared to classic Australian Riesling regions.

Tasting impression: pure, refreshing, subtly aromatic.

1st course

Beef carpaccio with rocket, Parmesan, balsamic pearls

Paired with:

V&A Lane Shiraz 2021 & Michael Shiraz 2018

V&A Lane Shiraz 2021 – 91/100 DWA

From the exploratory tier, this early-picked Shiraz shows lifted aromatics of roasted strawberry, magnolia flower, and pastry. The palate is bright and savoury, with cherry, blueberry, pepper and a long, crunchy finish.

Tasting impression: vibrant, perfumed, modern Coonawarra.

Michael Shiraz 2018 – 94/100 DWA

A pinnacle Shiraz only made in exceptional years. The 2018 offers layered red cherry, blueberry, cloves and dark spice. Silky, composed and beautifully structured, already showing its pedigree.

Tasting impression: elegant power, timeless cool-climate finesse.

2nd Course

Roasted cod, mussels beurre blanc, roasted pumpkin, oyster mushrooms

Paired with: Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 & Black Label Old Vines Shiraz 2022

Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 – 95/100 DWA

A cornerstone of Wynns’ reputation. The 2019 shows red and black cherries, violets, mint and graphite, carried by fine, integrated tannins. Medium-bodied yet intense.

Tasting impression: archetypal Coonawarra Cabernet—refined, age-worthy, precise.

Black Label Old Vines Shiraz 2022 – 93/100 DWA

Sourced from historic plantings including vines dating back to the 1890s. Aromas of plum, rhubarb, black olive and cured meat pair with silky tannins and a mineral finish.

Tasting impression: deep, textural, quietly complex.

3rd Course

Roast lamb rump with rosemary jus, potato gratin, heritage carrots

Paired with: John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 – 98/100 DWA

Wynns’ most prestigious Cabernet, drawn from less than 1% of estate fruit. The 2016 is plush yet precisely structured, with cassis, mocha, graphite and fine French oak.

Built for decades in the cellar.

Tasting impression: profound depth, harmony, and longevity—near-iconic.

4th Course

Selection of hard cheeses with quince jelly and nut bread

Paired with: John Riddoch 1987 & John Riddoch 2005

John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 1987 – 96/100 DWA

Mature and fully evolved, with cedar, dried herbs, leather and earthy complexity. Still retains a graceful thread of fruit.

Tasting impression: stately, layered, aristocratic.

John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – 97/100 DWA

More muscular than the 1987 yet beautifully balanced. Blackcurrant, tobacco leaf, savoury spice and seamless tannins.

Tasting impression: powerful, poised, superbly refined.

A Final Reflection

What made this lunch memorable was not only the wines, but the quiet sense of continuity that connected them. From the bright freshness of the estate whites to the layered depths of mature John Riddoch, each glass spoke to a lineage shaped by old vines, cool winds, and a winemaking philosophy grounded in restraint rather than excess.

The progression of the tasting revealed a narrative in movement: youthful wines showing the clarity of Coonawarra’s climate, exploratory styles capturing its modern pulse, and historic bottlings reminding us how gracefully this region ages. Together, they offered a complete portrait of Wynns — a winery that has never chased trends, but instead refined a style that is unmistakably its own.

Wynns is, above all, a story of living heritage. It is carried in the terra rossa soils that have anchored vines for more than a century; in the vineyards that continue to thrive without the pressures of phylloxera; in the quiet rhythm of a remote farming community where wine sits alongside orchards, potatoes, and grazing land. It is preserved in the meticulous rejuvenation of old plots, the careful balancing of tradition and innovation, and the steadfast commitment to medium-bodied elegance in a country often celebrated for power.

And then there is the human thread — winemakers like Sue Hodder, whose decades at the estate have shaped not just the style of Wynns, but the identity of Coonawarra itself. Her work reflects a belief that wine should express place with honesty, that subtlety should never be confused with simplicity, and that the greatest wines emerge from patience, observation, and respect for what has come before.

For those seated around the table in Amsterdam, the lunch served as a bridge between worlds: between the cool fields of South Australia and the refined calm of Maurits at the Park; between youthful vintages and bottles aged for decades; between the history of a region and the people who continue to guide its future.

It was a reminder that great wine is more than a sensory experience — it is a narrative carried across continents, shaped by land and time, and made tangible by those who dedicate their lives to understanding it.

This article is written by our own Niels Aarts. We would like to thank Wynns Coonawarra (in particular Sue Hodder), Treasury Wine Estates (Felix van der Walle, Marjolein van der Ham), Hanos, Pitch PR (Iris Jungerling) and Maurits at the Park for their support and organization.