Last year I was thrilled that The Great Wine Estates of Western Australia agreed to show their wines at The Circle of Wine Writers’ Annual Masterclass at London International Wine Fair, not least since fine wine expert Andrew Caillard MW of Langtons, Australia’s fine wine auction house, presented the Cabernet Sauvignon dominated selection (see my report here). This year Caillard returned to the fair to talk Cabernet once more, this time focused on South Australia’s Cabernet queen, Coonawarra. Caillard shared the floor with winemakers Sue Hodder (Wynns Estate), Wayne Stehbens (Katnook Estate) and Bernard Hickin (Jacobs Creek St Hugo), who provided their take on what makes Cabernet tick in this far flung southerly region, almost bordering Victoria.
Some history
First, Caillard provided a historical overview of Coonawarra, which traces its vinous history back to the 1890s when John Riddoch established the Coonawarra Fruit Colony. Cabernet Sauvignon was among the original varieties planted, however it wasn’t until the 1950s that plantings and, with it, the region’s reputation for fine wines took off. Why? Though from a viticultural perspective, Coonawarra’s climate and soils have proved perfect for Cabernet (see below), its remoteness has had an adverse impact on the availability of labour. As Caillard pointed out, the region has never been connected by rail to Adelaide (unlike Bordeaux to Paris) and so the Great Depression and two World Wars took their toll. Riddoch’s original cellars were converted into a distillery. The Redman family alone maintained a continuous tradition of winemaking. Summing it up, Bill Redman famously said “from 1890 to 1945 you can write failure across the face of Coonawarra.”
The tide for this Limestone Coast sub-region turned in 1946 when Tony Nelson of Woodleys purchased the Riddoch cellars. Nelson had bought Coonawarra wine from the Redmans since the 1920s and it was to Bill Redman he turned to make the wine. Redman created the highly collectable Woodleys Treasure Chest Series (mostly Shiraz as it happens), the first wine to feature Coonawarra on the label. It put Coonawarra in the spotlight and, when Nelson sold up to David Wynn of Samuel Wynn & Co. in 1951, Wynn continued to build on Coonawarra as a quality brand with then novel back labels (which incorporated a map of the region) and a successful Melbourne advertising campaign.
Meantime, the Redman influence continued to prove pivotal. Impressed by a batch of wine he’d bought from the family in 1953, Mildara’s MD Ron Haselgrove bought 12.5 hectares in Coonawarra. From here emerged another iconic Coonawarra wine, this time a minty Cabernet – the Mildara 1963, nick-named “Peppermint Pattie” after a mint chocolate biscuit! It wasn’t long before Woodley and Mildara had company – Rouge Homme Cabernet Sauvignon 1959 (then the Redman’s own label) and Penfolds Bin 68 (which mostly comprised Coonawarra Cabernet) which, among others, performed well on the show circuit. For Caillard this run of great show successes and the ensuing planting boom meant that, “by the end of the 1980s, Coonawarra had become the most important centre for Australia’s modern finer wine genre.”
Apart from a blip in the mid-nineties, Caillard believes that Coonawarra “has gone from strength to strength.” Ironically, the 90s blip was also attributable to labour shortages which led to wide-scale machine harvesting and pruning. Sue Hodder pointed out that even top vineyards were not immune – Wynns didn’t make their flagship Riddoch Cabernet for four years or Michael Shiraz between 1998 and 2003 while the vineyards, “a very nerve racking sea of stumps,” underwent major renovation to address a build up of dead wood that needed cutting back. Not all the vines have bounced back but she has seen “added freshness and ripeness” from those that have. At any rate, Caillard concluded “there’s been a revolution since 2004 – the genre has become something very special….It’s always been very important in the secondary markets and will continue to be so.”
This watershed year (2004) happens to be the very same that I visited Coonawarra, kicking off with a vertical tasting presented by none other than Bruce Redman, grandson of Bill. The flight really lifted off the page stylistic shifts across the decades related to harvest date and winemaking style, all of which reinforce Caillard’s conclusion. Redman summarized them thus:
The 1980s – the fashion was for a leafy, somewhat attenuated “claret” style, picked early (at 11.5 to 12.0 baume), with added tannins and higher acidification than today to help it go the distance;
The 1990s – the trend switched to a preference for an overripe style (picked over 14.0-14.5 baume), with dried fruits, chocolate and leather, well seasoned with oak.
The noughties – ripe but not overripe, balanced wines with well concentrated but better defined fruit supported, not masked by (increasingly French) oak, though Hickin pointed out Orlando use American oak in riper years.
Terroir
With a temperate climate comparable to Medoc (the region is 100km from the chilly Southern Ocean), it’s hardly surprising that the late ripening Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in Coonawarra’s long growing season, aided and abetted by well drained soils. Not Medoc’s gravel, but the region’s famous Terra Rossa soil (red clay/loam over limestone), which defines its famous cigar shape. This combination of soil and climate allows for maximum flavour accumulation and the development of fine tannins which, Caillard says, characteristically form a “plume” on the finish.
Within the region quality and stylistic differences can be explained by slight variations of soil type, depth and climate. For instance, Hodder attributes Coonawarra’s classic minty quality to slightly more elevated, sandier sites on the eastern side of the the central strip (like Majella) and Hollick’s red fruit bias to their more southerly location near Penola, which typically has more cloud cover. For her, south of the V & A Lane marks the transition into a slightly cooler microclimate.
As for depth of topsoil, it can range from a few centimeters to a metre or so in depth, while the limestone between it and the water table may be 1-1.5m deep. In the past, Stehbens said that vines tapped into the water table and never went thirsty, however today, heat spikes in January or February can result in vine stress which can adversely affect quality. This is why though some vineyards have been dry farmed for many years, most now have some sort of supplementary irrigation system (and overhead sprinklers for frost protection – the region is quite flat).
The wines
Hollick Ravenwood 2006 – made from Hollick’s best parcels, typically the oldest vines which inhabit very shallow terra rossa soil. Dark plum/aubergine, opaque. Though initially a bit dusty, smoky, even green on nose, as it opens up it shows a fine concentration of red fruits with a core of blackcurrant on nose and palate. The leafy edge becomes a subtle, positive nuance. Ripe but firm savoury, slighty charry, tannins lend support. A youthful wine. Needs time. Potentially very good.
Parker Coonawarra Estate Terra Rossa First Growth 2005 – only made in outstanding years though very concentrated, this deep purple blend of 90% Cabernet and 10% Merlot is much more expressive than the Hollick. It shows spicy cassis on the nose with layers of mulberry, red cherry/currant and blackcurrant on the palate with a backbone of dense but ripe tannins. Parma violets and a bloody, sanguine note add complexity to the long finish. Concentrated but dry and elegant. Excellent.
Balnaves The Tally 2004 – this the flagship Cabernet is more lifted/fresher in style than the Parker with a balsamic note to nose and palate. In the mouth it shows a tight knit core of glossy, ripe cassis surrounded by bright red currant and cherry (04 was a cooler year). Very succulent, juicy and elegant through the mid-palate with a menthol note to its long, muscular finish. Firm oak provides a plume of tannins. Excellent – one to keep.
Jacob’s Creek St Hugo 2004 –with a deep plum/aubergine hue, this is comparatively open-knit with plenty of savoury black olive and dried herb notes to its fleshy plum/mulberry and juicy crushed blackcurrant and berry fruit. Very broachable now. Ripe but firm tannins suggest this will continue to age well for several years yet. Good.
Katnook Odyssey 2004 – a very deep, inky core to this youthful looking flagship wine. It shows a ripe and generous nose and palate sweet with malty, tarry, toasty oak, complimented by an ample girth of plush cassis and plum with hints of spicy liquorice. A really long, fine plume of tannins to this one – seductive now and lots of promise down the track. Excellent.
Majella The Malleea 2004 – a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Shiraz it has a distinct menthol, minty edge on nose and palate to its tight core of Cabernet blackcurrant and sweeter Shiraz cassis fruit. Fine, polished tannins make for a long, linear finish. A keeper. Good/very good.
Petaluma Coonawarra 2004 – plum with a garnet rim, this stylish Cabernet Merlot blend shows a very plush yet balanced red and black-fruited palate. More red fruits than black, especially fleshy plum, with well integrated chocolate and cedar oak. Fine, seamless tannins make for a long finish. Really very enjoyable now.
Wynns John Riddoch 2004 – the flagship Cabernet is a deep, inky hue. An attractive subtly stalky, cedary note to the black berry and currant nose foreshadows the poise and finesse in the mouth. This is a refined, beautifully structured Cabernet which, though a barrel selection, is typically comprised of fruit from the older, central strip planted in 60s. Amongst the first fruit to ripen, it shows terrific balance, though amply concentrated with black currant, berry and olive which, combined with melting tannins, together form a plume - the finish builds in the mouth, showing extraordinary length. Outstanding.
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet 1991 – deep aubergine it’s holding its colour well. In the mouth, it’s drinking beautifully now with the tufa, earthy porcini quality I associate with aged Coonawarra Cabernet. Still plenty of cassis, now melded with tar and cedary spice, the tannins present but mellow. Very good.
Katnook Odyssey 1991 – impressively youthful in colour and flavor profile with fresh, mineral acidity licking the ripe, sweet black berry and cassis fruit into sleek shape. Lovely purity here. Long and juicy with super fine tannins. Very good indeed. Stehbens observed that this, the first release of Odyssey, was a little overlooked compared with the weightier 90, the so-called vintage of the century. For him, the 91 shows more restraint, a better tannin structure and slightly riper fruit without nudging into the sweet vegetal flavours you can get in Coonawarra. He reckons it will last 20 years yet because, like the Riddoch, it still has good middle palate fruit and richness, while the 1990s’ mid palates are drying off a bit in comparison. Hodder agreed.
Orlando St Hugo 1990 – this had gone the route of sweet vegetal flavours to which Stehbens had just referred. Query if in condition?
Penfolds Bin 920 Cabernet Shiraz 1990 – a deep colour and not giving much away on the nose, perhaps a touch of Peppermint Pattie! In the mouth, it shows plum and blackberry jam with quite pronounced riper notes of savoury black olive and prunes with tar and toast. For me, though this is a hugely celebrated wine, it lacked the buttress of tannins which confer the line and length that marked out the pure Cabernets.
Wynns John Riddoch 1982 – I tasted this the first release made by John Wade, latterly of chocolate fame (see here) in 2007. It blew me away. Today, I felt it had lost a bit of edge/power, though there’s still an impressive core of cedary blackcurrant and cassis, with a savoury, earthy, bloody tang coming through on the finish. Hodder explained that these days better vineyard management translates into better tannins, flavor and pH. This means she doesn’t need to add as much acid to wines as they did back in the 80s. The outcome is wines that are supple younger with finer grained tannins but which she reckons will still go the distance “because they have the same quantity of tannins.”
You can find out more about the Coonawarra region here - useful if you plan to visit.
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
Wines tasted 19 May 2010
