Annual Wynnsday Collection released

The 2023 Wynnsday Collection, the annual luxury release from Wynns Coonawarra Estate has launched. It comprises five elegant, medium-bodied Coonawarra red wines from the outstanding 2021 vintage.

Wynns Senior Winemaker Sue Hodder, who joined Wynns three decades ago in 1993, said the 2023 Wynnsday Collection represents a deep understanding of the true Terra Rossa soil of Wynns Coonawarra Estate from what is bound to be one of the classic Coonawarra vintages.

“Wynnsday 2023 is headlined by the 66th vintage of one of Australia’s most cellared wines, Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, and sees the return of Black Label ‘Old Vines’ Shiraz made predominantly from our two oldest vineyards. Our Glengyle Vineyard north of V&A Lane was selected as our single vineyard release in 2007, 2009 and now in 2021. And finally, Sarah Pidgeon has made finely-structured, early picked Cabernet and Cabernet Shiraz wines from the Wynns V&A Lane vineyards.

“The heralded 2021 vintage was similar in many ways to the highly regarded 2010 vintage, where strong coastal Bonnie Upwelling breezes swept across Coonawarra, cooling the region down, and there was low rainfall and no extreme heat or cold. The wines have a noticeable iridescence to their colours and a similar vibrancy and depth of flavour. 2021 is a vintage that we are very proud of and one that will be cellared in Australia and indeed around the world,” said Sue.

The 2023 Wynnsday Collection includes:

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2021; RRP $44.99

Wynns Black Label Cabernet is a true icon of Australian wine. A perennial favourite in auction circles, it is one of Australia’s most collectable wines and Australia’s benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon. First produced in 1954, Black Label Cabernet has a reputation for ageing gracefully and displaying excellent varietal and regional characteristics. 25 vineyards were selected as worthy of Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon in 2021, harvested from our best Terra Rossa vineyards over three weeks in April.

Wynns Black Label ‘Old Vines’ Shiraz 2021; RRP $44.99

Wynns Black Label Shiraz is a superb example of Coonawarra’s cool climate style. Wynns is privileged to grow Shiraz on many prime locations within Coonawarra. We select the Black Label Shiraz from the oldest of them including the Undoolya vineyard - a rare fragment of the original 1890s fruit colony planting, which was planted in between 1894 and 1897 – and the Johnson’s Block planted in 1925. The average vine age is 75 years.

Wynns Glengyle Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021; RRP $79.99

Each vintage Wynns has the privilege of selecting one single Cabernet vineyard to bottle separately. In 2021 the team chose the Glengyle vineyard just north of V&A Lane. Glengyle is a fragment of John Riddoch’s original block 474. It was planted on its own roots with pre-clonal Cabernet Sauvignon in 1969 and is now renowned as an early ripening vineyard in the heart of the Terra Rossa soil. Glengyle has been selected as a single vineyard release in 2007, 2009 and now in 2021. In the three vintages selected for release, the growing season temperature was average with low rainfall, and the grapes were amongst the earliest harvested Cabernet of the season.

Wynns V&A Lane Shiraz 2021 RRP $59.99

V&A Lane is a long, straight road that dissects Coonawarra’s famous Terra Rossa strip at its midpoint. It forms the old district boundary between the historical electorates of Victoria and Albert. The mature Shiraz vineyards (average age 49 years) along V&A Lane ripen early and are among the first picked each season. Sarah Pidgeon has crafted elegant and ripe Shiraz at 12.7% alcohol – showcasing a modern, fresh red-fruit spectrum, food-friendly style.

Wynns V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz 2021 RRP $59.99

The Cabernet vineyards from V&A Lane have been important contributors to Wynns’ top wines for many years. The inspiration for the V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz comes from the Wynns ‘Claret story’ that goes back to the 1950s, when wines were made to a style rather than being about exact proportions. For this modern version, the grapes are harvested on the same day and then co-fermented. A purposely early harvest to highlight a fresh red fruit spectrum, naturally lower alcohol, and wild ferments in this food-friendly wine.

The 2020 vintage of Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon will launch globally in line with the La Place de Bordeaux’s September release. In 2020 Wynns made history when the 2016 Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet became one of the first Australian wines to launch through the esteemed French marketplace where it is distributed alongside the finest ‘Grand Cru’ wines of the world.

The 2023 Wynnsday Collection is available now from wynns.com.au and fine wine retailers across Australia.