Wynns' winemaker celebrates her 30th vintage with the Coonawarra winery

Sue Hodder celebrated her 30th vintage at Wynn's in May this year in the same year that the winery celebrates 40 years of the winery's John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, named after the pioneer who first plated the vineyards back in 1891.

After 30 vintages, Hodder said: “I still have great joy in walking out the back door to our historic triple-gabled winery.

“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.”

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 Peter Douglas before being appointed senior winemaker in 1998. A champion of Australian cabernet, Sue was named a Fellow of the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology (ASVO) in 2021 for her outstanding and meritorious contribution to Australian wine.

At the time ASVO President Brooke Howell said, “The wisdom that Sue encapsulates is extraordinary as is the diversity of her background and experience. She is a quiet achiever, often putting others before her. She is still very active in the industry and for ASVO and has contributed across both winemaking and viticulture.”  

Since Hodder first began at Wynns, John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon has been central to her work with the Riddoch vineyards rejuvenated over the past two decades and resulting in wines which capture the essence of the Coonawarra.

“First made 40 years ago in 1982, Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet is the ultimate selection made from less than one per cent of all our Cabernet fruit. It is a single variety and generally a selection of two or three beautiful old vineyards from the heart of the terra rossa soil,” said Hodder.

“The 2019 John Riddoch is certainly amongst the best wines we have made at Wynns Coonawarra Estate. It is fine and medium bodied from an optimal growing season.”

In 2020 Wynns made history when the 2016 John Riddoch became one of the first Australian wines to launch on the exclusive La Place de Bordeaux network, joining the company of the finest “Grand Cru” wines of the world. The 2019 vintage will be sold through La Place from 20 September; and in Australia it is one of four wines launching on 5 October as part of the 2022 Wynns Premium Release, the new vintages of Wynns’ luxury portfolio. It comprises the 2020 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon alongside the 2019 vintages of Wynns’ flagship John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, Michael Shiraz, and the Davis Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Hodder's favourite vineyard.

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2020; RRP $44.99

Wynns Black Label Cabernet is a true icon of Australian wine. First produced in 1954, it has a reputation for ageing gracefully and displaying excellent varietal and regional characteristics. The wine is produced from only the top quality 20 to 25 per cent of cabernet sauvignon fruit grown in terra rossa vineyards.

Wynns Davis Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019; RRP $79.99

In the best Coonawarra vintages, the Wynns team has the privilege of selecting one single cabernet vineyard to bottle separately. In 2019 they chose Sue Hodder’s favourite vineyard, the Davis Vineyard, in the heart of Coonawarra, just south of Wynns winery on Redman avenue.

Named after William Davis, son of local Joseph Davis and Sarah Sharam, Davis is one of the oldest cabernet blocks in Coonawarra. At only 2.5 hectares, this block was planted by Wynns as a non-clonal selection on own roots in 1957 and the only older Wynns cabernet is the Johnson’s Block which is located immediately to the north of Davis.

Wynns Michael Shiraz 2019; RRP $149.99

Michael Shiraz is Wynns Coonawarra Estate's best-of-vintage shiraz and named after David Wynn’s young son. The wine is a legend of the Australian wine story with good examples of the 1955 Michael offering an outstanding experience. The wine is made in small quantities and only exceptional vintages.

Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019; RRP $149.99

First made in 1982, the John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon is Wynns’ flagship wine. It is made in small quantities from the best available fruit grown on the estate's extensive Cabernet Sauvignon plantings in the heart of the terra rossa soil. As a definitive Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, John Riddoch is only made when grapes of extraordinarily high quality are available and less than one percent of the top-quality cabernet sauvignon grapes are included in the final wine.