Wynns Coonawarra Estate
„The Coonawarra pioneer.“
John Riddoch
Buy wines from Wynns Coonswarra Estate
Since the Scottish pioneer John Riddoch planted the first vineyards in 1891, Wynns Coonawarra Estate has earned a reputation as an outstanding wine producer in Australia's Coonawarra region. With the oldest vineyards in the region, Wynns is closely linked to the history of Coonawarra. Over the past 20 years, the vineyards have been carefully renovated to produce wines that reflect the terroir of the region even more strongly. John Riddoch settled in the Coonawarra region in 1861. As "Lord of the Manor of Penola", he divided up 800 hectares of the famous terra rossa soil of his so-called "Coonawarra Fruit Colony" in 1890 and sold them to settlers. in 1891, he began planting the first vines. Despite its initial success, the settlement failed due to its distance from the markets and economic difficulties. Riddoch died in 1901, but his legacy lived on.
In the first half of the 20th century, wine production in Coonawarra was at rock bottom. The local „Coonawarra Claret“ was well known, but Australians mainly drank fortified wines. It wasn't until 1951, when Samuel and David Wynn bought the winery, that the Wynns' rise began. David coined the term „estate“ for viticulture and set standards for regional quality. The legendary „Michael Shiraz“ was bottled for the first time in 1955.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the demand for dry red wines increased. Wynns focussed on the region of origin and strengthened the image of Coonawarra as Australia's leading wine region. With new wineries and renowned wines such as the „John Riddoch“ and the „Michael Shiraz“, Wynns further expanded its position. A new era began in the 1990s, in which Sue Hodder, head winemaker since 1998, played an important role. She continued the tradition of producing wines of the highest quality and promoted numerous projects to rejuvenate the vineyards. Particularly notable was the 50th anniversary of the famous „Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon“ in 2004, and since 2016 the most famous wine, the „John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon“, has been sold at Place de Bordeaux. To this day, Wynns is also one of Australia's best-known wineries internationally, with wines that can easily age for decades.
© Photos: Wynns Coonawarra Estate
