Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
- 97
- $175
- Drink by: 2024-2044
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One of our most iconic wines and a world famous Cabernet. It would be most people’s choice as the pinnacle from Coonawarra, every year. First made from the 1982 vintage, early examples from top years like 1982, still drink like a dream. From a stunning vintage like 2021, who knows the lifespan. The wine spent 16 months in a mix of French oak, 48% hogsheads and 52% barriques. An inky opaque maroon colour here, the nose gives us chocolate, blackberries, tobacco leaves, soy, licorice, mint, vanilla and dried herbs. This is impressively concentrated and balanced at the same time. The structure exhibits good focus, great length and fine, silky tannins. On the palate we see notes of coffee beans, root vegetables and mocha. This wine has power and will give pleasure for twenty years, more if you want.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
