TN: Wynns Coonawarra 'Black Label' Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

[Waiters Friend]

G'day

I think the last time I looked at this wine was a couple of years ago, as part of a vertical I hosted. This was the group's tasting note on that occasion:

Wynns Coonawarra Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2012: The usual blackcurrant, cassis, graphite and menthol on the nose, but some blueberries and cranberries also. The palate shows lovely ripe fruits and lots of them, with freshening acid and integrated tannins. A little earthiness contributes to a long finish. Balanced, and one of my personal favourites of the tasting.

Tonight, the wine has hardly shifted in two years. The Coonawarra mint remains, as do the black fruits and the graphite, although the blue and red fruits are not as evident on the nose. The palate has become slightly more savoury, with some cocoa powder and graphite again, alongside the developed blackcurrants and blackberry. A ittle leather and earthiness leads into a long but not overly rich finish.

Cheers
Allan

W.jpg

[phillisc]

Thanks for the note Allan, think I went long on this vintage. Should be exemplary drinking now and in the next 10-15 years. Hooray for screwcaps.

As an aside there will be some punters on here who will be over the moon, and some who will be bloody annoyed (me), but the upcoming release of 2022 John Riddoch is now bottled under cork...not since the 2003 vintage release have Wynns done this.

Its largely a response (probably a poor one) to the listing of the wine on La Place de Bordeaux from the 2020 release, which is a shit wine, that the French and other fancy European types have turned up their nose at a dreaded screw cap. This is the line from the boffins at TWE.
More likely that the 2020 was a dog of a wine to list first with this distributor and they should have waited for the 2021, which is magnificent.

I am attending a dinner next week to try the new releases, and will have a chat to the winemakers about it. I do recall when down in Coonawarra last year that there was a palpable level of excitement of reintroducing cork ( the same $5 corks that go into Grange), for JR.
I trust the returns policy is good, when punters playing the cork lottery get a stinker.
Interestingly Michael Shiraz, and I am almost leaning to Coonawarra Shiraz these days, remains under screwcap. Clearly TWE see it as an inferior wine.

Cheers Craig

[Waiters Friend]

I am attending a dinner next week to try the new releases, and will have a chat to the winemakers about it. I do recall when down in Coonawarra last year that there was a palpable level of excitement of reintroducing cork ( the same $5 corks that go into Grange), for JR.
I trust the returns policy is good, when punters playing the cork lottery get a stinker.
Interestingly Michael Shiraz, and I am almost leaning to Coonawarra Shiraz these days, remains under screwcap. Clearly TWE see it as an inferior wine.

Cheers Craig

Thanks Craig. Myself (and the Forum, I'm sure) would be interested to hear what the winemakers say at your dinner. Full report please!

Cheers
Allan

[WineRick]

Thanks for the note Allan, think I went long on this vintage. Should be exemplary drinking now and in the next 10-15 years. Hooray for screwcaps.

As an aside there will be some punters on here who will be over the moon, and some who will be bloody annoyed (me), but the upcoming release of 2022 John Riddoch is now bottled under cork...not since the 2003 vintage release have Wynns done this.

Its largely a response (probably a poor one) to the listing of the wine on La Place de Bordeaux from the 2020 release, which is a shit wine, that the French and other fancy European types have turned up their nose at a dreaded screw cap. This is the line from the boffins at TWE.
More likely that the 2020 was a dog of a wine to list first with this distributor and they should have waited for the 2021, which is magnificent.

I am attending a dinner next week to try the new releases, and will have a chat to the winemakers about it. I do recall when down in Coonawarra last year that there was a palpable level of excitement of reintroducing cork ( the same $5 corks that go into Grange), for JR.
I trust the returns policy is good, when punters playing the cork lottery get a stinker.
Interestingly Michael Shiraz, and I am almost leaning to Coonawarra Shiraz these days, remains under screwcap. Clearly TWE see it as an inferior wine.

Cheers Craig

Over the moon - these wines will be mega.
Dislike screw caps on long-term premium reds ( yess, I understand previous cork problems!), but with Chlorine removed a long time ago, at least TCA can't be blamed. Unfortunately a lot of other faults - brett, VA - will still be blamed on the cork

[phillisc]

WR, these wines or JR?
Ironically I had a 1997 JR tonight, under cork 2mm stained. Beautiful wine glorious fruit, flavour and length. Just beginning to fade.
I'll check in with the winemakers next week, but this move is solely down to saving face in an international market. Nevermind asking the domestic market to bend over and take one for the team. I was lucky this week to pick up 6 bottles of the 2021 on clearance at a local chain.
I know in 20 years where my money will be.
Cheers Craig

[WineRick]

WR, these wines or JR?
Ironically I had a 1997 JR tonight, under cork 2mm stained. Beautiful wine glorious fruit, flavour and length. Just beginning to fade.
I'll check in with the winemakers next week, but this move is solely down to saving face in an international market. Nevermind asking the domestic market to bend over and take one for the team. I was lucky this week to pick up 6 bottles of the 2021 on clearance at a local chain.
I know in 20 years where my money will be.
Cheers Craig

Any premium red from good fruit that has been intelligently handled (including correct barrel aging), with a decent pH, some bottling sulphur and a good level of natural tannin will age beautifully under top quality cork and cool cellaring conditions. Period.
A number of winemakers I've spoken to, who have moved back to premium cork, say they're not entirely happy with reds under screw cap.
(I'm sure many winemakers love screw caps due to cost savings, not only with the closure, but with pallet storage (bottles standing up, and of course the replacement of bottles with crook corks)
Why on earth did Penfolds bottle their premium Bin reds in the '70's & '80's with 38mm corks - not even 45mm! Because they were owned by a brewery who missed the white wine boom, and were controlled by bean-counters.

I guess that '97 John Riddoch sums up my feelings perfectly!

[phillisc]

WR, these wines or JR?
Ironically I had a 1997 JR tonight, under cork 2mm stained. Beautiful wine glorious fruit, flavour and length. Just beginning to fade.
I'll check in with the winemakers next week, but this move is solely down to saving face in an international market. Nevermind asking the domestic market to bend over and take one for the team. I was lucky this week to pick up 6 bottles of the 2021 on clearance at a local chain.
I know in 20 years where my money will be.
Cheers Craig

Any premium red from good fruit that has been intelligently handled (including correct barrel aging), with a decent pH, some bottling sulphur and a good level of natural tannin will age beautifully under top quality cork and cool cellaring conditions. Period.
A number of winemakers I've spoken to, who have moved back to premium cork, say they're not entirely happy with reds under screw cap.
(I'm sure many winemakers love screw caps due to cost savings, not only with the closure, but with pallet storage (bottles standing up, and of course the replacement of bottles with crook corks)
Why on earth did Penfolds bottle their premium Bin reds in the '70's & '80's with 38mm corks - not even 45mm! Because they were owned by a brewery who missed the white wine boom, and were controlled by bean-counters.

I guess that '97 John Riddoch sums up my feelings perfectly!

Indeed, guess you get a good one every now and then .
Cheers Craig

[WineRick]

WR, these wines or JR?
Ironically I had a 1997 JR tonight, under cork 2mm stained. Beautiful wine glorious fruit, flavour and length. Just beginning to fade.
I'll check in with the winemakers next week, but this move is solely down to saving face in an international market. Nevermind asking the domestic market to bend over and take one for the team. I was lucky this week to pick up 6 bottles of the 2021 on clearance at a local chain.
I know in 20 years where my money will be.
Cheers Craig

Any premium red from good fruit that has been intelligently handled (including correct barrel aging), with a decent pH, some bottling sulphur and a good level of natural tannin will age beautifully under top quality cork and cool cellaring conditions. Period.
A number of winemakers I've spoken to, who have moved back to premium cork, say they're not entirely happy with reds under screw cap.
(I'm sure many winemakers love screw caps due to cost savings, not only with the closure, but with pallet storage (bottles standing up, and of course the replacement of bottles with crook corks)
Why on earth did Penfolds bottle their premium Bin reds in the '70's & '80's with 38mm corks - not even 45mm! Because they were owned by a brewery who missed the white wine boom, and were controlled by bean-counters.

I guess that '97 John Riddoch sums up my feelings perfectly!

Indeed, guess you get a good one every now and then .
Cheers Craig

Yes, and in the future, many more perfect bottles that have aged gracefully!
The new corks are brilliant, but we'll need another 10 15 years to verify.

[I Love Shiraz]

Thanks for the note Allan, think I went long on this vintage. Should be exemplary drinking now and in the next 10-15 years. Hooray for screwcaps.

As an aside there will be some punters on here who will be over the moon, and some who will be bloody annoyed (me), but the upcoming release of 2022 John Riddoch is now bottled under cork...not since the 2003 vintage release have Wynns done this.

Its largely a response (probably a poor one) to the listing of the wine on La Place de Bordeaux from the 2020 release, which is a shit wine, that the French and other fancy European types have turned up their nose at a dreaded screw cap. This is the line from the boffins at TWE.
More likely that the 2020 was a dog of a wine to list first with this distributor and they should have waited for the 2021, which is magnificent.

I am attending a dinner next week to try the new releases, and will have a chat to the winemakers about it. I do recall when down in Coonawarra last year that there was a palpable level of excitement of reintroducing cork ( the same $5 corks that go into Grange), for JR.
I trust the returns policy is good, when punters playing the cork lottery get a stinker.
Interestingly Michael Shiraz, and I am almost leaning to Coonawarra Shiraz these days, remains under screwcap. Clearly TWE see it as an inferior wine.

Cheers Craig

I can confirm the 2022 John Riddoch is under cork. TWE sent me a sample bottle, and it is under cork. The Michael remains under screw cap.

[phillisc]

Gee that's good, wouldn't mind if TWE sent me a sample bottle or two .
Would be a nice counter to the 1500+ bottles I have purchased over the journey.

Cheers Craig

[Rossco]

G'day

I think the last time I looked at this wine was a couple of years ago, as part of a vertical I hosted. This was the group's tasting note on that occasion:

Wynns Coonawarra Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2012: The usual blackcurrant, cassis, graphite and menthol on the nose, but some blueberries and cranberries also. The palate shows lovely ripe fruits and lots of them, with freshening acid and integrated tannins. A little earthiness contributes to a long finish. Balanced, and one of my personal favourites of the tasting.

Tonight, the wine has hardly shifted in two years. The Coonawarra mint remains, as do the black fruits and the graphite, although the blue and red fruits are not as evident on the nose. The palate has become slightly more savoury, with some cocoa powder and graphite again, alongside the developed blackcurrants and blackberry. A ittle leather and earthiness leads into a long but not overly rich finish.

Cheers
Allan

W.jpg

Thanks Allan, I have about 2 Doz in the cellar as a birth year wine for the Rugrat.
Let's hope it sees another 5-6 years at the minimum

[mjs]

That's an old rugrat!

[Rossco]

That's an old rugrat!

Hahahahaha yeah a teenager now, but they will always be babies in my eyes.