Anyone taste Wynnsday releases this year?

[GraemeG]

I see they've cobbled together a black label cabernet shiraz. Apart from the V&A variant, that is. Anyone tasted anything from this year's release?

[phillisc]

I see they've cobbled together a black label cabernet shiraz. Apart from the V&A variant, that is. Anyone tasted anything from this year's release?

Had a look at them Wednesday night at a dinner in Adelaide
First impressions 2024 is a knock out year, with winemakers across Coonawarra very pleased. Wines like Lindies trio, Bowen Estate, Katnook and Wynns are fabulous. All reached required baume levels, have the plushness, richness and not a harsh green edge in sight...brilliant wines.
On to the 24s
BL Old Vine Shiraz, wonderful nose, savoury spice dark fruits, cherry cola, the most seamless structured palate, medium to full bodied, very balanced oak, wonderfully smooth silky tannins, excellent wine.
BL Cabernet Shiraz (57/43%), the cynic in me suggests that with 500 ha of vineyards in a plentiful high yielding quality vintage and no premiums yet available, the void needed something. You could argue and ask that Wynns have had this blend since the 1969 vintage, with the red stripe and more recently with the 2008 V&A, so now there are three. This wine is fantastic, blackcurrant, cherry, a touch of that graphite and cedar cigar box, beautifully balanced, lovely rich structure, long long tannins to finish, under Stelvin 25-40 years in a canter. There will be a 2025 release.
BL Cabernet, wonderful wine, clearly a reflection of the vintage, best since 2019/21, violets, spice, red and blue fruits, that delicious touch of residual sweetness, that all great Cabernets have. Fruit is absolutely singing here, oak hardly discernible. I could buy a pallet of this and have it as my house red over the next three decades. Wynns hit the jackpot here, as I have previously noted BL is often a barometer for the corresponding John Riddoch, which will be monumental.
V&A Shiraz, picked early, in March due to its high altitude of 57 metres, similarly to the blend. Naturally fermented no addition of acid, in contrast with the the BLs and deliberately made to a lighter style and lower alcohol (12.6%). Red fruits, florals and finesse, superfine oak and lingering tannins, another classy wine.
V&A Cabernet Shiraz, (69/31%), same alcohol and matured in large oak. This is probably the pick for me, a wine that oscillates between being so fine and delicate ( someone mentioned a wine for the Pinot drinker, I wouldn't go that far) and super moreish in the mouth. So balanced and approachable, but will unfurl beautifully over the decade. It was great to see these two up against the corresponding BLs, so different in style.

2025
Cabernet Franc. My notes suggest good without being spectacular. Its a variety that I need to adjust to, but for me simply too light in body and structure...probably good with a bowl of pasta at lunch time.
Cheers Craig

[GraemeG]

Oh, wow, excellent and comprehensive analysis. Thanks a bunch!
No JR or Michael from 2023, is that the deal at the moment?

[phillisc]

You're very welcome.
Yes no JR or M from 2023 vintage.
2024 and 2025 will see the full range released...2026 confident at this stage that full range will be made.
2024 wines across the board will be very good. Interested in what Balnaves, Parker and Majella come up with.
Cheers Craig

[Waiters Friend]

Great notes as always, Craig - many thanks

I have already picked up a six of BL (as I do every year). Tempted to go another six on the basis of what I am reading.

Cheers
Allan

[SipAndANibble]

Nice post Craig , you definitely have an affinity for Coonawarra !

Shame that no Michael or jr in 23 !

[phillisc]

Thanks Sip
No point releasing premiums in lesser vintages.
Cheers Craig

[Rossco]

I assume the fruit in non JR vintages goes into BL?
So does that mean those BL vintages maybe better than others when JR is produced.... Or because it's a bad vintage kind of balances out anyway?

[mjs]

JR is selected by the barrel each year. So, that does mean the best, or most appropriate barrels go to JR. That doesn't mean that BL is poor cousin in that instance, there's still plenty of good juice to go around. What's the BL production, 100,000 dozen or so?

[mjs]

I was also at Wednesday's dinner in Adelaide, same as Craig.

General concur with Craig's notes, although I am perhaps not quite as cynical, certainly my view of the previous '23 vintage is not quite so negative. Wynns wines tend to age well, for example I have some 2011 BL Cab in the cellar and the last bottle I tried about a year ago was pretty good, certainly not something to pour down the sink. And 2023 was much better than 2011

Anyway, all of the wines on the night exhibited the quality of the vintage. Plush, great structure, no harshness, approachable now. Standouts for me were the V&A Lane Shiraz, the BL Cab and the Cab Shiraz. Kept going back for the latter, then purchased quantity later that night.

No flagships this year, which would haev been 2023's, just the O'Deas as a single vineyard, which was pretty good I thought.

I suggest definitely look out for the 24 JR and Michael next year. For me 2024 and 2025 will be stellar years for Coonawarra

Food at Station Road was very good as well.

[mjs]

Great notes as always, Craig - many thanks

I have already picked up a six of BL (as I do every year). Tempted to go another six on the basis of what I am reading.

Cheers
Allan

Allan, you won't go wrong

[I Love Shiraz]

I tasted through the whole range of 2026 Wynnsday releases.

For me, the highlights were the three Black Label releases from the 2024 vintage - Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Cabernet Shiraz. The Cab Sav and Shiraz especially are excellent.

[DaveS]

I can't speak for the 2023 vintage in general, but I thought the 2023 Black Label cab was excellent. Probably the best since 2015 for me.

[VinoEd]

Grabbed a 6 of the BL. Suspect it ends up between 12-24 bottles like the 19 and 21’s did!

Great notes gents, thanks for sharing.

Cheers Ed

[phillisc]

Grabbed a 6 of the BL. Suspect it ends up between 12-24 bottles like the 19 and 21’s did!

Great notes gents, thanks for sharing.

Cheers Ed

Yes Ed, although 21/22 it may have been more. Not sure how I felt, but it seems that this wine is always discounted. I couldn't help myself when one of the chains had it on clearance at $20, so multiple purchases made. Perhaps with the 100-110, 000 dozen make, retailers are far less sentimental than us and each year it seems the decks are cleared. I'm happy to help out
Cheers Craig

[SipAndANibble]

I’ve said before but I’ll say again, it’s soo impressive the scale of bl cab they can produce and at such a good quality level. It seems it’s always on sale at all outlets in endless quantities!

[Ian S]

Australia's most reliably good / good value red wine? I'm not sure I could make a case for any other wine to challenge that.

[Alan Foo]

Australia's most reliably good / good value red wine? I'm not sure I could make a case for any other wine to challenge that.

Yes, BL is one of my favourite and I am still enjoying the 80 and 06.

Alan