Coonawarra Cabernet: 15 top bottles from the 2022 vintage

Terra rossa. It’s the dense red, iron-rich soil that defines Coonawarra in South Australia and helped to build its reputation as one of Australia’s top regions for Cabernet Sauvignon.

But it’s not the only one…

David’s pick of the 2022 Coonawarra Cabernet listed below

In recent decades, Margaret River in Western Australia has earned highest praise from critics for its Cabernets. While major international trophies have also been awarded to Cabs from the Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and the Barossa.

Against such fierce competition, Coonawarra producers have renewed their intent to stand at the forefront of Australia’s Cabernet conversation.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate, the region’s oldest winery, established in 1891, places an authoritative stamp on each vintage with an annual event to herald its new premium wines. Wynns Day, on the first Wednesday of May each year, provides a valuable barometer of what changes are at play in Coonawarra.

Two years to remember

Wynns Day has been especially telling with the two most recent vintage releases of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Optimal conditions saw the 2021 Coonawarra vintage celebrated as a milestone, thanks to a long, slow ripening period. It produced grapes with high perfume, concentrated and complex flavours, and superb tannin structure that will ensure elegant cellaring.

Good winter rains and a long, slow grape ripening period also placed high expectations on the 2022 vintage. Wynns’ recently released suite of premium 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon wines show this promise has been realised.

Vintages and vineyards

‘We’ve enjoyed two very even, very well balanced vintages that really suit the Wynns style of medium-bodied, aromatic and fruit-forward wines,’ says Wynns senior winemaker Sue Hodder.

She notes the winery keeps reaping benefits from two decades of vineyard revitalisation achieved by the company’s recently retired viticultural maestro Alan Jenkin.

Large-scale vine improvement processes and redevelopment of Wynns Coonawarra vineyards began in 2002. They inspired many other Coonawarra vignerons to also bulldoze vast tracts of diseased old vineyards and replace them with superior new vines.

Going solo

The improvements have now given rise to some superior single-vineyard wines, best illustrated by Wynns’ Single Vineyard series of elite Cabernet blocks, which in 2022 was the Childs vineyard (a portion of which also goes into the elite multi-block cuvee Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon).

Other wineries have followed suit, with launches that highlight special blocks and stand in stark contrast to blended Cabernets.

They include Parker Estate, releasing its taut, muscular Block 95 Cabernet Sauvignon, and also its First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Scarlet North section of the estate’s large Abbey Block.

Creating new styles

New plantings have introduced impressive new grape clones to the region. Balnaves steered trials of Entav Cabernet and Merlot clones from southern France, which capture the charm and heady fruit perfume of classic Cabernet wrapped in lean muscle.

‘It shows the potential for a new path forward in modern Cabernet style,’ says proprietor Kirsty Balnaves.

Attention to detail in the vineyard is translating to new peaks of excellence in the wines, with the work of stalwart winemakers driving recent offerings forward. Veterans such as Paul Gordon at Leconfield are cleverly reading old-vine assets.

Winemaker Emma Bowen continues the rich and luscious Cabernet style favoured by her father Doug at Bowen Estate. While the Zema family ensure generosity and exuberance in their full-bodied, fruit-driven wines at Zema Estate.

Blended expression

Penfolds approaches its Coonawarra output from a different perspective, having both its own vineyards and purchasing fruit from independent growers, to construct the strongest possible vintage expressions in its Bin 707, Bin 407 and Bin 169 wines.

Penfolds chief winemaker, Peter Gago, holds Coonawarra fruit in special regard. ‘When the vintage conditions are right, Coonawarra Cabernet stands apart as being truly unique and immediately recognisable,’ says Gago.

The other important consideration for Coonawarra Cabernet is its dominant presence in blends, especially premium quality Cabernet/Shiraz wines. These include Penfolds, Yalumba with The Caley, and especially The Redman, a superb flagship blend of 79% Cabernet and 21% Shiraz wine from Redman Wines.

‘It’s an important statement from us, involving the best barrels from the winery, to express both power and elegance by pushing Cabernet’s best attributes to the forefront,’ explains winemaker Dan Redman. ‘It demonstrates just how good Coonawarra Cabernet is.’

Vintage report: Coonawarra 2022

After an even fruit set and mild growing season, the 2022 Coonawarra vintage produced high-quality fruit and good yields. With no prolonged heat waves, the grapes ripened at a steady rate, allowing winemakers to pick at optimum levels for ripeness and flavour.

Cabernet picking concluded in the second half of May, with firm tannins that will translate into wines with good cellaring potential. Cabernet Sauvignon was a standout. According to Wine Australia, the reported crush of Coonawarra wine grapes was 36,122 tonnes in 2022 (down 28% from 2021, but in line with the five-year average crush) at a value of more than AU$40.8 million.

Vinehealth Australia data showed the total vineyard area in Coonawarra as 5,831ha, including 29ha of new plantings in 2021-2022, almost all of them Cabernet Sauvignon.

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2022: 15 top wines to try

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