Who was John Riddoch? Part 2
Directions
Missed Part 1? Here’s your potted version
Scottish born John Riddoch arrived in the colonies at age 24. Heading straight for the Victorian goldfields, he made a wee fortune, then returned to the bright lights of Geelong to set himself up as a wine merchant. A few years later - successful and flush - Riddoch purchased a huge expanse of land in the south-eastern corner of South Australia, where he ran several thousand head of prime merino sheep. The ‘Squire of Penola’ built a splendid mansion (Yallum Park), enjoyed a (brief) political career, and became one of the wealthiest and most influential people in the region. In 1890, Riddoch (controversially) subdivided a chunk of his property into 10-acre blocks for the exclusive use of orchardists and viticulturists - who became known as Blockers. The parcel of land that he chose for this visionary enterprise was not the black and grey loams that dominated the district, but a small tract of rich, free-draining soil the colour of rust…
Coonawarra
The Coonawarra Fruit Colony, as Riddoch’s settlement became known, started strongly, but faltered in the years following John’s death. A couple of world wars, a Great Depression and too many infestations of downy mildew will do that to you. By the mid 1900s, Coonawarra’s fortunes were at a low ebb. Then in 1951 - against the strenuous warnings of his management team - David Wynn (son of Melbourne wine merchant, Samuel Wynn) purchased a rundown Chateau with a triple-gabled winery attached. He renamed the property Coonawarra Estate.
Wynn’s Coonawarra Estate
David Wynn’s bold purchase was rewarded by two successive standout vintages in the fifties: 1954 saw Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon become the first ever 100% Cabernet made in the region; while the following year was so exceptional that a special bottling of Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Hermitage (Shiraz) is still regarded as one of the greatest wines of the era. The confidence that David Wynn had shown in Coonawarra marked a turning point for the region, drawing other high-profile producers, such as Penfolds and Lindeman’s. In the 1960s, the enormous success of Coonawarra Cab and Cab blends saw Cabernet Sauvignon overtake Shiraz for the first time as the preferred crop in Coonawarra.
The Riddoch Legacy
In 1982, Wynns released a ground-breaking wine. Created to demonstrate the ‘Essence of Coonawarra’, Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon was a game changer – and a fitting tribute to a pioneering visionary. Ripe and rich, with concentrated layers of black fruits and supple dark chocolate and tobacco, the ’82 is still drinking beautifully today. And it’s not over - not by a long chalk.
Since ’82, the Wynns John Riddoch has been painstakingly put together from the very best parcels of fruit sourced from a handful of preferred vineyard plots. Its power, finesse, and extraordinary ability to age earning it huge success on the show circuit – and as a collectible.
In 2014, Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon achieved the classification of ‘Exceptional’ in Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine, placing it alongside such luminaries as Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace, and Mount Mary Quintet.
Aye. Not bad company for a laddie from Aberdeenshire!
To read more about the man, the region, and his extraordinary legacy, check out Imagining Coonawarra, the Story of John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon.