Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Wynns Coonawarra Estate
Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Wynns Coonawarra Estate
Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Overview
Overview
Wynns Black Label Cabernet is a true icon of Australian wine. First produced in 1954, it has a reputation for ageing gracefully and displaying excellent varietal and regional characteristics. The wine is produced from only the top quality 20 to 25 per cent of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit grown in our Terra Rossa vineyards. A wine of style and stature - and a perennial favourite in auction circles - ‘Black Label’ is one of Australia’s most collectable wines and Australia’s benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon. It consistently delivers potential for medium to long-term cellaring.
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | Coonawarra |
| Volume | 750 mL |
| Closure | Screw Cap |
| Alc/Vol | 13.8% |
| Peak Drinking | Enjoy now - 2035+ |
| Winemaker | Sue Hodder |
Awards and Accolades
Awards and Accolades
| 95 Points | Ray Jordan, Winepilot |
| 95 Points | Jeni Port, Winepilot |
| 95 Points | Steve Leszczynski |
| 95 Points | Campbell Mattison |
| 95 Points | Nick Ryan |
| 95 Points | Shanteh Wale |
| 94 Points | Ken Gargett, Winepilot |
| 93 Points | Andrew Caillard MW |
| 92 Points | Huon Hooke, The Real Review |
Ray Jordan
I have always had an unashamed soft spot for this wine which first saw the light of day in 1954, and over the years has consistently produced some of the finest Australian Cabernet. This one captures the brightness and energy that is part of the Coonawarra and Wynns hallmark. Intense blackcurrant and faintly leafy notes with a trace of black olive complexity. The oak and fruit balance is as you would expect – perfect. An elegant and charming medium-bodied Cabernet, with fine chalky tannins and fine-grained oak supporting. 95 Points.
Jeni Port
Wynns likes to promote Black Label as “Australia’s benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon,” but it could also be called Australia’s greatest comfort wine. Year in, year out, it arrives in the glass and the drinker’s high expectations are always met – that’s so comforting. Even in relatively challenging cool, wet years like 2023 there is no denying the Black Label stamp: a deep concentration of ripe black fruit and spices in sync with some pretty smart oak. The ’23 vintage does bring a finer expression of Cabernet, less obvious mint and eucalypt than usual and more gentle florals and light herbals. Blackberry, cassis, black cherry, violet, briar, anise, dried leaf, crushed herbs – fresh and lively – work in harmony with French oak (30% new) to present a fully integrated youngster. Firm, fine tannins, as always, offer a seamless undercurrent, driving the wine long. As for drinking windows? Why not start tonight. 95 Points.
Steve Leszczynski
It's hard to fault this ever-reliable Black Label. Yes, there are those who say Coonawarra Cabernet is old school, but take a sip from this cup of reality and you'll soon realise how impressive it can be. All power to the Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon.
First produced in 1954, this 2023 sees 15 months in new (31%) and seasoned oak. Silky, elegant and shapely, it's a wine of detail, width and breadth. Very Cabernet, it's drive, presence and persistence build an unavoidable attractiveness. A riot of interest, think blackberries, blackcurrants, barbecued peppers, sage, thyme, pink peppercorns and licorice. It moves and flows with nimble feet carressing every crevice of the mouth. A fine mintiness slides in but those dark berry fruits hold court. A sheer delight, drink now or hold - you choose. Either way, you're the winner. Drink to ten years+. 95 Points.
Food Pairing
Food Pairing
Beef
Pork
Lamb
Duck
Cured Meat
Pasta
Spicy Food
BBQ
Taste Description
Taste Description
Nose
Classic fresh aromatics of blackberry and white sage, accentuated by subtle lavender notes.
Flavours and Palate
Fine, long, and generous, this wine opens with buoyant red cherry and plum, leading to deeper, contrasting notes of moss and earth. Enhanced by soft yet succulent acidity, fine cedary oak, and elegant, pliable tannins, it finishes with a subtle hint of thyme. A beautifully balanced, medium- weight Cabernet, showcasing all the hallmarks of this heritage label.
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Coonawarra, South Australia
Coonawarra, on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, is a flat, isolated region almost mid-point between Adelaide and Melbourne. The area enjoys a cool maritime climate - similar to that of Bordeaux - and is renowned for its unique terra rossa soil. Rich, rust coloured soils… crimson sunburnt faces… magenta sunsets: this is red wine country! While Coonawarra is famous for its rich, minty Cabernet, the area also produces Shiraz and Merlot and surprisingly good Chardonnay and Riesling.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Despite the challenges of a wet vintage, the diligence of vineyard and winemaking teams paid off, resulting in high-quality medium bodied wines.
Spring was wet so shoot thinning and leaf removal were necessary to increase air flow to the grapes to minimise disease pressure. Summer was cool with regular rainfall. Managing the red varieties required extra attention, but the vineyards, coupled with the well-drained Terra Rossa soils, delivered exceptional results..
Sue Hodder - Senior Winemaker
Sue Hodder is one of Australia’s best-known winemakers and this year celebrates her 27th vintage with Wynns – making wine from wonderful, expressive fruit grown in the heart of the terra rossa. Sue commenced her career as a viticulturist and believes her early viticultural training – assessing vines, analysing mature fruit and tasting the finished wine – gave her an invaluable insight into the importance of the vineyard in quality winemaking.
Sue brings valuable experience with vintages in other noted wine regions around the world and has judged extensively in Regional, National and International wine shows. She is the recipient of many accolades including GT Wines ‘Winemaker of the Year’ in 2010 (with viticulturist Allen Jenkins); and most recently ‘Winemaker of the Year’ (with Sarah Pidgeon) at the 2016 ASVO awards.