-
99
/ 100
Huon Hooke -
98
/ 100
Jeni Port - Wine Pilot -
19.5+
/ 20
Matthew Jukes -
98
/ 100
Ray Jordan -
97
/ 100
Angus Hughson
Red
Classification
Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety
2021
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
South Australia, Coonawarra
Region
13.4%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
99 / 100"Very deep, dark, impenetrable purple colour; a gorgeous fragrance of spicy superripe berries and a hint of licorice, super concentrated and almost essency. Traces of soy sauce and nori. The wine is highly concentrated on the palate; powerful, profound and rich, with masses of sweetly ripe berry fruit and no sign of herbal varietal touches. A profound and multi-dimensional cabernet that will richly reward long-term cellaring. It drinks superbly already but it would be sacrilege to open it before it's had more time to build the tertiary complexity that we know will come with time."
- Huon Hooke
98 / 100
"Gotta love a wine that unfolds slowly over time, what you first sniff and taste is subtly different to what you sniff and taste an hour, half a day, a day, later. My notes for John Riddoch came in two acts, two tastings over two days. I am sure there could be a lot more acts, indeed, a full play waiting to be discovered in this outstanding example of Coonawarra Cabernet. There’s no shying away from what it is, there is a noteworthy herbal presence throughout and rich layers of black fruits and berries, vanilla and gentle spice. The rising, aromatic florals, led by violet, lift the wine, the earthy, chocolate and spice notes ring in behind. Fruit, oak and tannin are beautifully in sync, probably the best for some time. Ripe, supple but firm tannins bring extra focus, and there’s plenty in the tank for the future. Beautifully in balance."
- Jeni Port - Wine Pilot
19.5+ / 20
"In one word – ‘epic’. Having just returned from ten days in Bordeaux tasting a vast number of youthful Cabernets, among other styles of wine, if this beauty had been slipped into the mix, it would have lounged somewhere near the top of the pile. John Riddoch is a pristine Cabernet with relatively low alcohol (top Bordeaux typically ranges from 13 – 14.5%), firm acidity and a reasonable percentage of new French oak (approximately 25%). This recipe sounds like one read straight from the fiche technique of a great Left Bank wine, albeit with a lower percentage of new oak(!). In reality, John Riddoch is more akin to an elite Saint-Estèphe than a typical New World Cabernet: don’t even contemplate Argentina, Chile, Tuscany, South Africa or California because the bulk of these wines are not even in the same ballpark! ’21 JR is pure, stunningly plush, deeply fruited but seemingly weightless and incredibly detailed. It is a superb thoroughbred with impeccable balance, and it is as relevant for an old-world geek as it is for a new-world disciple. It is time that Wynns John Riddoch sat alongside the acknowledged world Cabernet greats, and this vintage will undoubtedly help make this dream a reality."
- Matthew Jukes
98 / 100
"One of the best vintages in Coonawarra for many years. Little wonder this release of the John Riddoch is one of the best since the initial release from the 1982 vintage. Aromas of violets and red berry with a slightly cherry glaze character adding further intrigue. The palate is medium weight and refined but with tremendous power and persistence. A combination of hogsheads and barriques has been used to deliver the perfect level of oak. One of the best of these I can recall."
- Ray Jordan
97 / 100
"The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Wynns John Riddoch is stylish and built for the long haul. It takes a couple of days to show its true colors. It radiates with blackcurrant, gravel and dried mint aromas, with a dusting of earth all wrapped up in a gentle blanket of French oak. Composed and super refined, the wine is underpinned by a line of seductive yet firm tannins with killer length and balance to finish. It is already very approachable but with serious staying power."
- Angus Hughson
Tasting Notes
First made in 1982, the John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon was conceived as a flagship wine for Wynns. John Riddoch himself was a true visionary. Amongst his many achievements are the building of the Wynns Gabled winery and the establishment of the Coonawarra Fruit Colony
John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon is made in small quantities from the best available fruit grown on the estate's extensive Cabernet Sauvignon plantings in the heart of the terra rossa soil It has become a definitive Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, made only in years when grapes of extraordinarily high quality are available, using less than one percent of the top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
Notably lifted and intense aromatics. Black olive, raspberry, dried bayleaf, musky notes/red licorice, blue flower/violets; brambles or crushed raspberry leaf. Initially subdue but opens up gradually. Medium bodied with balanced powdery tannins. The fruit will grow into the frame in a short time. Baked Plum cake and gentle spices, light pastry notes, green olive. Rhubarb, roasted cherry flavours are persistent on the palate. The fruit is concentrated but not heavy. A wine of poise and elegance. The 2021 John Riddoch Cabernet will age gracefully in line with heritage and quality.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity