The words Coonawarra and Cabernet go hand in hand.

First planted to vines in 1890, the Coonawarra district and its magical tract of terra rossa soil has given birth to some of the great names of Australian wine.

From John Riddoch, the Redmans and Samuel Wynn to Balnaves , Jamieson’s Run and Katnoock, this South Australian region’s place in history is assured.

To the untrained eye, Coonawarra appears completely flat, but in fact the famous red soil is situated on a slight but all important limestone ridge. It's no accident that the main road passes through its centre, marking the route followed by the bullock drays of the 19th century in their search for firm ground during winter and spring.

While the region seems suited to classical white varieties such as Chardonnay and Riesling, they are overshadowed by the reputation of Coonawarra’s red wines.

Shiraz was virtually the only wine grape grown in Coonawarra between 1900 and 1950, alongside just a few vines of Cabernet Sauvignon and a little Grenache.

While the class of wines such as Wynns Michael Hermitage (Shiraz) is beyond dispute, it is the region’s Cabernet Sauvignons that lay claim to be Australia’s greatest.

The fruit flavours of Coonawarra Cabernet are very concentrated and luscious, covering a broad spectrum from black currant to plum to red cherry to prunes. Notwithstanding the impact of oak tannins, the wines are seldom astringent or tannic. Indeed, Coonawarra winemakers invest much effort in extracting every last grain of available tannin.

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