Although Wynns Coonawarra Estate has been bottling cabernet shiraz blends for a lot longer than two years, the 2024 vintage was the first that winemakers Sue Hodder and Sarah Pidgeon decided to introduce an ‘Aussie claret’ to the iconic Black Label range.
The inaugural Black Label Cabernet Shiraz will be released as part of the 2026 Wynnsday Collection on Wednesday, 3 June, alongside seven other wines from the 2023, ’24 and ’25 vintages.
There’s method to this multi-vintage approach. Not only does it ensure wines are only selected for release when they’re truly ready, but it allows the winery to showcase the variability of season while emphasising the consistency of Coonawarra’s unique terroir.
The two wines from the exceptional 2025 vintage are both in their second release – the Black Label Messenger Chardonnay and Mackillop Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc. The former made history last year as the first white wine to ever be included in a Wynnsday Collection release. The latter was the first straight varietal cabernet franc the winery had ever produced, which Sue said at the time was the result of better clone and site selection.
The five “stellar” reds from what Sue describes as 2024’s “classic Coonawarra vintage,” include the V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz and Shiraz, and, from the Black Label range, The Original Cabernet Sauvignon and Old Vines Shiraz, on top of the new Cabernet Shiraz.
Just one wine from “the cooler, wet 2023 vintage” made the cut – a single-vineyard cabernet sauvignon made from that season’s most premium parcel. The source in ’23 was the O’Deas vineyard, a site originally planted in 1989 although later replanted to a selection of Wynns heritage cuttings and some new and interesting clones. “We have been delighted to see these younger vines flourish in wet conditions,” says Sue.
To celebrate the release, Wynns will host a series of events across the country. Sue will guide a limited few through the 2026 Collection at masterclasses in Melbourne (4 June) and Sydney (25 June), and Wine Club Dinners will be held in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide from late May through June.
For more information or to book, visit the Wynns Coonawarra Estate website. Otherwise, the 2026 Wynnsday Collection will be available online and in-store from Wednesday, 3 June.
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