Coonawarra Wines

This is the flagship wine from the Reschke stable, or should we say stud because before the vineyards were planted the property was all about cattle, hence the label design. Only produced in tiny quantities and when the vintage is exceptional from some of the oldest and smallest yielding vines. Vibrant and vital on the nose this aristocratic wine is tinged with violets, mint and cedar as well as plums and currants. There’s a wonderful balance between fruit sweetness, tannin and acid. It’s intense yet balanced.

For Zema it’s all about family. A proud Italian heritage pervades all they do having descended from winemakers in Calabria. Today, brothers Nick and Matt run the estate with their parents always in the backgound especially mother Francesca who tirelessly cooks for visitors to the cellar door. This is conclusive proof that Coonawarra makes quality Shiraz that can live for a decade or more. Expect a wine that’s dominant in plum and clove with integrated oak, some warmth on the palate and a long, satisfying finish.

This is an absolute killer of a wine – the kind of wine that you bring out to enjoy on only the biggest occasions. Typical Parker with lashings of intense fruit rounded off with only the very finest oak. And the structure – a 20 year wine for sure. Yes, I think I am in love!

This is the kind of wine you want to serve to your boss when he comes to dinner or if you want to impress the in–laws with your good taste. Winemaker Kym Tolley works his magic with select parcels of Coonawarra Shiraz to produce a wine that’s complex and elegant. It’s rich in blackberry and cassis with notes smoky yet subtle oak. This wine is all about balance between fruit, oak and tannin and ends with impressive length.

The big brother First Growth might get the pundits excited but here at Cracka we are also very very big fans of the Terra Rossa Cab. With all the spark of the First Growth, perhaps without quite the density or the structure, it is also an absolute Cracka and from the excellent 2006 vintage a must-have, if Coonawarra Cabernet is your thing. Perfumed blackcurrant fruit with some classic Coonawarra cedary complexity, it will improve over ten years but is so good right now that it will be very hard to keep your hands off it. Better buy 2 cases then!

At the very pinnacle of the wines that Wayne Stebhens produces at Katnook Estate stands the Oydssey. This wine has an amazing pedigree having won numerous medals internationally. It’s made from select parcels of outstanding Cabernet fruit then consigned to spend up to 40 months in a combination of French and American oak. Ripe mulberry and plum fruit with subtle mocha and vanillin oak, before a multi layered palate that is generously berried and vivid with plum and spice. This is a wine of nobility with immense structure before fine-grained tannins and a lingering finish.

The prodigy stands tall as one of the icon wines of Coonawarra and you’d have to describe winemaker as a prodigy for crafting a drop this good. Yes, it’s that good that it demands a moments silence out of respect. This is the result of drawing the best Shiraz fruit from a single vineyard that lies on the distinct Terra Rossa soils of the region. Rare to find this kind of concentration, the Prodigy is all about poise with dark berries, some licorice and spice. There’s plush upfront fruit with supple chocolate-like tannins showing enormous balance. It will last comfortably for a decade or more but if you are going to treat yourself, match it with some roast beef and horseradish mash.

You know when you see the words ‘Reserve’ on a label that you know it’s going to be a bit special but don’t leave it on the top row of your wine rack in case you open it by mistake as a mid week quaffer as this wine deserves to be matched with a succulent cut of lamb. It captures Coonawarra Cabernet perfectly with its complex flavours, notes of eucalypt, rich berries and multi-layered depth. Still a relative infant, this wine will become even more integrated with bottle age and reward those that wait.

In years ahead we wonder whether there will be a wine named after our current incumbent Prime Minister? Can you actually imagine asking for a refreshing glass of Gillard? The Menzies on the other hand has a sense of gravitas about it and remains one of Yalumaba’s most agreeable reds. Named after Robert Menzies who was equal parts politician and wine lover, the wine is all about stature and quality. It shows Coonawarra character of cassis and chocolate and enjoys a smooth, satisfying palate of velvety tannins.

Like a little liquid seduction? Prepare to be smitten by the divine taste of Coonawarra, as this Shiraz hits all the high notes. Koonara are now proud recipients of a Five Star winery honour, as bestowed upon them by wine writer James Halliday. But stars aside, this is a genuinely great interpretation of Shiraz from a region more famous for Cabernet. It shows an elegant nose of red berries and pepper with a soft and juicy palate that’s structured and balanced.

Majella wines have become one of the most lauded and awarded wineries in the Coonawarra region being the recipients of over 600 awards in their relatively short history. One of their icon reds is this Sparkling Shiraz that offers up a rich and hedonistic drinking experience. For a decadent breakfast match this with bacon and eggs and enjoy the fizzy, vital red berry fruit with a slight porty edge and a nicely creamy palate. Keep the Aussie tradition alive and drink this as often as you can!

We love a full throttle McLaren Vale Shiraz at Cracka and one of the godfathers of the Vale is the moustachioed maestro Geoff Merrill. This is what the Vale is all about, regional aromas of red berries, licorice, leather and spice. The palate is ripe and generous, warm and seductive with a touch of oak before soft tannins fill out the finish. It will cellar well if you have the will power, if not, it will enjoy being served with hearty meat dishes.

Parker Coonawarra are responsible for making some of the most expressive Cabernet wines in the region so we were pleased to see the results when they made this blend with the addition of Merlot as it fleshes out the wine. The addition of Merlot is done to give the mid-palate some generosity while the Cabernet lends structure. The nose is lifted with black fruits and ink with cedar and spice, the palate delivers a swathe of sweet earthy fruit and a nicely persistent finish with integrated tannins.

This is Brian 'Prof' Lynn's (the man behind Majella) top wine and it shows everything you'd want in a sexy Coonawarra red. Shedloads of flavour, lovely rich oak, ballsy tannins, and tannins galore. In fact it's more like a meal than a wine, such is the power and concentration on offer. Dink it with Brontosauras steaks.

Coonawarra and Cabernet, the perfect union? Well, it’s certainly a stylish marriage and the Reschke’s know how to do it magnificently. This is complex and complete Cabernet that sees maturation in barrel so it does not mask the purity of the fruit. So typical of the region, there’s plum, cassis and notes of cedar. It’s soft and structured with a generous texture and spicy fruit flavours. The wines will last well in the short term but would make a great pairing with a robust dish like lamb shanks.

There are so many family stories in the wine industry and the Bowen's are another one of those who continue to produce the goods vintage after vintage. In fact Bowen are one of the stars of the Coonawarra region producing consistently excellent Shiraz. We love the aromas of this Shiraz tending towards cherries and berries with undertones of leather and cedar. The palate is lengthy, structured and full of soft tannin. It’s great for cellaring in the short term, however we suggest you try some now with some rare beef or cheese.

Cabernet has become the pride of Coonawarra thanks to the unique terra rossa soils of red soil over limestone imparting a distinctive mint and earthy taste to the reds of the region. We love this release, as it captures not just the varietal as well as the region perfectly within the bottle. There’s plenty of blackcurrant fruit, a hint of mint and some integrated oak before a swathe of dark fruits sweep across the palate. Cedar and vanilla oak add interest before mouth-coating tannins fill out the lingering finish. This would benefit from being paired with a medium rare scotch fillet with a red wine jus.

Leconfield are one of the original kings of Cabernet and this wine shows how the variety is considered royalty in the Coonawarra wine region. Leconfield is one of the oldest family owned wineries in the region and have a proud history of making reds that full bodied and full of flavour. Fragrant with blackcurrant and cedar and some attractive French oak before a long, lingering palate that’s has structured tannins and excellent balance.

Majella, driven by the sharp and jovial Brian 'Prof' Lynn, is surely one of the best performing modern Coonawarra winemakers, with a story that is quite familiar in Australian winemaking circles. It's a story of a dedicated family grape growing business whom realised that more opportunity lay in cherry picking the best grapes for their own wine label, whilst continuing to sell the grapes on to other winemakers. Flash forward to the present and Majella and we end up with a wine like this - a full bodied Cabernet in the classic Coonwarra mould, rich with fruit intensity but without the heady heaviness that so many 2009 Cooonawarra reds show, even served with some welcome varietal herbace...

One thing you’ll notice in all of Kim Tolley’s wines and that’s fastidious detail. It comes of a result of thirty-six years making wine, which have helped shape the continued success of this winery. This Merlot re-affirms the belief in the variety from an Aussie standpoint offering up the essence of Coonawarra along the way. It’s rich with plums and violets with some nicely integrated oak before a soft palate of smoky oak, black fruits and a smooth tannin finish.