Coonawarra
Australia
About Coonawarra
Coonawarra is just terra rossa over limestone, a thin strip of red soil in the cool corner of South Australia, and yet it grows some of the most distinctive Cabernet outside Bordeaux. The signature is unmistakable: cassis, cool mint, pencil shavings, leafy tobacco, and a structured tannin that ages forever. John Riddoch planted the first vines in 1890, but the modern Coonawarra was built by Wynns from the 1950s onward. The wines that followed (Penfolds Bin 707, Parker First Growth, Lindemans St George) set the benchmarks for Australian Cab. The famous boundary fight of the early 2000s went all the way to the Federal Court, with growers off the red soil arguing for inclusion. The court drew the line at the dirt. Names to know: Wynns, Parker, Penley, Bowen, Balnaves, Majella.
Vintage Ratings
Rating:
95+
90-94
85-89
80-84
<80
PeakReadyHold
Outstanding Coonawarra Vintages
The best recent vintages rated excellent or exceptional.
Red
On the map
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Terroir & Character
Climate
MaritimeCoolLong ripeningFrost-prone
Terroir
Terra rossaLimestoneCool maritimeIron-rich
Map data: Wine Australia GI Register (CC BY 4.0)