On Wednesday, as happens on the first Wednesday in June every year, Wynns Coonawarra Estate released its Wynnsday Collection.
But, unlike in other years, two out of the six wines in the 2025 luxury release are brand-new: the 2024 Wynns Black Label Messenger Chardonnay, and the 2024 Limited Edition Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc.
The Black Label Messenger Chardonnay is not the first chardonnay the iconic winery has produced (“We’ve been making chardonnay since 1981,” says senior winemaker Sue Hodder), although it is the first release of this specific wine – and the first time a white wine has ever been included in the Wynnsday line-up.
The Cabernet Franc, however, is the first straight-varietal cabernet franc ever made by Wynns.
“We’ve been wanting to make some lighter, yet still properly ripe wines, and cabernet franc falls into that category in the right years,” the 2025 Halliday Hall of Fame inductee says.
“We’ve been growing cabernet franc in Coonawarra for a long time – but not always successfully,” she adds. “But now that we’ve got some better clones in a better vineyard, we’re seeing good results.”
The 1334 Bordeaux clone was planted in what’s known as the McKillop Vineyard in the north of the region in 2014. Although the vines are still relatively young, even fruit-set ahead of the 2024 vintage, plus lots of early work in the vineyard on shoot positioning and thinning, meant “it was time to go,” says Sue.
And “thankfully we’ve been able to back it up with the ’25s, but in the years we can’t, we just won’t make it.”
The 2025 Wynnsday Collection also includes the highly collectable and phenomenally good value 2023 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon (the 68th vintage of this wine), the flagship 2022 John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon (first made in 1982), the 2022 Michael Shiraz (only produced in the best years), and the 2022 Single Vineyard Childs Cabernet Sauvignon (produced from a single, premium parcel – and not since 2012).
See how Halliday taster Shanteh Wale reviewed the wines below.
Wynns Coonawarra Estate 2024 Limited Edition Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc
A potent mix of bilberries, staining mulberries and dark cherries in syrup. There is freshly turned potting soil, caper leaf and handfuls of clove. The intensity of this wine lies in its fruit power, un-muddied by oak spice. Acidity chimes long and lengthy with silky tannins. This is a celebration of cabernet franc, captured in the prime of its life. It dances in its merriment. Drink now or cellar for a further eight to 10 years. – Shanteh Wale, 95 points
RRP $80 | Drink to 2034
Wynns Coonawarra Estate 2024 Black Label Messenger Chardonnay
Pretty as a picture, the '24 is filled with nectarines, cherry blossoms and frangipani flowers. Pineapple heart, peach cream and apple sorbet. Ripe orchard fruit unfurls with whipped meringue, cinnamon icing and white pepper. Creamy, a hint of almond shell and long lines of nervy acidity. A very generous wine, with muscle and richness and the delicate white flowers of spring. – Shanteh Wale, 92 points
RRP $45 | Drink to 2034
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