Katnook hosts vertical tasting of Cabernets
A vertical tasting of 11 Katnook Estate Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignons including the premier Odyssey range was held recently to celebrate the 30th vintage of its flagship varietal and Wayne Stehbens’ 35th anniversary as Chief Winemaker there.
Print22 October 2013
It was way back in the 1890s that John Riddoch realised that Coonawara’s terra rossa soil was not dissimilar to the best terroirs in France and set about making vines while the sun shone.
The region enjoys one of the most unchanging climates on the Australian continent and Coonawara winemakers today work a strip of land that’s just 14km long by one km wide.
Coonawara wines represent less than 3% of Australian wine production and 90% of the wine used in Katnook’s premium Odyssey range comes from just two vineyards, a wine which Wayne would unashamedly compare to the best Cabernet Sauvignons from around the globe.
Katnooks keep and should be enjoyed between eight and 12 years old.
“Katnook Estate wines are remarkably suited to cellaring with their complex flavour profile and great tannin structure, both of which ensure longevity,” explained Wayne at the tasting.
The climate here, known for its long but cool hours of sunshine during the ripening and the region, can be similar to Bordeaux or the Napa Valley, claims Wayne who has two prestigious Jimmy Watson trophies to his credit (yet admits to knowing “a lot about winemaking but not a lot about wines”).
Now owned by the Spanish wine company Freixenet, Katnook Estate was begun by Wayne’s father, Ray, who first bought a small vineyard back in 1971 80km north and 80km east of the ocean in this South Eastern corner of South Australia.
The Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2009/10 has a RSP of €25.49 while the Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 has a RSP €63.49.
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