Koonara
About The Wine
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
We're certified by Australian Organic Standards in our Coonawarra vineyards.
No pesticides have been used in our Coonawarra vineyards for over 15 years.
We only have two organic sprays a year. We create an organic ecosystem in our vineyard, averaging only two sprays per year, primarily using a custom mineral mix to keep nutrients balanced
We let nature take care of nasty bugs. We grow selected weeds to attract 'good bugs' that eat our 'bad bugs', so we do not need pesticides. Weeds are our friends.
We let selected weeds grow long and their roots deep, which aerate the soil and fill it with organic material. This holds water and natural nutrients, which help to produce healthy vines.
Winemaking & Tasting notes
A beautiful combination of dark chocolate and concentrated mulberries has shown once again that this uniquely Australian blend is so often forged because the richness of the shiraz balances beautifully with the cool mint and blueberry of the Cabernet to create a wine with much more complexity and will age well for 20 years. Fun Fact: in 1974, Australia's most expensive wine was a Coonawarra blend of Cabernet & Shiraz. Grange was around (although not as expensive), but was also a blend of up to 16% (mostly Coonawarra) Cabernet.
About The Winery
Koonara are a small, family-owned, and organically certified winery in the heart of Coonawarra. In 1906 the Koonara families great-grandfather named the family property ‘Koonara’. More than 115 years on, our family still lives here surrounded by our vineyards.
They are the first in Coonawarra to be Certified Organic (ACO Cert No 12636), and have created ecosystems in the vineyards to limit spraying (even organic sprays) and to reduce the carbon footprint.
Koonara believe in creating wines that are high quality and age-worthy. All of the wines are vegan-friendly, low in sulphur, and have no (or low) residual sugar.
Koonara's key principles:
- We’re practising organic viticulture in our vineyards. We average four sprays per year for disease with only organically certified products so as not to harm our delicate ecosystem. No pesticides have been used in our Coonawarra vineyards for over 17 years.
- No oak substitutes (no chips, planks, dominos, etc.) are used to make our wines. It means our wines won’t be the cheapest, but aged in 100% oak barrels means the highest quality.
- All of our reds are aged in 100% fine-grain French Oak Hogshead barrels. These are the most expensive barrels, costing upwards of $1,800 a barrel, but the flavours are far more superior.
- We have ultra-low levels of residual sugar in our reds and below 3g/L of sugar in our whites. They still taste sweet, showing perfect balance in the vineyard. **The exception to this is in our Moscato, and just a touch in our sparkling white & red.
- We strive to have below organic levels of sulphur in all of our wines. This means under 120ppm (parts per million).
- Low yields, small grapes and big flavour. Both of our Coonawarra vineyards yield 2 tonnes or less – the average for Coonawarra is 3.5 - 4 tonnes. However, this doesn’t mean we have less grapes. Koonara grapes are smaller, which means more skin per litre. The colour and flavour comes from the skin, and this results inmore colour and flavour; the vine can perfectly ripen smaller, thick-skinned grapes (the size of a pea - see picture).
- Former Wynns winemaker for 15 years Peter Douglas is our winemaker, one of the most respected winemakers and wine judges in Australia.
- All of our Coonawarra vines are planted on the famous Coonawarra terra rossa soil, situated on our property which has been in the family for over 115 years.