2021 Balnaves of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra

Fruit was sourced from the Walker and Dead Morris Vineyards, matured in French oak (36% new) for 13 months. A mix of Berger, Tarasaud and Sylvian cooperages. Cassis berries, dark bilberries and juniper spice. Plush black mulberries and thistle. Black sesame, potting soil and cassia bark. The lift of perfectly ripe cabernet berries is tangible in this elongated palate; it stretches both vertically and lengthwise. Oak allows the compact fruit to unfurl and shine. This will only continue to open and evolve. Drink to 2035.

95 points (Special Value) Shanteh Wale for Halliday Wine Companion, August 2024

Well-made and focused. On the nose, sweet cherries, earth, cedar and warm spices dominate. Medium-bodied, it has chalky tannins and a seductive texture in the center. A solid frame drives the palate toward a precise, flavorful finish. Drink or hold.

91 points Kevin Dacy for James Suckling, March 2025

Elegant bilberry, mulberry and cassis aromas greet on the nose framed by subtle notes of cedar and juniper berries. These spill into the complex and intensely flavoured palate complemented by graphite and dark chocolate. The long-lasting flavours are carried by supple tannins and the cedary notes are very much in a supporting role that will allow for the wine to continue to age well for years to come.

The graphite, dark chocolate and chalky tannins want something with real umami depth — a duck breast glazed with cassis and star anise plays straight back into the wine's own fruit, while a wood-fired mushroom and taleggio pizza gives the tannins a grip of char and salt without needing red meat at all.

More about this wine

The 2021 season was one of mild conditions resulting in gradual and even ripening periods for Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit for this wine was picked from the Walker and Dead Morris vineyards on the estate, and fermented on skins for twenty days. The wine was matured for 13 months in French oak barriques of which just over a third were new.

About Balnaves

The Balnaves family have been associated with Coonawarra since 1855, with the vineyard at the southern end of the Terra Rossa strip established in 1975. Founders Doug and Annette Balnaves were joined by children Pete and Kirsty in 1990, just in time for their first wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for 70% of the vineyards, the remaining having been planted to Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chardonnay.

Maddie LeMire has been leading the team at the winery from the start of 2025 after Jacinta Jenkins' tenure that followed Pete Bissell’s retirement in 2020. Pete still consults on the wines on a casual basis.