Sue Hodder, Wynns Coonawarra Estate, official legend of Australian wine
The day Sue Hodder was appointed as a winemaker at Wynns Coonawarra Estate was a great day for Australian wine. Hodder has been a gift – arguably the single greatest gift – to Australian wine lovers ever since. She’s made wine at this historic Coonawarra winery since 1992, and as head winemaker since 1998. She inherited a winery of renown, no doubt, but she also inherited a winery that wasn’t the biggest fish in its own company pond. Somehow, whether against the odds or not, she has made sure that the wines produced from this winery have remained at the top of the Australian quality tree. The wines she oversees have evolved but never – not once – wavered.
I wrote the above words for Halliday Wine Companion, during my tenure as its chief editor. These words were part of the introduction to Hodder’s entry into the Halliday Hall of Fame. Hodder is a celebrated winemaker but by rights she should yet be celebrated more. She is a modern day Australian wine legend. She has also, it must be acknowledged, been assisted over a long period of time by assistant winemaker Sarah Pidgeon. Pidgeon is a hero in her own right; she’s the deputy everyone would love to have.
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The above image – of Sue Holder, chief winemaker at Wynns Coonawarra Estate – was taken at a vertical tasting of Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon held in Adelaide. Wine writer Tony Love is in the foreground.
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Wynns Coonawarra Estate is a Mattinson 10-Star winery.
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The legendary Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 1982 is reviewed here.
