News

Rare 50-year vertical of Coonawara Cabernet to go under the hammer

08 August 2024 By Arabella Mileham

Coonawarra’s Redman Family is to auction one of the most complete Australian cabernet verticals to come to the market, which spans an impressive 50 consecutive vintages.

It is, according to the company “an exciting chance to own a piece of Australian wine history”, comprising one bottle from each vintage between 1971-2021, which have bene stored at the estate winery.

The family-owned company was founded in 1908 in Coonawara, producing Shiraz but is now primarily known for its medium-bodied, intensely flavoured Coonawarra Cabernet. It was only in the late 1960s that Owen Redman (son of founder Bill Owen) realised the potential for Cabernet Sauvignon in the estate’s terra rossa soil and the first vintage released was the 1970, which produced 550 magnums. Last year the team celebrated 50 years of its flagship Redman Cabernet with a vertical of the complete collection of Cabernet Sauvignon dating back to the original 1970 vintage.

This vertical is now available to purchase through Langtons, along with additional individual bottles, Redman Cabernet magnums from the 1971, 1976 and 2012 vintages, as well as an imperial (6L) from the 2004 vintage.

Langton’s head of auctions and secondary market, Michael Anderson said it was “something special” to see a 50 consecutive-year vertical from a family-owned wine brand (besides Penfold’s Grange), and as such “an incredible opportunity to witness the evolution of Australian wine”.

Dan, Bruce, Mal and Mike Redman of Redman Wines

Winemaker Dan Redman said it was his grandfather Owen who had had the foresight to lay down wine from each vintage of Cabernet the family produced, a tradition continued by his father, Bruce, and uncle, Mal, who run the estate along with Dan and his brother, Mike.

“It is a rare opportunity to see how the wines have evolved, showcasing winemaking styles during different climates, and celebrate how beautifully Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon can age.”

He called the wines “an incredible body of work, with some notable stand-out vintages and winemaking notes for each year”.

“With only three winemakers at the helm across five decades of Cabernet Sauvignon production and just two viticulturists tending to the vines, we have an intimate knowledge of our vineyards and Coonawarra’s terroir.”