Coonawarra’s Wild Game Wine recently won awards for its 2014 Shiraz ‘The Dame’ and 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon ‘The Duke’ in the Winestate Magazine new releases tasting.

The aged wines, which were bottled last year, received high scores, with the Cabernet receiving 98/100 and the Shiraz a 96/100.

“It’s really exciting on a lot of levels,” Wild Game Wine co-owner Mary Stratford said.

“Even though our vineyards are old, from the eighties and nineties, our brand is quite young, so it’s really lovely to be recognised by industry experts as having really high-quality wines.”

The Shiraz was described as “a tight structure with oodles of plums and cassis” and has aromas of “black olive, peppermint slice and dark chocolate”.

The Cabernet was described as having an “elegant bouquet” with “fruit mince pie aromas and cedar-like oak” with “soft, silky tannins and fruit cake flavours”.

Ms Stratford and her husband Guy grow their Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon on their Coonawarra farm and their Pinot Gris and Riesling in Mount Gambier, with their winemaker Peter Douglas.

Their 2021 Riesling ‘The Duchess’ was also an award winner last year, judged at 97/100 and named in the Top 5 Rieslings around Australia 2021.

Ms Stratford said they barrel-aged their wine for an extended time, bottled it and leave it to rest longer than many other wineries.

The couple believe cool climate reds are not at their best until they are over six years old, however they still have the cellaring potential of 20 years or more.

Ms Stratford said ageing gave wine a chance to soften and integrate with the oak and had many benefits for the flavour profiles and tannin structures.

The Stratfords are passionate about sustainable wine growing and grow their fruit biologically, therefore they have naturally healthy vines and fruit.

Ms Stratford said this resulted in more balanced vines, fruit and wine with no need for harsh chemicals and fertilisers.