Katnook is one of Coonawarra’s bellwether estates, rooted in the district’s historic Katnook homestead and shaped by the region’s famous terra rossa over limestone. The modern chapter began in the late 20th century with a renewed focus on site expression and meticulous small-lot winemaking, quickly establishing the house as a reference for Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia’s coolest classic red-wine region. Long, even ripening on the limestone plain delivers fruit of precision rather than excess, with Cabernet and Shiraz the pillars and limited white plantings (notably Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc) adding freshness to the range.
The style is classically Coonawarra: Cabernet leads with blackcurrant and mulberry framed by cedar, graphite and a subtle mint/eucalypt top note, carried by fine, chalk-tinged tannins. Shiraz is savoury and poised—dark berries, anise, pepper and supple tannin—aiming for perfume and line rather than maximal ripeness. Winemaking is detail-driven: hand and selective machine harvesting by block, small-batch ferments, careful extraction, and élevage in a mix of French and (to a lesser extent) American oak with new wood used judiciously to season, not dominate.
Two flagship reds headline the portfolio. Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon is the statement wine, drawn from the best parcels in exemplary years and built for decades: dense yet refined, layered with cassis, cigar box and fine, sinewy structure. Prodigy Shiraz sits alongside it, a grand, cellar-worthy interpretation that balances Coonawarra spice and dark-fruited depth with polished oak and impressive length. Below these, estate Cabernet and Shiraz offer a direct line to the region at more accessible prices, while limited-release single-parcel bottlings appear in strong vintages to highlight micro-site nuance.
Viticulture is attentive and increasingly sustainability-minded: canopy management to protect fruit and preserve acidity, targeted irrigation on the free-draining limestone, and parcel selection that respects subtle soil and aspect differences across the estate. The aim is consistency and purity year to year, with picking decisions keyed to flavour maturity rather than sugar alone. In the cellar, racking and maturation timelines flex with each lot to keep tannins fine and the mid-palate taut.
Cellaring guidance reflects the structure in the wines. Odyssey Cabernet is a 10–20-year proposition in good vintages; Prodigy Shiraz comfortably rewards 8–15 years; estate Cabernet and Shiraz show well from release but gain harmony and savoury detail over 5–8. Whites are brisk and textural—Sauvignon Blanc for immediate refreshment, Chardonnay for a little lees-derived cream and stone-fruit breadth—rounding out a portfolio that remains a touchstone for elegant, age-worthy Coonawarra.
