Sue Hodder
REWRITING THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIAN CABERNET
She’s been making wine at an iconic Coonawarra winery for more than 25 years, but Sue Hodder hasn’t lost her drive. She’s at the forefront of some major changes in the world-famous region.
Growing up in the red centre of Australia, Sue was destined for a life on the land. She loves the seasons and the soils of rural life. Today she’s one of Australia’s best-known winemakers, producing world-class wines at Wynns Coonawarra Estate. Quality and heritage are central to her winemaking philosophy, but it’s her forward-looking focus on sustainability and the evolution of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon that sets her apart.
From one red centre to another
Sue grew up in the red heart of Australia, in the Northern Territory town of Alice Springs. She might’ve been a long way from Australia’s wine regions but she developed a strong connection to the land from a young age, growing plants and raising animals. After school, Sue moved to Adelaide to study at Roseworthy Agricultural College (now part of Adelaide University) and was inspired by her peers and their passion for wine. She won a Penfolds viticultural scholarship after graduation, and gained invaluable insight into the importance of the vineyard in winemaking. Today she’s still happiest in the vineyard tasting grapes.
A couple of years spent in London on a working holiday gave Sue a new global perspective. As a winemaker, she worked at wineries in the Barossa and Grampians wine regions, before joining Wynns Coonawarra Estate in 1993. Five years later she became the winery’s first female chief winemaker.
Sue as a winemaker sees her role as allowing the vineyards to express themselves.
Synonymous with Coonawarra, Wynns’ Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines set the benchmark for this world-renowned region. The Wynns story started when Scottish pioneer John Riddoch planted vineyards from 1890, and in 1896 built the famous gabled winery, naming it Chateau Comaum. In 1951, two Melbourne wine merchants, Samuel and David Wynn, recognised the potential of the famous red terra rossa soil and bought the vineyards and winery. Wynns Coonawarra Estate was born. Today, Wynns is one of the region’s most distinguished wine producer.
‘I love wine, the seasons, the vineyards and the marketplace. Winemaking offers an opportunity to interact with all of it.’
– Sue Hodder
A new era
Ever since Sue became chief winemaker she has worked closely with viticulturist Allen Jenkins, today Wynns’ regional vineyard manager, to rejuvenate the old vines and reconstruct the vineyards, heralding a new era. Collaboration is crucial for Sue, who believes that success starts in the vineyard but relies on a great team. She has worked alongside Wynns winemaker Sarah Pidgeon for two decades in one of Australia’s greatest winemaking partnerships.
Sue’s time at Wynns has been littered with accolades, including Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year award with Allen in 2010 and the Australian Women in Wine Awards Woman of Inspiration award in 2017. She’s worked in wine regions around the world and has judged more than 50 wine competitions.
Today at Wynns Coonawarra Estate one of her biggest challenges is the changing climate. It’s prompted Sue and her team to adopt more sustainable viticulture methods, including better soil moisture management and a bigger focus on vine health. “Sustainability underpins everything we do,” says Sue. As she builds on the work of previous generations while innovating and planting for the future, Sue is helping to ensure Wynns can thrive for decades to come.
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