Qld, stories:, trophies, golds, RNA

The recent RNA Brisbane Wine Show was a watershed event in 2010. For the first time in 133 years of operation of this show a Queensland wine was acknowledged as the best of its Queensland peers - as the best gold medal Queensland wine.

The award was the inaugural Corrigan and Scudamore-Smith Trophy, partly presented by this writer for wines judged by non-Queensland judges.

The RNA had invited 10 non-Queensland judges and three locals (Tony Harper, Andrew Corrigan and the writer).

Two wines vied for the award: Sirromet Vineyard Selection 820 Above Verdelho 2009 and Ballandean Estate Generation 3 Shiraz 2007 in a dead-heat in the count down.

The chief judge Phillip John of Adelaide made his casting vote in favour of Ballandean Estate, and red triumphed over white perhaps!

This wine is terrific, and it's great to focus on a great Queensland product. It has the essence of pure varietal cool climate shiraz, be it in a measured way with delightful texture.

As the most select wine made by Ballandean Estate winemaker Dylan Rhymer, Generation 3 was introduced after the company celebrated its 75th anniversary and three generations of the owners, the Puglisi family had run the business.

Dylan Rhymer had a grand time taking out the RNA Bursary Award for 2010: a new competition for Queensland winemakers under 40 who submit three wines they have recently made, and in their opinion, are outstanding examples. This year there were three entrants.

Rhymer provided Ballandean Estate Generation 3 Shiraz 2005, Late Harvest Sylvaner 2005 and Kooroomba Vineyard Verdelho Marsanne 2009.

Most successful Queensland Exhibitor was Symphony Hill from Eukey Road, Ballandean with five medals (Gewurztraminer 2010-47; Wild Child Viognier 2008-47; Reserve Bolivia Shiraz-51; Reserve Pinot Noir 2008-48 and Reserve Cabernet 2006-47). This is presented by the local Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.

Mount Cotton-based Sirromet Wines had a good show, as apart from their verdelho gold, were awarded 46.5 for their Signature Collection Severn Scenes Sparkling Red (Petit Verdot) 2008.

In a record year for Queenslanders eighteen producers from four regions; Granite Belt, South Burnett, Scenic Rim and Darling Downs were successful exhibitors with 32 medals.

Granite Belt wineries included were newcomer Felsberg (Bell Tower Gewurztraminer 2010 47), Robert Channon (Reserve Chardonnay 2009 & Pinot Noir 46.5), another newcomer Twisted Gum (Shiraz 2009 47.5), new varieties specialist Golden Grove (Mourvedre 2009 47.5), excellent maker Ravenscroft (Verdelho 2009 46.5; Petit Verdot 2009 46.5), Tamborine-based Witches Falls (Botrytis Semillon 2008 46.5 & Prophecy Cabernet 2008 47),and related brand Aussie Vineyards Au (Pinot Noir 2007 48.5), Toowoomba-based Preston Peak (Reserve Shiraz 2008 46.5), Lucas Estate with three medals (Merlot 2008 47,The Surveyor 2008 48,Petit Verdot 2008 47.5), Summit Estate's latest craze (Alto Monastrell etc 2008 47), near Cottonvale, Heritage Estate (Fortified Shiraz 2008 48.5) and Jester Hill (Touchstone Petit Verdot 2008 46.5).

From the Darling Downs Rimfire Vineyard Graciano 2007 46.5 stood out while on the Scenic Rim Normanby Wines (Chauvel Shiraz 2007 46.5 & Chambourcin 2007 47) were successful.

Further north in the South Burnett Clovely Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2007 47 and Left Field Nebbiolo 2009 47 were very good results.

Medals: 46.5-50.5 (Bronze), 51-55 (Silver); over 55.5 (Gold) 

 

			wine, australia, wine tasting

There is one very applaudable wine show in this country-it's in Cairns and thankfully held in June each year.

Now that's a good time to attract southern wine judges who flee their winter freeze and like the capital of tropical sunshine.

The most important job for these judges-headed by Andrew Corrigan from Brisbane, Marie Clay (Fosters, McLaren Vale), Tony Hooper (Red Winemaker Jacob's Creek, Barossa) and Andrew Spinaze (Chief Winemaker Tyrrells, Hunter) is to decide the best wine for tropical enjoyment. That's a trophy.

This year it went to an aged semillon-Coolangatta Estate 2006 from Shoalhaven on the NSW South Coast. These guys have a huge history of winning trophies with old semillon so why not win another one.

That's not easy in Cairns because the types of wines pushing to win this trophy are roses, rieslings, pinot gris, pinots and all things chillable to protect them from the sun under the palm trees.

Best red of the show was Richmond Grove Shiraz 2006 from the Barossa while the said Coolangatta wine took Best White.

Best Pinot Noir came from Portsea Estate 2008 from Mornington. It's a wine with a high show achievement before this award.

Best Chardonnay and Best Queensland White went to a chardonnay from St George-Riversands Inland Way Chardonnay 2008, and what a cracking result as this wine out-pointed  chardonnays from Tumbarumba, the Perth Hills, the Adelaide Hills and Cowra.

An even better result was best Queensland Red going to the small producer Ridgemill Estate with The Spaniard Tempranillo 2009, a wine made from the oldest vine planting of this grape in the State.

Curiously Ridgemill's tempranillo was planted by a Spanish gentleman nine years ago. This wine also outpointed an Adelaide Hills tempranillo to be top gold of the class.

So when next in Cairns ask for an old semillon and knock it back with a sliver of bbq painter lobster.

And think what the judges say about tropical drinking.

Full wine results www.cairnswineawards.com.au

 

 

			Results, Digest:, Decanter, Awards, 2010

After tasting ten years of Martinborough's Ata Rangi pinot noirs recently, I was impressed with their closed structure and lack of steroid characters found in Central Otago pinot.

If by common luck the trophy wine for New Zealand pinot noir over $14.75 at the recent Decanter Awards was another Martinborough wine-Schubert Block B 2008 ($36.50).

The 2008 NZ pinots generally are big wines, pushing with greater colour than expected of the grape and they have a lot of coiled up flavour which seems to evolving quite slowly.

The Geisenheim-trained Schuberts had two of the three gold medal contenders for the trophy with another wine, Marion's Vineyard 2008 ($36.50).

According to the Great New Zealand Pinot Classification the standard pinot of Schubert is rated three star (based on four vintages).

Splitting the two was the remaining gold medal, Tarras Vineyards 2008 from Central Otago (USD 29).

Curiously there is no regional trophy for Kiwi pinot under $14.75 as there are few wines meeting that price break, despite some recent urging from the UK trade pundits. If there were any entries they needed gold to land a trophy.

In Australia decent Kiwi pinot seems to not drop below $17 (AUD 20).

There was no regional trophy for NZ chardonnay and  there were no golds. As usual there was a profusion of them for the regional sauvignon blanc trophy.

The top gong went to Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (USD 20.50) from Marlborough. After that came seven golds, three to Saint Clair.

Look for Invivo 2009 (USD 14.75), Kim Crawford 2009 (USD 16.20), Mud House 2009 (USD 16.20), Saint Clair Pioneer Block 6 'Oh' Block 2009, Block 19 'Bird' Block 2009 (both USD 23.50), Wairau Reserve 2009 (USD 28), and Villa Maria Clifford Bay Reserve 2009 (USD 19).

Other whites to receive golds were both Hawkes Bay viogniers; Alpha Domus The Wingwalker 2008 (USD 17.50) and Moana Park Tribute 2009 (USD 22.50) the latter from the Gimblett Gravels.

			Results, Digest-Int, Chardonnay, Comp

New Zealand's tenth hosting of the International Chardonnay Competition (ICC) 2010 was a huge success for Aussie brands.

Several countries celebrate with chardonnay competitions-Chardonnay du Monde (887 entries in 2010), as well as the major UK wine competitions having chardonnay trophies from hundreds of entries. http://www.chardonnay-du-monde.com ; http://www.decanter.com/specials/85071.html

The ICC started with 100 entries but now has over 500, essentially from Australia and New Zealand though without restriction, and we occasionally see some Californians and South Amercians.

As well entries from France, Italy and South Africa (one bronze in 2010) appear.

The chardonnay grape is thoroughly deserving of this attention as a widely planted international variety able to adapt to vast climate ranges with ease. Unlike riesling and pinot gris.

In many countries chardonnay styles are undergoing huge palate retrofitting, and part of this charge is strongly led by the Australians.

This needs to happen to stay relevant at the top echelon of producers. However our friends in Chablis and Burgundy are closer to the core in this regard but these regions need to look closer at the closures used. Too many dud chardonnays are coming out of France from use of cork.

For the 2010 results at Gisbourne the judging panels (Kiwi dominant) would appear to be across this chardonnay style evolution awarding 14 gold medals to Aussie chardonnays. The remaining four went to New Zealand brands.

Whereas where the Aussies seek additional acidity from relatively warmer regions, the Kiwis tend to suffer for exuberant levels of acidity which cloud the tasting decisions. Kiwi chardonnay rides in a sea of malolactic flavour while most Aussies rarely do the conversion.

The clear demonstration of Margaret River as top region of the show came with the five golds -Devil's Lair 2008 and 2009-2, Killerby 2009, Laurence 2008, Peccavi 2009 and Xanadu. The latter Reserve 2009 also took best wine of this ICC: congratulations WA.

No Margaret River fluke of course-Cullen Kevin John 2007 took best Aussie chardonnay at last week's Decanter World Wine Awards shadowing Voyager 2007.

The Queenslander Ridgemill Estate Pedigree 2009 took a silver. This show is a happy hunting ground for Ridgemill; the same small vineyard took bronze last year with their 2008 and gold in 2006 with their 2005.

Of the ICC results, the bronze medal to Fosters Wine Estates Heemskerk 2008 from Tasmania was noted after taking the chardonnay trophy at last year's Royal Queensland Show. The style is ultra-modern with a core of streamlined acidity rivalling riesling, and is easily missed by judges due to its austerity.

http://www.internationalchardonnaychallenge.com

 

 

			Semillon Blanc, new Aussie style

Semillon Blanc - heard of it? Well probably not but I hope you do quite soon.

To be quite direct this white wine from semillon has been with us for centuries - first in Bordeaux and more recently the hero white of the Hunter Valley.

What has changed though is a cleverer approach to marketing Australian semillon (always difficult) by the large listed wine company Australian Vintage (McGuigan and Tempus Two brands).

The brand new 2010 wine was recently unveiled at a London trade fair by its creator acting company CEO and chief winemaker Neil McGuigan.

It's destined for the UK market at a price of around USD 10. McGuigan calls this wine his "Sauvignon Blanc killer" and I hope it does.

You see the prolific sauvignon blanc wines of New Zealand and elsewhere in cooler parts of Europe tend to be abbreviated and referred to as "sauvignon".

 It is axiomatic in a mature wine market that "blanc" is white anyway, so why mouth it if everyone understands.

This habit appears to be cleverly exploited by these Aussie marketers in amending the name of an old variety to gain better recognition. Best wishes from this writer.

What has McGuigan made? A modern semillon, pumped with all the aromatic nose characters to smell lovely.

Then he will have gone for texture and mouthfeel by using modern techniques; particularly ageing on the dead yeast after the ferments stop.

Lees ageing of course was first practised in making Champagne from the days of monk Dom Perignon.

The grapes come from the Murray Valley and the Riverina-engine room stuff where McGuigan located some relatively old vines (25 yo) at cost-effective prices.

The wine style is 11 per cent alcohol and easy drinking, unwooded. Though it has started in the UK market expect around by Christmas I say.

			Working, with, Wine-Italy, , Alto, Adige

Negociants Australia Working with Wine Seminars (WWW) bring forward some great discussion.

As the Prosecco juggernaught pushes on presenter Nicolas Belfrage MW described the delisting of the grape variety "prosecco" to being its ancient name-glera.

And now the sparkling wine style is a wine name - assuming a branding presence similar to Champagne, and that the wine is made from a prosecco grape is mere coincidence.

The wine poured was La Riva Dei Frati NV, a producer making only 80,000 bottles annually, but good value at AUD $24 (USD $22), as this is acceptable wine.

The nose has candy and musk, more fruit aromatics than base wine complexity, little lees influence either, and a plain sailing palate, with sweetness at 10 g/L for the Australian export market.

Belfrage noted that normal markets are sweetened at 18-22 g/L which would undoubtedly be the case in the U.S. where this product has taken off really well.

Further north in the Alto (high) Adige region where dual German/Italian emerges on bottle labels we experience the wines of Tiefenbrunner, but not from Christof Tiefenbrunner who was held up by the Icelandic volcano ash debacle for international travel.

The clear message on the Alto Adige is the out-of-vogue insipid red variety schiava grape which nobody wishes to buy and the second half of the story is the high interest in cold climate, higher acid whites now in northern Italy. The pale, unwooded varieties are now seen as an item of culture.

"The opposite follows further south where Romans still "continue to drink anything, even if its yellow or oxidised" without that element of discernment found in the north," Belfrage comments.

The wine of interest is Tiefenbrunner's Pinot Bianco 2009, lean, apple green, with a coil of savoury acidity and freshness from its stainless steel beginning; AUD $22 (USD $20).

I learnt that these wines have great aging spans, as much as 40 years. That probably accounts now for Chandon California's original choice of pinot blanc as a founding variety for the sparkling base trio alongside chardonnay and pinot noir in Carneros. Such is the aging backbone of white pinot.

A similar entity is Hunter Valley semillon; made with austerity but a wine which ages delightfully.

Tiefenbrunner were an early adapter of screw cap, a choice which has made these racey, fruit-pure wines so well recognised internationally. Taint and oxidation-free.

After all, who would wish to keep a pinot bianco for 40 years if it was closed under a tainted cork on day one, and cellared for decades as a dead cause.