Winestate Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO WINE SINCE 1978 100% Independent Panel Reviews AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDE ANNUAL Edition 2021 SPECIAL EDITION 2020 77-Page special feature The best wines, winemakers & wine companies of the year from Australia & New Zealand Annual 2021 Vintage Report Vol 44 Issue 1 2020 $14 AUS (inc GST) NZ $15 SGD $19 US $17.99 GBP £11.95 EUR 9.95 China RMB120 HKD $150 CHF 20.00 ZAR 250 The pick of the crop from over 10,000 tasted includes: best of styles, new releases & regional reviews of 2020

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NO.305 ANNUAL 2021 Editor & Publisher Peter Simic E: [email protected] Managing Editor Lara Simic E: [email protected] NZ Editor Michael Cooper E: [email protected] Administration Lyn Hannam E: [email protected] Graphic Designer Naomi Fry E: [email protected] Marketing Debra Silver E: [email protected] Tasting Coordinator E: [email protected] Printing DAI Rubicon Winestate Web Site E: [email protected] WINESTATE New Zealand Administration Kay Morganty Phone: (09) 479 1253 E: [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS New South Wales Winsor Dobbin, Elisabeth King, Clive Hartley South Australia Joy Walterfang, Nigel Hopkins, Dan Traucki Victoria Jeni Port, Hilary McNevin Western Australia Mike Zekulich Queensland Peter Scudamore-Smith MW, Andrew Corrigan MW, Lizzie Loel New Zealand Michael Cooper, Emma Jenkins MW, Jane Skilton MW National Travel Winsor Dobbin EUROPE André Pretorius, Giorgio Fragiacomo, Sally Easton MW ASIA Denis Gastin HONG KONG Lucy Jenkins ADVERTISING SALES Australia & International We have to wash Winestate Publishing over 32,000 Phone: (08) 8357 9277 E-mail: [email protected] wine glasses Mike O’Reilly, Public Relations - [email protected] each year ... Victoria John Ogden so you don’t have to. Lifestyle Media Vic Pty Ltd Phone: 03 9696 9960 Email: [email protected] New South Wales Pearman Media Phone: (02) 9929 3966 Queensland Jaye Coley Phone: (07) 3839 4100 E-mail: [email protected] New Zealand Debbie Bowman – McKay & Bowman Phone: +64 9 419 0561 Email: [email protected] France Espace Quadri - Philippe Marquézy - Phone: +33 607 78 04 66 Delphine Rouget-Marquézy - Phone: +33 787 49 36 27 Email: [email protected] - Web: www.espacequadri.com DISTRIBUTORS Australia Ovato Retail Distribution Pty Ltd International DAI Rubicon WINESTATE is published six times a year by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD, Subscribe to Australia’s Leading Wine Buying Guide 81 King William Road, Unley SA 5061. phone +61 8 8357 9277 or Copyright 2021 by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD. This publication may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic on-line www.winestate.com.au medium or machine-readable form without the express permission of the publisher. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of this publication, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. ABN 56 088 226 411 Winestate Telephone (08) 8357 9277 Facsimile (08) 8357 9212 E-mail [email protected] Web Site www.winestate.com.au Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 5

contents ANNUAL 2021 R E G U L A R S summer, and wine producers were certainly AWARDS 2020 not exempt. And then came Covid with a whole 10 Briefs new set of challenges to an already strained 47 WINE OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2020 17 NZ Briefs situation. Yields for most were down and for SPECIAL WOYA FEATURE 18 European Report with Sally Easton some non-existent but those who managed to 20 Wine Tutor with Clive Hartley crush reported that overall quality was high. The star wines, makers and industr y 22 Wine Travel with Elisabeth King personalities that made 2020 such a memorable 186 Aftertaste 28 NEW WINE PRODUCER MAKES AN one have been announced, and we record and celebrate their achievements in our special PLUS-THE BEST IMPACT Winestate Annual Wine of the Year Awards. OF THE BEST We revisit the most outstanding wines - rated Mapleton Vineyards might be a relative 50 HITTING THE RIGHT NOTES four stars and above - that we tasted in 2020. newcomer to the Tasmanian wine industry, they only had their first release three years Joy Walterfang talks to this year’s Winestate 124 Best of Best Value Buys 2020 under $20 ago, but they are rapidly building an impressive Wine of the Year Awards Chairman of Judges, 126 Best of Styles reputation and after recently raking in a slew Bill Hardy, to discuss the fine art of blending 143 Best of New Releases of awards it seems they’re set to soar, writes in wine and its importance. As Bill states, 150 Best of South Australia Winsor Dobbin. blending is an important feature of wine 160 Best of Victoria & Tasmania production in Australia setting us apart from 166 Best of New South Wales 32 NOT ONE TO MINCE WINE OR WORDS most other wine producing countries – both 171 Best of Western Australia Kevin Judd may be a man of few words, but he’s in the ‘old’ world and the new. 176 Best of New Zealand 182 Best of NZ Recent Releases 2020 certainly one of many talents, reports Emma THE YEAR IN THE Jenkins MW. A world-class photographer and FEATURES Cloudy Bay’s renowned founding winemaker, REAR-VIEW MIRROR now with his own label, Greywacke, its Kevin’s 24 2020 VINTAGE REPORT sensitivity, attention to detail and passion 151 SOUTH AUSTRALIA: A YEAR OF HEAT, DROUGHT AND FIRE for what he does that makes everything he ANNUS HORRIBILIS Who would have thought at the start of 2020 touches a success. What didn’t 2020 throw at us is the question that this year could not only rival, but better, the 36 GAPSTED: A QUARTER OF A that Karyn Foster poses? A year of turmoil disasters of 2019! An unhappy title indeed. Once indeed, where yields where way down again natural disasters affected the majority of CENTURY ON but for some the resulting harvest saw wine producing regions. As Charles Gent reports excellent flavours and a promise of good in his annual look at the industry’s state of affairs It’s clear that Gapsted is a winery built on vision things to come. - large swathes of Australia were held to ransom and an authenticity for heritage, with their by heat, drought and bushfires throughout last eyes focused on an adventurous future all the 161 VICTORIA & TASMANIA: while, writes Megan Blandford. Hard working CELEBRATIONS ON HOLD, BUT Winestate Magazine tobacco growing roots, entrepreneurial flair and Issue Number 91 continued family values has set Gapsted wines OUTLOOK BRIGHT Annual 2021 on a course for success for the past quarter of Two iconic wineries missed their major a century—and counting. Cover Image & Wine of the Year Awards Feature milestone year due to the pandemic but Bob Gloyn 40 RISK REAPS REWARDS emerging out of lockdown Victoria has taken Buying a property ‘off the beaten track’ on things in stride and are working together to get back on track. which you plan to develop a cellar door isn’t usually the best business plan. However, as 167 NEW SOUTH WALES: Rick Allen writes, for RidgeView wines, fast A PLAGUE OF PANDEMIC forward 20 years and it has an impressive cellar door and restaurant, a healthy mailing PROPORTIONS list, 22 acres under vine, multiple trophy In a year that most NSW wineries would winning wines, four accommodation cottages that overlook a picturesque lake, and they’ve rather forget and are definitely happy to see just purchased another 14 acres of vines next the back of, Rick Allen writes, in short, if the door with room for more. smoke didn't get you, the drought did - and for some, it was a double whammy. That's 44 JOURNEY FROM THE OLD COUNTRY the sorry story of vintage 2020 across the regions of NSW. TO THE NEW 172 WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Just like Sicilian heritage is in their blood, it THEN CAME COVID-19 seems that so is wine for the D’Aquino family Whilst Western Australia has fared better of Highland Heritage Estate. After registering the first ever wine business for Orange in 1952, than most in terms of harvest and grape the family’s determination to make its own production they were still hit hard by wines was deep and did not go away, growing the Covid-curse with lockdowns, trade into a currently very successful four-generation uncertainty and ongoing distribution issues, business, writes Denis Gastin. writes Mike Zekulich. 177 NEW ZEALAND: COPING WITH COVID AND RISING TO THE CHALLENGE Emma Jenkins MW reports on a strange but ultimately very successful year for NZ where the resilience and ingenuity of the industry banded together to bring in an amazing harvest across the board. 6 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

Are our range of premium Variety RRP alternative varietal wines, Prosecco $21.00 including selected less Rose GSM $21.00 familiar varieties of Italian Carmenere $21.00 and Iberian origin. Fiano $21.00 Durif $21.00 Saperavi $21.00 Vermentino $21.00 Pinot Gris $21.00 Graciano $21.00 Lagrein $21.00 Monastrell $21.00 Montepulciano $21.00 I never H DOUBLE GOLD H met an alejandro MELBOURNE I didn’t INTERNATIONAL WINE like. COMPETITION 2019 Trade contact: Distributor contact: Kim O’Hara Bouchon Wines & Spirits Periscope Management 16 Prospect Street, Fortitude Valley Qld 4006 Mob: +61 421 077 344 Tel: +61 07 3854 0407 [email protected] [email protected] Distributor contact: Distributor contact: Claret & Co | Scott Teasdale Unique Wine Solutions | Stephen Nankervis 13 View Street, Subiaco WA 6008 PO Box 106, Port Melbourne Vic 3207 Mob: +61 447 087 998 Mob: +61 414 388 046 [email protected] [email protected]

TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED AND DISCOVER A HIDDEN GEM, WHICHER RIDGE WINES. Whicher Ridge is the result of 10 years of work by the dynamic duo of Neil and Cathy Howard, a vigneron and winemaker couple with a combined 50 years of grape growing and winemaking experience between them. The couple specialise in making small batch, single vineyard wines which are full of varietal and terroir specific flavours, from vines grown in the ancient soils of three of Australia’s most isolated wine regions in the south west of Western Australia. For those unable to visit the Cellar Door in person, Whicher Ridge has created wine tasting kits with a selection of samples of their single vineyard wines. The Kits are delivered direct to you with free shipping and a discount coupon to use on your wine purchase. When travelling next to the Margaret River Region, make sure that you visit the Whicher Ridge Cellar Door for a totally unique wine tasting experience, the centrepiece of which is the Wine Sensory Garden. The Garden is the only one of its kind in Australia and has been a consistent regional award winner in the annual Gourmet Traveller Wine Cellar Door Awards. Visit the website for more information on the wine tasting kits and the wine tasting experiences on offer. 200 Chapman Hill E Rd, Chapman Hill WA 6280 E: [email protected] P: 0448 531 399 W: www.whicherridge.com.au WhicherRidgeWines whicherridgewines Scan the QR code to watch our story video on YouTube

editorial 2020. THIS WAS THE YEAR THAT KEPT ON TAKING AWAY. Without repeating all the depressing developments that occurred throughout the year let’s look at what is positive and what we have to look forward to in 2021. For Winestate we are pleased to report that we were able to continue to support the wine industries in both Australia and New Zealand by doing Covid-safe wine judging’s across the year. This enabled wineries to achieve well-deserved awards/recommendations for us to promote in the magazine and in turn for them to further promote their individual winery’s wines to their customer base – a definite positive in a negative-filled year. In the absence of the big capital city wine shows shutting down we were able to use our very experienced in-house team to continue to safely run these tastings – with altered measures and social distancing, which of course provided other challenges. Our commitment however was to try to be there to support the industry and to give our consumers access to these wineries and triumph their achievements, some good news in the midst of growing uncertainty. As a result, we had near record submissions and for that we are very proud. Although many on-premise outlets were closed at various stages, wineries were able to supplement their income by expanding their direct to consumer channels. For consumers it is going to be a golden period for purchasing wine. The 2020 vintage overall was smaller, but of high quality, and the previous few vintages now out in the marketplace have a consistency of quality that European wineries and regions envy. The on-going high tariff issues with China means that a lot of Australian wine will not be going there, but instead find its way onto the local market. This market is already saturated with quality wine, at both the commercial level and at the premium level. It means only one thing; prices will fall as wineries need to clear the decks in time for the next vintage. Sadly, those wineries who relied mainly on exports may not be there next year. So, if ever there was a time to consider buying a wine cabinet or building a wine cellar it is now and throughout next year. Put aside a few dozen at a price now that may not be available after 2022. You have been advised. To paraphrase former minister, Peter Costello, (who urged us to have more babies), in 2021 we should consider supporting our wine regions with a glass of wine for ourselves, one for our partner and one for the country! To help you choose we are delighted to present our Winestate Wine Of The Year Awards Special issue where our best of the best wines have been re-judged in a trophy standard competition. Along with that we have a list of all the wines throughout the year that achieved a coveted four stars or higher rating at our numerous judgings, with numerous individual panels. Having said that, don’t dismiss our three star or higher wines that we award throughout the year. Wine judging is an art not a science and tasting results are often influenced by context. We openly admit that the same wine judged by different panels can produce different results. However, in our Winestate blind judging system, where judges are not influenced by seeing the labels, huge differences of opinion are rare. For a full roundup go to page 47. As I mentioned in our December issue it is interesting to note the current trend to more mid-weight wines, showing purity and vibrancy, and that was the case with our trophy panel of judges choosing the Majella Musician Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 2018 as our Winestate Australasian Wine of the Year. A great wine at a remarkable price! This also won the best Cabernet of the Year which might raise some eyebrows as it was a blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. A similar situation occurred with the Merlot of the Year which was also a blend, this time being the Rymill MC2 Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2019. It should be noted that the judges were not aware that both these wines were in fact predominant variety blends but picked them as the best example of each variety, showing that sometimes complementary blends can in fact enhance the main variety. To further this discussion, we asked our Chairman of Judges, Bill Hardy, to elaborate on this in Joy Walterfang’s article on ‘Hitting the right notes. The fine art of blending’, see page 50. We don’t know what is in store for 2021 with far too many variables to even hazard a guess as to what is going to happen from a wine focus point of view. It is certainly time for both consumer, producer and the hospitality trade to consider their spot in the universe. As the saying goes, and it has never been more appropriate than now to say, “we are all in this together,” and the more we consider playing our part in this wonderful wine world that we are privileged to enjoy the better and sooner we will move forward. Cheers! All Publication work for books and magazines in digital or offset formats Peter Simic All Point of sale Your wine, Editor/Publisher promotional and our ports. display collateral Australia Major Sponsors and SupportaenrdsfDulifsitlmribeunttiosenr,vSitcoersafgoer Export Customer Service books and magazines 1300 134 096 Equipment and Logistics DAI Print your one stop provider: from Print ready 1300 135 801 Import Customer Service files to end customer 1300 132 813 Contact Miriam ([email protected]) for all your publication and collateral needs. 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briefs NEW HEAD OF THE FAMILY “We launched Session Ale in late 2017 and it quickly established itself as a popular drink among craft beer enthusiasts. JEFF Burch of Howard Park in Margaret River is the new chairperson of Australia’s \"Since then the perception of the overall Session Ale category has evolved First Families of Wine (AFFW), a collective to now being more reflective of a mid-strength beer while Pacific has become of Australia’s leading family owned, multi- identifiable with a style reflecting refreshment, flavour and fruitiness. generational wine businesses. “So to better align with its category and reflect its refreshing, tropical flavour Burch takes over from Stephen profile, we’ve changed the name to Pacific Pale Ale.” Henschke, becoming the seventh chair of the wine group. Pacific Pale Ale will be sold in can format in six packs and cartons from all good bottle shops and will also be available on tap. Clearly 2020 has been a year like no other for all Australian businesses EXPERIENCE TASSIE FROM THE AIR WITH and with no international engagement CLOVER HILL this year, Burch is looking forward to leading the group into the future as the AWARD-winning sparkling wine producer Clover Hill has unveiled a range world awakens to a vastly different post- of experiences offering visitors to Tasmania a different perspective on the Covid-19 landscape. island state. “I come to this role at an interesting time Clover Hill has paired with heli-charter company Unique Charters to for wine businesses at large, and now release a portfolio of experiences to showcase northern Tasmania from more than ever I see AFFW’s vital role as the air and the ground. From the picturesque Tamar Valley vineyard, just continuing to champion fine Australian 40 minutes’ drive north east of Launceston, board a chopper for your wine on the global stage at the first preferred adventure. Perhaps arrive for lunch on Flinders Island and eat opportunity,” he said. freshly caught crayfish straight from the cray pot. Or touch down and tee off at Barnbougle Lost Farm, one of the world’s top golf courses. Or Outgoing Chair Stephen Henschke maybe watch as the wild, rugged landscapes of the Central Highlands welcomed Jeff to the Chair saying, “It is with great pleasure that I hand over and Cradle Mountain unfold below. Then, back at Clover Hill, enjoy back- the reins to Jeff Burch, the seventh chair of AFFW. vintage appreciation sessions with local cheeses. There are a range of experiences to be enjoyed. See www.cloverhillwines.com.au/experience “While 2020 hasn’t been quite the year we all envisaged, I have enjoyed my time at the helm, taking the group far and wide in 2019 particularly and continuing to share our vision for Australian wine whilst telling the stories behind every bottle we craft.” Australia’s First Families of Wine are: Brown Brothers, Campbells, d’Arenberg, Henschke, Howard Park, Jim Barry Wines, Tahbilk, Taylors, Tyrrell’s Wines and Yalumba. CHILL WITH A PACIFIC PALE ALE HOUSE WELCOMES SPARKLY NEW MEMBER COOPERS Brewery is tapping into Australia's love affair with the sun, surf, THERE is a new member of the House of Arras sparkling wine family. and music by releasing Pacific Pale Ale in The first new wine in the portfolio in over six years is the House of Arras time for summer. The launch will see the Australian family- Blanc de Blancs NV ($35). owned brewery’s existing Session Ale “It has been a long-term aim to create a NV Blanc de Blancs that complements renamed as Pacific Pale Ale with the new branded cans available nationally. the House of Arras range and offer an alternative style to the existing multi- As part of its national promotional vintage labels which predominantly exhibit the red grape characters of pinot campaign, Coopers has teamed up with renowned Australian singer/songwriter Angus Stone. With a striking blue label, Coopers Pacific Pale Ale is styled as \"a fresh, sessionable and fruity ale with a distinct dry hop character and mild bitterness\". “It’s still the same great tasting beer in a blue can but with a new name that we feel better reflects its position in the growing craft beer category,” said Coopers marketing and innovation director Cam Pearce. 10 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

briefs \"I have a great passion for the wines of Coonawarra and the region as a whole. I am looking forward to being able to fully immerse myself focusing on the region, wines and winery and I am excited by the prospect of working with the experienced team to guide this historic brand into the future.” Cleghorn has worked for the Hill Smith family’s estate vineyards, including Yalumba, Oxford Landing Estates and Dalrymple, as well as a vintage at Clos Figueres in Priorat, Spain and is a regular Winestate judge. She has been working on Yalumba's Coonawarra brands for the past decade. Katnook Estate wines are offered under three ranges: Katnook Founder’s Block; Katnook Estate and the limited release range of iconic Coonawarra wines from exceptional vintages, including the Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon and the Prodigy Shiraz. noir and pinot meunier,\" winemaker Ed Carr said. \"This new release is a full WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER EMERGES expression of the elegance and sophistication of Tasmanian chardonnay meticulously crafted in the House of Arras style.” A SOUTH AUSTRALIAN program to help small and medium wine businesses start exporting to Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and India has been launched The blend is 90% chardonnay, 9% pinot noir and 1% pinot meunier with fruit in the wake of continued uncertainty about shipments to China. sourced from Pipers River, the Derwent Valley, Coal River Valley, East Coast and Tamar Valley. The South Australian Wine Industry Association has announced the new export-focused project that will help wine producers diversify into the KATNOOK GAINS CLEGHORN emerging Asian markets for the first time. ACCOLADE Wines has swooped to sign Natalie Cleghorn as senior winemaker The Emerging Markets Program will develop a series of resources on and manager for Katnook Estate as it completed the acquisition of the renowned each of the four markets to help wineries know what to expect and how to Coonawarra wine brand. prepare. Each resource will consist of a market overview of each country, information about sales channels, an in-depth consumer profile and a Cleghorn has been making award-winning wines from the Coonawarra guide to doing business in each market. region for more than 10 years. SAWIA chief executive Brian Smedley said the program aimed to equip Accolade produces a range of wine brands including Grant Burge, wine businesses with the tools and opportunities they needed to enter Petaluma, and St Hallett. the four emerging markets. Katnook Estate is the company’s first acquisition under the new leadership team “We’ll also provide case studies, a guide to conducting tastings and and Carlyle group ownership. Accolade Wines was first attracted to the region explore traditional wine and food pairings in each market,” he said. of Coonawarra and then to the heritage of the Katnook winery and vineyard. “If they then decide to travel to those markets or engage with them Katnook lies in the heart of Coonawarra, a region with a wine history virtually, they will be aware of the tips and traps that they might face and stretching back to 1867. be able to feature their wine to interested persons in a structured way. Cleghorn starts her new role on January 4, in time for the 2021 vintage. “This program is welcome good news for South Australian wine “I am thrilled to be joining Katnook Estate and the broader Accolade businesses given uncertainty in some of our existing export markets.” Wines team,\" she said. The second part to the Emerging Markets Program is the development of a turn-key South Australian wine education program for decision-makers in each market, including wine importers, buyers, distributors and hospitality professionals. “We’re aiming to equip wine businesses with the tools and opportunities they need to enter these emerging markets, which will assist with business Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 11

briefs sustainability during this Covid19 recovery phase,” Smedley said. “We’ll explain the current performance and perception of Australian wine in each market and the opportunities for South Australian businesses. “We’ll also provide case studies, a guide to conducting tastings and explore traditional wine and food pairings in each market.” MONDAVI MAKES AUSSIE MARK NEW WINEMAKER FOR WICKS GIANT Californian wine producer FORMER Seppelt chief winemaker Adam Carnaby has been appointed Robert Mondavi has just released chief winemaker at Wicks Estate in the Adelaide Hills. its private selection range in Australia; a bourbon-barrel-aged Carnaby's impressive CV includes spells at Yering Station with Tom chardonnay, a rum-barrel-aged Carson and a stint at Xanadu in Margaret River. He has also had overseas merlot, and a bourbon-barrel-aged experience in Champagne and Burgundy. cabernet sauvignon blend. He moved to Seppelt at Great Western in Victoria in 2011, producing Australians have not generally some outstanding wines under difficult corporate circumstances. embraced wines from the United States in the past. They have “We are thrilled to announce Adam as chief winemaker at Wicks Estate been seen as over-oaked, and - and are excited for what the future holds,” Wicks Estate director Simon over-sweet. Wicks said. The price of even much-vaunted California cabernets - often $100 a bottle and over - has pushed them outside the price range of average “His experience across all our key varietals and his knowledge of wine consumers. vineyard, terroir and winemaking along with an enormous passion for wine The good news is that the new range will retail for $25 - and will be will be a great asset for the Wicks brand.” available in BWS, Dan Murphy's, Liquorland and First Choice stores nationally. Carnaby said: “I’m extremely excited to be joining the team at Wicks and \"The three wines for us are an example of exploration and boundary- look forward to working with premium Adelaide Hills fruit from the estate kicking innovation,\" says winemaker Glen Caughell. vineyard. It’s paramount that wine be regionally expressive and have a All three wines come from the 2018 vintage and the chardonnay has sense of place.\" very ripe fruit (think toasted pineapple and fresh honey notes) alongside creamy vanilla notes from Kentucky bourbon barrels. Perfect with a bacon Wicks Estate is a family owned and operated wine company producing sandwich or roast pork. hand crafted wines from their vineyard and winery at Woodside. As a The merlot has the most serious spirit impact with toasted coconut vertically integrated company, it controls the wine making process from and molasses flavours dominating the ripe fruit and would pair well with vineyard to winery. Mexican dishes, while the cabernet (with a dash of petit sirah, malbec, petit verdot and other varieties) is the star of the show. The vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, and spice notes work well with rich berry fruit and would be terrific with a char-grilled steak. There is nothing subtle about these wines, but they are a pleasant surprise, all in all. They follow in the footsteps of whisky-barrel aged wines from Jacob's Creek. THAT’S THE SPIRIT! BAJA DOWN UNDER LOOKING for a present for spirits lover? AUSTRALIA'S most famous beach suburb, Bondi, has a new restaurant Whiskey drinkers will enjoy the Teeling that aims to bring a taste of the Baja Peninsula Down Under. Small Batch Whiskey Glass Pack, which comes in a premium tin, a bottle Milpa Collective, who own and operate Mexican eateries across Sydney of Teeling Small Batch 700ml and two (Carbon, Taqiza and Sonora) welcomed a new Bondi eatery, Calita, in mid- whiskey glasses. November. The deal is available from Dan The group’s fifth venue, Calita (‘tiny cove’ in Spanish), is a 26-seat Murphy’s and BWS stores for $74. marisqueria (seafood restaurant) that will sit behind renowned Bondi Beach venues Sean’s Panaroma, and Porch and Parlour. Calita will work with local suppliers to showcase a rotating selection of fresh, locally, and sustainably sourced seafood, based on the catch of the day. Milpa Collective was created by owners and chefs, Liber Osorio and 12 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

briefs Pablo Galindo Vargas, in 2017. The Mexican and Chilean-born and raised “Mezcal and Tequila is at the heart of all of our venues,\" says Liber duo aim to bring traditional and contemporary Mexican and Latin American Osorio. \"We have a great respect for the indigenous producers of Oaxaca cuisines to life across their venues. and want to ensure we are representing the authentic taste and spirit of Mexico through our drinks. Each venue is inspired by a different region of Mexico, showcasing their distinct cooking methods and flavours. “We are committed to representing fair trade, sustainable and organically sourced products throughout all of our venues, and our beverage offering “Mexico has an incredibly rich and vibrant history, and we want to respect is a big part of that”. and celebrate our home country’s flavours and food through our venues, while using the most sustainable produce to support our local community,” The wine menu will be curated by innovative drinks writer and co-founder says chef and co-owner, Pablo. of P&V Merchants, Mike Bennie. “Calita will allow us to showcase our incredible locally sourced seafood STRONGER TOGETHER through Baja Peninsula inspired dishes, right on the beach in Bondi.” A GROUP of leading Tasmanian wine brand owners have formed a Calita’s menu draws its inspiration from the Baja Peninsula, with a small partnership, together with a locally based marketing specialist, to launch menu focused on house-made tacos and botanas (snacks/share plates). online wine sales platform Wines of Tasmania. Menu highlights include the blue swimmer crab tostadas, smoked trout taco with green mango, salsa macha, coriander and peanut salad; and Each month, a selection of exceptional, rare, and hard-to-find wines Vuelve a la Vida bloody maria shellfish cocktail. from Tasmania’s best wine producers are blind-tasted by a panel of wine industry experts. Calita’s drinks will be primarily mezcal and tequila based, serving small batch and boutique brands imported from Mexico. A range of classic, The best are then chosen to be included in a monthly subscription box jalapeno and Tommy’s margaritas will be central to the drinks menu, - aimed at spreading the word about Tasmania's benchmark wines. alongside a rotating selection of frozen margaritas made with premium Arette tequila and fresh, seasonal fruits. The business was conceived out of the Covid-19 pandemic when the border to Tasmania closed and face-to-face cellar door sales essentially ceased. Katrina Myburgh, founder and managing director of Wines of Tasmania, said: “I saw an opportunity to build a quality umbrella brand that would select the finest wines, package them beautifully, and share them with people who have not had much exposure to Tasmanian wine, knowing that they would be blown away, by every single bottle.\" Myburgh pitched the idea to a group of Tasmanian wine industry leaders who joined Katrina to form the company Wines of Tasmania Families P/L: Fran Austin and Shane Holloway from Delamere Vineyards; Bec and Tim Duffy from Holm Oak; Linda Morice (and the late Vaughn Dell) from Sinapius; and Fiona Weller and Julian Allport from Moores Hill. “It would only work if they [Delamere, Holm Oak, Sinapius, Moores Hill] agreed that the common goal was to build the reputation of the Tasmania wine industry and not just their individual brands, despite the flow-on effect from which they would benefit,” said Myburgh. “Their direct involvement as reputable wine brands also provided the necessary credibility for other producers to get on board.” Wines of Tasmania launched in September 2020 and has featured iconic Tasmanian wine brands including Dr Edge, BelleBonne, Freycinet Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 13

briefs Vineyards, Derwent Estate, Mewstone, Marion’s Vineyard and Two Tonne FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH Tasmania. Henskens Rankin, Pooley and Stefano Lubiana Wines are lined up to be included in the coming months. A NEW name to look out for on the spirits shelves this summer is Opihr Gin, a London Dry Gin that features spicy cubeb berries from Indonesia, cardamom Linda Morice, owner at Sinapius, said: “When Katrina came to Vaughn and and Tellicherry black pepper from India, and coriander from Morocco. I earlier this year, we immediately thought it made sense. There was so much uncertainty as a fair amount of our wine sales are made through our cellar door. Nicole Moore, marketing manager at GAP Drinks, says: “Australia’s appetite for discovery is great news for Opihr, as shoppers look for unique \"Without those tourists turning up on our doorstep, and the fact we don’t and interesting flavours that can transport them to some of their favourite do a lot of marketing, we needed to find another way to get our wine out destinations around the world. there. Vaughn was on board and we were excited at the prospect to work collaboratively with other like-minded, quality-focused, and value-driven wine Also available to enjoy this Christmas are pre-mixed Gin & Tonic, and brands”. pre-mixed Gin & Tonic with a twist of Orange, both featuring Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin. Sadly, within a week of Vaughn and Linda agreeing to join Wines of Tasmania, Vaughn died in his sleep, at just 39 years of age, from an undiagnosed heart OUR NEW MW! condition. INNOVATIVE Sydney and Brisbane hotel group, Solotel, has announced “Safe to say, this year has been really tough,” said Linda. “I have my days, that Group Beverage Manager, Annette Lacey, has become a Master of that’s for sure. But the Wines of Tasmania business has helped me focus on Wine, one of only two Australians in the latest group of MW’s and one of continuing the Sinapius legacy that Vaughn and I created. 143 women in the institute’s 65-year history. \"Our brand is very much aligned with Wines of Tasmania – rare, select, “The process of becoming an MW has been a challenging and also hard-to-find, exceptional wines. That’s us. We’re not big. We’re not found exciting personal and professional journey,” she said. “It still feels surreal. everywhere, either. We simply want to make the best possible wine and ensure This has been a 10-year process so to see that all of that hard work and wine lovers have access to it.” perseverance finally pay-off is incredibly rewarding.” Fran Austin, co-owner, and winemaker at Delamere Vineyards could Justine Baker, Solotel CEO says, “We’re incredibly proud of Annette’s immediately see the benefit of bringing like-minded industry colleagues achievement. The MW is renowned in our industry for its prestige but together. also for the commitment, dedication and rigour required to complete it.” “There’s that saying, ‘we’re stronger, together’ which I think sums up Wines “We pride ourselves on providing world-class experiences for our guests. of Tasmania,\" she said. \"So often we get bogged down in the detail of our own Having Annette as part of our team means that all of our guests get to enjoy businesses and can’t see the bigger picture. her globally-recognised experience and expertise. Her knowledge, passion and drive for excellence are strongly aligned with our values at Solotel and “We all have similar views and values when it comes to growing, making enhance the expertise and quality of service we have built the business on.” and promoting quality Tasmanian wine, so when we’ve come to the table in recent months to build the business plan, we’ve been able to share our own experiences from the past couple of decades and solve a lot more than if we were trying to achieve that on our own,” said Fran. 14 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

briefs The Solotel group has a diverse group of staff to match the eclectic A live stream broadcast is not new for the AWIWA, as the awards have nature of the vibrant buzzy hotels that they have transformed. Founded been streamed live every year since its inception in 2015, even when a in 1986, the company puts forward its values as “belonging, authenticity real-life awards ceremony took place. Broadcasting the awards forms part and diversity”. of an ongoing commitment by the AWIWA board to engage and involve the entire Australian wine community. Jane Thomson said that while it had been a tough year for all, the calibre of the winners demonstrates an incredible breadth and depth of female talent in our industry. WOMEN SHINE ON VIRTUAL STAGE AT THE “I’m so overjoyed that we were able to keep the awards going this AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN WINE AWARDS year, and that we could deliver an online event that brought the industry together in celebration. These awards continue to each year uncover even THE winners of the 2020 Australian Women in Wine Awards, owned and more amazing stories of achievement – and resilience – by women in the operated by The Fabulous Ladies’ Wine Society, have been announced Australian wine industry. Congratulations to each and every one of them!” via a live, fun-filled broadcast to celebrate and reward the work of women in the Australian wine community, and community leaders who champion The 2020 AWIWA winners are: Winemaker of the Year, Cate Looney, Brown equality and fairness for all sexes in the workplace. They are the only Family Wine Group (sponsored by Tonnellerie Saint Martin); the Champion awards program for women in wine in the world. The event brought a few of Diversity & Equality, Helen Strachan, Pernod Ricard Winemakers (this much-needed belly laughs this year too - thanks to the involvement of one award was proudly previously received by our Winestate Managing Editor, Australia’s favourite comedians. The online-only event was broadcast live from the Langton’s TV studios in Sydney to the Australian Women in Wine Facebook page, where it was watched by wine industry folk across the country, and around the world. Co-hosted by comedian, TV and radio personality and Grapes of Mirth founder Merrick Watts, and AWIWA Founder and Chair, Jane Thomson, the event was conducted in partnership with Langton’s TV. And Merrick didn’t hold back, sharing his insights on the wine industry in his own unique and hilarious way! With no real-life affair possible due to COVID, it was left to “watch parties” all over Australia to create a little bit of magic for finalists and winners on the night. During the broadcast, the hosts crossed to several gatherings taking place – including Tasmania, Margaret River, Canberra, the Barossa and North East Victoria - showing a sneak peek of how people were celebrating in each state. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 15

briefs Lara Simic and we extend congratulations to Helen in this category - The fortified wine is floral and aromatic sponsored by Australian Grape and Wine); Marketer of the Year, Trish Barry, with a deliciously mouth-filling complexity Mastermind Consulting, NSW (sponsored by denomination; Cellar Door ending with a honey lusciousness. The Person of the Year, Jess Greatwich, Krondorf Creek Farm (sponsored by perfect crossover wine between a true Langton’s); Viticulturist of the Year, Catherine Kidman, Wynns Coonawarra fortified and sweet white style showcasing (sponsored by Wine Australia); Owner/Operator of the Year, Melissa Brown, all that is elegant in fiano. The fiano grape Gemtree Wines (sponsored by Bacchus Academy) and the Woman of naturally tends towards sweetness, which Inspiration Award received by Gill Gordon-Smith. is why it is called ‘vitis apiana’ or ‘the vine beloved of bees’ making it a great fit for a ARTWINE CELEBRATES 9 YEARS OF FABULOUS fortified or dessert style wine. The wine FIANO AND LAUNCHES WORLD-FIRST FORTIFIED has already picked up a silver gong at the AAVWS. ARTWINE, owned by Judy and Glen Kelly, which is well known nationally for its The Artwine brand was created innovation with alternative varieties have in 2008 by Judy & Glen Kelly and now produced what they claim to be a is synonymous with emerging world-first, a Fortified Fiano, dubbed varieties that they have planted Yes Minister. in both their Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills vineyards and Since producing its first Fiano in 2012, produced over many years Artwine has the most awarded Fiano in since 2002. the country with 6 Trophies, 12 Golds, The alternative varieties Winestate Magazine Alternative White produced are prosecco, Wine of the Year and over 40 albariño, fiano, viognier, Silver and Bronze medals. tempranillo, gruner veltliner, The new release wine was graciano, montepulciano celebrated recently at a and cabernet franc gourmet dinner created by alongside mainstream Callum Hann (of Masterchef traditional varieties of Australia fame) and the pinot grigio, pinot noir and Sprout Cooking School old vine grenache. Three Team. “The team created new alternative varieties an Italian inspired menu to sangiovese, grenache gris pair with back vintages of and gamay have been our fiano from 2012 through planted this year to add to 2020 and produced a to this extraordinary and mouth-watering dessert to extensive mix. The new match with ‘Yes Minister’,” release La Dolce Vita says Judy. Sparkling Montepulciano “Yes Minister” is in is also worth seeking out deference to Judy’s as the perfect festive fizz grandfather who was a Welsh to welcome in the New Year! Vicar with a great sense of humour and whilst he didn’t All wines can be purchased drink, Judy is confident he online at Artwine’s Cellar Door or contact Artwine directly for stockist would be giggling to see and distributor information. See artwine.com.au for further information. himself on a bottle of wine. 16 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

nzbriefs what’s happening in the NZ wine scene EMMA JENKINS MW ELEPHANT HILL CELLAR DOOR AND ‘TASTING READ ALL ABOUT IT CONCEPT’ OPENING THE Michael Cooper New Zealand Wines 2021 Buyer's Guide (Upstart Press) HAWKE’S Bay winery Elephant Hill’s restaurant was an early casualty of the is now out, providing a comprehensive overview of nearly 3000 current wines. changes wrought on wine tourism courtesy of Covid-19, closing due to ensuing Cooper is one of New Zealand's most respected wine writers with over 40 books loss of international visitors. However, the award-winning Te Awanga-based winery to his credit and numerous awards and accolades, including being appointed an has regrouped and refocused on a new cellar door tasting concept called ‘Flight Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit and of course being Winestate’s NZ editor. & Bites’, offering small plates and platters Thursdays-to-Mondays, and re-opened The 550-page 2021 Buyer's Guide offers reviews and cellaring recommendations the restaurant Thursdays-to-Saturdays. The restaurant now offers a pared-down for each wine plus vintage charts and reports, drawing upon Michael's wealth of version of its former fine-dining approach, with a menu designed to complement experience to provide detailed information on New Zealand wine regions and Elephant Hill’s premium wines, but expect to see the same level of high-quality styles. As befitting these most unusual times, Michael has added thoughts on food and attention to detail from Head Chef Jason Brown. Covid-19’s impact on the New Zealand industry. FOLEY WINES’ MARTINBOROUGH DEVELOPMENTS NEW WINEMAKER FOR CLOUDY BAY NEW Zealand’s borders remain closed at the time of writing, with significant impact MARLBOROUGH winery Cloudy Bay has welcomed Nikolai St. George as Chief on general and winery tourism. Foley Wines is betting on a strong recovery, with Winemaker, a position he has held previously at both Giesen Wines and Matua the announcement it will be pouring “many millions” into developing a winery Winery. St. George, who will work alongside technical director Jim White and and gin distillery at its Te Kairanga Vineyard in Martinborough. Two years in the existing winemakers Dan Sorrell and Victor Joyeux, comments, “To me Cloudy Bay planning, consent was recently granted and work is now underway for a new is one of the flagships of Marlborough, with a long history and an uncompromising complex including a restaurant, underground barrel cellar, tasting rooms and gin approach to quality. They have always been faithful to their initial direction and distillery for the growing Lighthouse Gin brand. Foley Wines chief executive Mark focus, to the extent of selecting and purchasing vineyards that reflect their house Turnbull says the company had faith in the long-term outlook, \"Clearly there’s going style. Cloudy Bay are not resting on their laurels though and are still seeking to to be a subdued period, but given the project will take around 18 months, we feel grow and improve, which is what drives me and attracted me to Cloudy Bay in we will be well-placed to host our customers when international tourism returns”. the first place.” RADBURND CELLARS RANGE RELEASED NEW CHAIR FOR NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWERS VETERAN Hawke’s Bay winemaker Kate Radburnd is not one to blow her own NEW Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has a new Chair, with Clive Jones elected in trumpet and many who meet this quietly-spoken, self-effacing woman are surprised October 2020. Jones has over 28 years’ industry experience, including 22 years to discover the impact she has had within the industry. A pioneering, inspirational at Marlborough’s Nautilus Estate, where he is currently chief winemaker and GM, female winemaker for over 35 vintages, first at Vidal’s then as head winemaker of complementing experience in governance roles, having previously served for six Pask Wines, a position she held for 26 years, Kate continues to mentor as Chair of years on the Marlborough Winegrowers Board (three as Chair) and five years on the Women in Wine. She has also been a director of New Zealand Winegrowers, senior NZW board, the past two as Deputy Chair. He’s excited judge at numerous competitions, chaired the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards, about the future of New Zealand wine, viewing it as and Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction. Kate was the first female winemaker imperative that the industry continues to work together to be made Fellow of New Zealand Winegrowers and in 2019, was inducted into constructively. Jones comments, “I believe the New the New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame. Upon leaving Pask in 2017, Kate developed Zealand wine industry needs diversity across region, Radburnd Cellars, focused on making three wines – chardonnay, syrah and merlot variety and size of business to be strong. A cooperative cabernet – that she says represent “my absolute best without compromise”. All three and united approach, combined with an absolute focus wines are now on the market, with Kate saying, “They’re not big blockbuster wines, on quality, has served us well in the past and must they’re proudly cool climate wines. I want these wines to represent the region… continue to ensure our success in the future.” Jones there’s a restraint about them allowing them to age beautifully.” is joined by four new board directors: Michael Henley, chief executive at Aotearoa NZ Fine Wine Estates; Tim EGMONT STREET EATERY AT PALLISER ESTATE Rose, director at Rose Ag; Emma Taylor, consultant viticulturist; and Misha Wilkinson, owner and director PALLISER Estate has collaborated with one of Wellington’s much-loved of Misha’s Vineyard. It is the first time two women have restaurants, Egmont Street Eatery, to set up a satellite operation at its been elected to the NZW Board, with five nominated Martinborough winery for the summer months, offering bistro-style lunch dishes for election. Jones notes, “The diversity of knowledge and grazing plates with a focus on local produce matched with Palliser’s wines, and experience that the new member-elected directors and set amongst the home vineyard vines – think bean bags on the lawn and bring to the table ensures we have representation that shady courtyard tables. ‘Egmont at Palliser’ will be open Thursday to Monday, truly reflects our industry.” with menus evolving across the summer. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 17

europeanreport WORDS SALLY EASTON MW PROSECCO TAKES ON A ROSEY GLOW THE mainly sparkling wine Prosecco (a still free trade agreement that opened in 2018. While humbly without mention of the region. Prosecco version is also allowed) has been on the these discussions continue, Monash University production rules have long allowed 15% of up and up since it revamped, expanded its have reported that Australian glera/prosecco grape varieties other than glera (appellations production zone, and achieved greater legal exports could rise to AUD$500 million in the are MUCH more tightly regulated than GIs). Pinot protection for the appellation (Europe’s more- next ten years. This is no small-fry discussion. noir is among that list of other grapes – stipulated regulated equivalent of Australian geographical to be vinified as white. For rosé, pinot noir can indications), more than ten years ago. This light, Building further on the success story that be vinified as red before being blended with the creamy-bubbly, gentle, easy-to-appreciate is Italy’s Prosecco is the recent news that white base wine for the second fermentation. In sparkler with fresh, fruity flavours (rather than Prosecco, hitherto solely a white wine, is order to stabilise the desired pale pink colour, the often more complex-savoury flavours of now permitted to be made and exported in a this second fermentation phase is longer than Champagne), has hit something of an affordable sparkling pink version. Consumption of both that typically for white Prosecco. From the sweet spot with consumers, in many markets pink/rosé wines, and sparkling wines have been production side, the changes are relatively around the world. increasing in the last decade, that of sparkling small - there are no new grape varieties to plant; winemaking expertise exists aplenty. The sales In that time, production and sales of Prosecco Building further on and marketing opportunity is undeniable. DOC appellation, located in north-east Italy, have grown dramatically, from broadly 100 million the success story that It is worth noting that rosé has not been bottles (though in 2009 labelled differently) to approved for production in Prosecco DOCG. roughly 500 million bottles now. The vineyard is Italy’s Prosecco is the Prosecco DOC is a different appellation/GI region covers around 24,000 hectares (roughly from the two Prosecco DOCGs (Conegliano- the same vineyard area as Victoria). For a sense recent news that Prosecco, Valdobbiadene and Asolo). These are separate, of scale, Champagne production is roughly 300 though neighbouring, appellations, at the heart million bottles from around 34,000 hectares, hitherto solely a white wine, of the Prosecco region. The ‘G’ is designed to about the size of New South Wales’ vineyards, denote higher quality from tighter regulations, including ACT). is now permitted to be made lower yields, and a more favourable (usually smaller) geographical specificity, which in these Woven into that timespan, and increasing and exported in a sparkling cases, cover a combined approximately 8,000 market awareness and presence, is Australia’s hectares. Prosecco DOCGs produce about 100 ongoing dispute with the European Union (EU) pink version. million bottles. over the use and labelling of the term ‘Prosecco’ for home-grown wines made from the glera wine in no small part driven by Prosecco’s easy In a very different example of appellation grape variety – the main constituent of Italy’s approachability, quaffability and affordability. revamping, the Mâconnais, in France’s southern Prosecco. The EU argue that Prosecco (glera Different sources suggest the expected increase Burgundy region, recently announced the grape variety and prosecco wine) is intimately in sales from rosé Prosecco could be between creation of some Premier Crus denominations. linked to a specific geographic location in north- 30 and 75 million bottles. In Burgundy, the appellation hierarchy, which east Italy, and named after a village of the same roughly correlates with potential quality hierarchy name. They argue anyone growing glera outside In terms of producing pink Prosecco, it’s not a goes from regional level, to village level, to of the Prosecco region must call their resulting huge leap. Some producers in the region already premier crus, then grand crus at the top. Just wines ‘glera’, not ‘prosecco’. The discussion make pink sparklers, though labelled more 1% of total Burgundy production is Grand Cru. forms part of EU-Australia negotiations for a Village and Premier Cru account for nearly half 18 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

Visit our website and keep up to date with all our latest wine info, news, competitions, tastings and events. Become a subscriber to enter into our exciting regular competitions. of production. Until now, Mâconnais has been In order to be promoted, a region must Follow us and keep up to the only Burgundy sub-region without examples demonstrate (usually over quite a number of date with all our latest of the upper tiers of this hierarchy. years) that the proposed plots and specific wine info, tastings and vineyard areas consistently produce wines that Historically, the rolling-hilly region of Mâconnais, are better/more individual/more representative of events on facebook, twitter with its warmer Mediterranean influences place, and that these exceptional characteristics and instagram. compared to the chill, semi-continental climate should be formally recognised. Once agreed of Chablis in Burgundy’s northern extreme, by INAO, production regulations are typically Winestate Magazine has been a well of good value wines, notably stricter than for the village level, which reinforces @WinestateEd chardonnay, which accounts for about 80% the quality paradigm. For Pouilly-Fuissé, as of Mâconnais plantings. Also historically, well as lower permitted yields and a minimum www.winestate.com.au Pouilly-Fuissé (a village level appellation, as maturation time, this includes a ban on the use is Chablis) has long been the quality stand-out of chemical herbicides. area of Mâcon making many excellent quality chardonnays founded on its amphitheatric Don’t expect the market to be flooded with new geography of rocky limestone outcrops, with wines – the average vineyard holding in the premier vineyards between 200 to 300 metres above cru vineyards is just three hectares, and total sea level. The often quite full-bodied, fragrant production just over five million bottles. This makes and sometimes forceful style has historically quite the comparison of scale with Prosecco! been noted at a similar quality level to the more- recognised Meursault in the Côte d’Or (also a village level appellation, and of which nearly 30% is classified premier cru). But, until now, Mâconnais has had no premier, (or grand) cru appellations. Thirteen years after starting the premier cru application process, and ten years after sending scientific studies to the INAO (France’s national institute for appellations), the first premier crus were approved towards the end of 2020, applicable from the 2020 vintage. Pouilly-Fuissé now has 22 premier crus, which cover not quite a quarter of the appellation’s 800 hectares of vineyard. The name of the premier cru is appended to the village name on the label. All of the promoted 1er crus, ranging in size from less than 1 hectare to nearly 20 hectares, are located in the villages of Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 19

winetutor WORDS CLIVE HARTLEY CHARDONNAY ROOTS DISCOVERED THE Australian Wine Research Institute which has continued as a trend into the 2000’s. clones have helped our chardonnay compete (AWRI) issued a press release in August 2020 I10V1 is the most widely planted clone in on the world stage. The newest clones have announcing one of the oldest mysteries in provided an opportunity to produce leaner Australian wine history had been solved. The Australia. When you look at well-established styles of chardonnay.” Nick is right in saying that origins of the Gin-Gin clone of chardonnay was producers, they reflect the historical timelines clones have helped us develop different styles revealed. Using genomic research, the Gin-Gin in planting of what was available at the time. of chardonnay. The most recent arrivals have clone has been traced back to an old Californian Curly Flat in the Macedon Ranges is a case in again caused a stir. These are again French, source block at UC Davis. First introduced in point. The early ninety’s vineyard at Curly Flat is ENTAV-INRA® 548 and 809 arrived in 2004 and 1957 to Western Australia, Gin-Gin has a shared planted to P58 with I10V1, V3 and V5. ENTAV-INRA® 1066 arrived in 2007. heritage with Old Foundation Block (OF) and the common Mendoza clones. However, the AWRI When you look at well- “Out of the new clones, I think ENTAV-INRA® stress that they are ‘quite distinct from each 548 is the standout one. It shows intensity and other…despite their shared origins’. Gin-Gin is established producers, they complexity and has been picked up by some the most commonly used clone in Margaret River high-end producers. ENTAV-INRA® 809, the and is responsible for some top drops including reflect the historical timelines muscat clone, is a useful addition.” This last Pierro Chardonnay. A clone is where a single clone has a particular strong grapey, floral aroma superior ‘mother vine’ is selected and cuttings in planting of what was and flavour normally found in the muscat family. are propagated, usually by a research centre Moorilla in Tasmania have made a feature of it or nursery, sounds simple, but it take years of available at the time. in their Praxis Musqué Chardonnay. development and trials to perfect a new clone. The arrival of the Bernard or Dijon French ENTAV-INRA®548 might be comparatively Gin-Gin is where clonal selection started in clones created a lot of excitement. “The French new to Australia but it has been a selected Australia, or maybe not, as in South Australia’s imports 76, 95 and 96 have significantly lifted the clone in France since the late 1970’s. One of High Eden sub-region Mountadam vineyard quality potential of chardonnay in Australia. But the pinnacles of chardonnay is the Grand Cru who had a rare clone called Marble Hill. In 1972 it must be said that there are mature vineyards of Corton Charlemagne in the Côte de Beaune. David Wynn took cuttings from an old vine that with I10V1 that are consistently used in our top According to an article, written by the late Dr was growing in the summer residence of the wines,” comments Treasury Wine Estate’s Clare Roderick Bonfiglioli, who worked at the Riversun Governor of South Australia. The mother vine Dry, winemaker for Seppelts wines. “While I Nursery in New Zealand, the Burgundians are no longer exists as Marble Hill was destroyed haven’t had the same exposure to Gin-Gin, replanting their old vines with 548 and 1066 in the Black Sunday bushfires of January 1955. Mendoza and P58 as the other clones, you can with 809 being sparingly used in around 10% of The vine was known as ‘chardonuet’ dating back definitely see why they have a strong following the blend. So, if these clones are making world to 1860, when it was brought over by a French with Gin-Gin and Mendoza adding attractive renowned chardonnay it is not surprising that horticulturalist from Burgundy. exotic, tropical fruit and P58 with its fine lemon/ they are being planted in Australia. Clare Dry citrus characters,” she adds. confirms this, “ENTAV- INRA® 548 is planted in a Shortly after Gin-Gin arrived in Australia, P58 number of premium, cool climate vineyards and Clone also arrived, followed in 1968 by the Nick Dry, Viticulturist of the Year in 2019, it is very exciting showing excellent depth and Mendoza clone and the year after that came is an expert on nursery propagation having complexity especially considering the relatively, clone I10V1, V2 and V5. All of these, with the run Yalumba Nursery for 10 years. He now young vine age”. exception of P58, were imported from UC Davis runs his own viticultural consultancy called in California. Fast forward to the 80’s and 90’s, we Foundation Viticulture. “I think the quality of By approaching a number of winemakers, Nick started to see the arrival of Burgundian clones was able to provide us with a summary of the flavour profiles of some of the main clones. I10V1 20 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

is more towards stone and topical fruits and The choice is made easier with has a fleshy palate. Similarly, Mendoza tends Winestate Magazine. towards melon when ripe and is full bodied. P58, 76 and 95 is finer with lemon and lime characters. Whilst clone 96 has zesty grapefruit characters and is good for sparkling wine. Not all vignerons choose to use nursery grafted clones. “I’d say around 20 to 30% of vineyards still use cutting from existing vines,” estimates Nick, and when you consider that it costs 3x as much to use grafted stock you can see why it is still popular. It’s a lengthy process using nursery clones as you also have to decide what root stock to use. The choice of rootstock can be tricky. “For cool climates I’d go with 101-14, 3309C, 5 C Teleki or 5BB Kober. For warm climate then 1103 Paulsen or 110 Richter are popular,” advises Nick. Each rootstock has particular attributes, and these have to be matched to the sites soils and climate. The rootstock’s tolerance to drought, disease and its vigour are other factors. Whilst the introduction of new clones can be a factor, it is also interesting to consider whether it is the site that ultimately determines the quality of the wine. Ben Kimmorley, Assistant Winemaker at Curly Flat seems to think so, “clones give the shape, the outline, but the site gives the potential and fills in the detail. We are here to find the voice of the vineyard”. Subcribe to Australia’s Leading Wine Buying Guide phone +61 8 8357 9277 or on-line www.winestate.com.au Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 21

winetravel WORDS ELISABETH KING AMONG THE VINES - WINE STAYS CLOSE TO HOME FEW things ramp up the depth of feeling aroused Belt. The winery offers tastings, tours, \"ultimate Avalon and Sierra studios. Cadole is a French by the word terroir than a weekend stay close experiences\" and Supa Golf. Then there's the word from the Rhone Valley for a small house in to the vines that produced the wine you are accommodation which makes you feel as if the a vineyard, but there's nothing rustic about the drinking. Wine hotels and retreats have become city is half a world away as you watch wallabies sleek Escapod of the Avalon overlooking the popular in just about every wine-producing gambol among the paperbarks. property' s western shiraz block and the Sierra, country in the world from France through Italy, which opened in June. The one bed Strand and the US, Argentina and South Africa. There's If you want to splash out there's the spacious Ardmore and two-bed Highland and Manhattan also plenty of prestigious digs overlooking Laguna Suite, in addition to family and premium houses provide a true home-away-from-home. vineyards around Australia with many close to rooms. For those after a whole Queenslander major capital cities. to themselves, Merlot House is a four-bedroom The retreat offers a concierge service to further guesthouse with its own rolling lawn. Stradbroke enhance its upscale cred. Curated tours include During the first months of the Covid-19 and Moreton Islands are only a short drive away the Ultimate McLaren Vale, Coastal Safari, Vale pandemic, wine tastings at Bendooley Estate for beach lovers and coastal walkers. and Hills and Cube and Coast. A truly world- near Berrima, only 90 minutes’ drive from beating experience with guest-only entry for Sydney, were held in the Berkelouw Book Barn. Foodies will also go maximum privacy. A rather drab description for one of NSW's most historic bookshops, selling rare and antiquarian overboard in The Bendooley Located on the Mornington Peninsula, volumes and new releases, which is one of the Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill is a 40-room property's major attractions. Larder, an artfully arranged boutique hotel only 60 minutes’ drive from Melbourne. The interiors have been re-designed The wine tastings have moved back to the very \"spread\" of dishes from the by Hecker Guthrie and evoke a wraparound swish cellar door, a vision of glass, steel beams, European country house vibe. The surrounding century-old pine and local stone. Foodies will nearby restaurant kitchen and 13.75 hectares of gardens and vineyards leave also go overboard in The Bendooley Larder, you in no doubt you are close to some of the an artfully arranged \"spread\" of dishes from the the finest produce courtesy of country's top cool climate wineries. nearby restaurant kitchen and the finest produce courtesy of high-quality local providores. high-quality local providores. The first-floor balcony suites are popular with new and returning guests or opt for the The luxury accommodation matches the The Vineyard McLaren Vale is less than an Linden Room, the nearest accommodation literary, wine and food clout of this all-round hour's drive from Adelaide on a 6-hectare to the property's vines and garden walks. destination. Choose from studio, one- or two- vineyard. There's a laundry list of other wineries Winemaker Barney Flanders has debuted a bedroom cottages, showcasing bespoke close by, including d'Arenberg and its futuristic Grampians shiraz in the tasting room, alongside wallpaper, artwork, sink-into-sofas and deep, Cube and Wirra Wirra. All of the property's Lindenderry's acclaimed chardonnay and pinot freestanding baths. guests can enjoy a soak in the jacuzzi perched noir and a curated selection of Australian and atop the vineyard with panoramic views out to international bottlings. The Dining Room is a Unsurprisingly, Bendooley is a popular Gulf St Vincent. highlight of a stay with decor that reflects the wedding destination, especially since the sort of classy presentation Melbourne is noted opening of The Stables, a huge rustic space Owned by the much-travelled Cross family, for from floor-to-ceiling windows to curved back with chandeliers, major windows and forever the accommodation mirrors some of the best chairs. A first-rate choice for anyone missing the views to match the hopes of the happy couple. in the world. There are four super-luxury, self- wine country properties of Europe and the US. contained guesthouses, starting with the Cadole Billed as Queensland's first vineyard glamping Cape Lodge needs little introduction and has experience, Sanctuary by Sirromet is just under been a magnet for visitors to the Margaret River 40 minutes’ drive from Brisbane, on a 226 for decades. The property recently opened the hectare property at Mount Cotton in the Granite 22 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR COMPLETE PACKAGE which includes hard-copy and digital versions plus full on-line access to Winestate’s web site and reviews. Available only through online order, www.winestate.com.au Wine Lounge, a new all-day wine space launched GIFT SUBSCRIPTION in collaboration with the West Australian Good Food Guide. One of WA's most celebrated wine Tel: 08 8357 9277 stays, the 22 suites include the Lakeside Room www.winestate.com.au and The Lodge King Deluxe. But for those who like to live large there's The Residence, a four- bedroom retreat bounded by 1.2 hectares of manicured lawn and a private lake. Keeping up the only-the-best ethos, private tours in a Jaguar XJL or Mercedes Viano are available. Or sign up for the more democratically priced Best of the Margaret River or Wine and Food Tour of the Margaret River options. Chef Tony Howell also presides over private cooking and demonstration classes. Or simply enjoy his skill with local and seasonal produce in the restaurant. New Zealand is top of the list for the first overseas travel bubble. The County Hotel in Napier was one of only two buildings that survived the region's massive 1931 earthquake and its grand Art Deco architecture has scooped up numerous awards. The property's slogan is -Come and be spoilt - and the location can't be bettered for visiting wine fans - directly opposite the New Zealand Wine Centre. Originally built by the Hawke's Bay County Council in 1909, the hotel was tapped as one of the top 25 hotels in the South Pacific in the 2019 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards. The Wine Street restaurant and Churchill's Bar are magnets for guests and well-heeled locals. The decor is more grande dame than contemporary, but that's the essence of The County's charm. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 23

A YEAR OF HEAT, DROUGHT AND FIRE 24 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

Virnetpao2g0er2t 0 CHARLES GENT LARGE swathes of Australia were held to ransom With grape growth already crippled by drought, by heat, drought and bushfires throughout last for many growers the coup-de-grace came from summer, and wine producers were certainly not a persistent pall of bushfire smoke: Tyrell's, for exempt. one, lost 80 per cent of its harvest to smoke taint. Although the region's crop was down by Grape yields were driven down by the paucity 60 per cent, there were reports of wonderfully of rainfall in wine regions across the country, concentrated flavours in both reds and whites. while flames savaged vines and wineries in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. Similar woes befell other NSW wine The insidious and quixotic legacy of smoke taint regions including Orange and Hilltops, while would eventually account for the loss of some Tumbarumba took no tricks at all - bushfires 40,000 ha of wine grapes. directly damaged five vineyards, and smoke taint wrote off the rest. In the Canberra area, Looking back, it seems remarkable that the Helm and Clonakilla were among a number of 2020 crush of 1.52 million tonnes was down wineries to abandon the vintage entirely. Cowra by only 12 per cent on the previous year. As is and Mudgee had slightly happier tales to tell: frequently the case, the irrigated, broad-acre yields were well down, but quality was good, vineyards of the Riverland, Riverina and Murray especially in the reds. Darling-Swan Hill regions, which turn out three- quarters of the national crush, were less affected The Beechworth, Alpine Valleys and Glenrowan by drought. Their downturn of three or four per regions bore the brunt of Victoria's major cent contrasted with an average overall loss of bushfires, suffering significant, although 34 per cent elsewhere. Many regions lost more not uniform, losses to smoke taint. Luckier than half their usual crush, and some vignerons regions included the Yarra Valley, where a wet lost the lot. And yet - as often cited in vintages spring defied the drought, although cooler when quantity suffers - quality soared. temperatures affected budburst and flowering. December saw warmer, drier weather, while Queensland's crush was miniscule, desiccated a cooler February allowed protracted flavour by long-term drought. Rainfall, where and when development and ultimately wines with intense it came, was a case of too much, too late. Crops flavour, vibrant colour and prime natural acidity. were either tiny or unviable. Ironically, what little It was damp on the Mornington Peninsula too, fruit that survived was of very high quality. where prevalent spring and early summer rains The Hunter's year was little short of disastrous. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 25

led to uneven fruit set and relatively smaller 760 ha of vineyard and created some localised lift fruit flavours. Yield was down by only 13 per crops. Although the volumes were modest, smoke taint. For the rest of the Hills, cool to cent. Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache vignerons touted wines of great structure and mild conditions prevailed in the New Year, and are the standouts. intensity, especially in the flagship pinot noirs. welcome rainfall on the cusp of January and February set up perfect ripening conditions, Western Australia's isolation did not give Although a dry winter and spring in the producing 'crisp whites and stunning reds'. it immunity from low yields. In the Margaret Macedon Ranges and Grampians regions River, a cold spring with rains, wind and hail lowered yields significantly, autumn brought Low rainfall in Langhorne Creek led into spring was followed by a warm January and February exceptionally good ripening conditions., and the frosts and crop losses, and dry, cool conditions that made for ideal ripening conditions as well pinot noir and chardonnay showed concentrated made for protracted flowering. Summer started as early, compressed picking. Concentrated colours and flavours. In Bendigo and Heathcote, dry and very hot, but early February rainfall shiraz and cabernet, and complex, aromatic it was a familiar story of lower yields alongside presaged a cool ripening period. Another small- chardonnay were the upshot. high quality, especially in the shiraz. scale, compressed harvest saw fruit picked with good acid levels and with bright fruit flavours in Early picking, low yields and outstanding Although they dodged the local fires, many the signature reds. quality were the hallmarks of 2020 for Great Tasmanian vines were battered by spring winds Southern, while the dry, hot conditions made around flowering, which kept yields down. A The growing season in the Clare Valley nudged water availability a touch-and-go issue for some. very cool, slow ripening season finished late, the records for high temperatures and low rainfall Standout varieties were riesling and chardonnay, producing intense flavours and good acidity in even before the wind chimed in to affect fruit pinot noir and shiraz. In the Swan Valley it was both whites and reds. set. Yields were consequently exceptionally low. dry and very hot, irrigation was king, and the However, despite meagre quantities, the fruit wine flavours were intense. In South Australia, the Coonawarra eluded quality was assessed as excellent. A statistically heat, drought and bushfires. Soil moisture was arid winter and some steep December heat The loss of wine tourism at cellar doors ideal due to good winter rains, and while yields made for a similar outcome in the Barossa Valley, due to Covid-19 added economic insult to suffered from a cool spring, the small berries with yields typically down by more than a half, drought-induced injury, even though most went on to show great fruit concentration and but comprised of fruit of 'sensational quality wineries successfully adapted their picking and good tannins. Warm days and cool nights across every variety,' according to Tomfoolery's winemaking regimes to meet the virus protocols. provided perfect ripening conditions for the Ben Chipman. signature cabernet sauvignon. Grape prices did increase, although sadly The season in McLaren Vale began with good driven by a scarcity of fruit that no-one welcomed. The Adelaide Hills region was subjected to winter rains followed by a mild if dry start to The major challenges for winemaking in Australia extremes of weather as well as a major bushfire. spring. A cool November led to erratic fruit set. continue to centre on finding effective responses Unseasonal cold in spring affected fruit set, A very hot start to December was tempered by a to global climatic change and to the vicissitudes driving down yield for a second year running. cooler and wetter than usual January, while rain of the international market. Sustained heat led up to and followed the Cudlee in early February helped freshen the berries and Creek bushfire on December 20, which affected 26 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

As regions lost more than half their usual crush…quality soared. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 27

28 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

NEW WINE PRODUCER MAKES AN IMPACT Mapleton Vineyards might be a relative newcomer to the Tasmanian wine industry but after recently raking in awards it seems they’re set to soar. WINSOR DOBBIN FOR a producer that only released its first wines three years ago, Mapleton level,” Paul Laing recalls. “We then took the property’s viticulture back Vineyards in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley is rapidly building an impressive to scratch.” reputation. Today, after several years of hard work, those vines are producing top- With gold medals from the Tasmanian Wine Show followed by national notch pinot noir, chardonnay, and a small amount of cabernet sauvignon. recognition from Winestate, vigneron Paul Laing is benefitting from the fruits of his hard labour when the vines were planted. Lynwood was purchased six months after Woodlands, and Kathryn and Denis now call that property home. It has four hectares of vines including Mapleton, at Tea Tree, north of Hobart, only makes around 1,000 cases, pinot noir, chardonnay and riesling, all planted in 2003. but joins producers like Mewstone, Sailor Seeks Horse, Anime and Altaness as the latest wave of innovative Tasmanian producers. These vines had also been struggling for some time to produce fruit and only became productive in 2018. The family now has a total of 12 hectares Hobart-born Laing and his parents, businessman Denis and Kathryn of vines under development. The current range includes 2018 riesling, Laing, purchased Mapleton in 2004 but it sat idle for several years while chardonnay and pinot noir rosé, and 2019 pinot noir and pinot noir rosé. Paul built a career on the land dealing with both livestock and cropping in the state’s Midlands. “We are very focused on making sure that we only release our wines when they are ready to be enjoyed at their best,” says Paul Laing. “As Situated near the hamlet of Tea Tree in the Coal River Valley , Mapleton a young brand we cannot afford to release wines that are not top-notch is one of three vineyards on which grapes are grown for the brand: the and ready to be enjoyed. others being Woodlands and Lynwood. ”It is important to us as a relatively new business, that we go about Paul and Denis often discussed the idea of planting a vineyard on things in the right way.” Mapleton, given its ideal aspects of gently rolling northern facing banks and rich dolomitic soils, but it was not until 2014 that thoughts became The Laings have wine in their blood. Paul is the nephew of wine educator action. and Tasmanian Wine Show president Phil Laing, a leading figure on the island. The first planting of one hectare of pinot noir was followed by a further four hectares a year later. While most Tasmanian producers concentrate on pinot noir and chardonnay, as well as sparkling wines, Mapleton has enjoyed early Woodlands has approximately three of its hectares under vines, the first success with riesling and rosé, which is made from a blend of 115 and of which are plantings dating back to 1992. But when the Laing family German Marienfield clones. acquired the property the vines had been in a serious state of neglect for many years. “In 10 years or so the vines that produce the fruit for the rosé will be used for table pinot noir but they are excelling as young vines at producing “We went through it with a chainsaw and cut all the vines off at ground vibrant fruit for the rosé,” says Paul Laing, who cultivates the vines with Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 29

30 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

the help of just one full-time employee, a long-time friend. Paul and Denis often For such a young producer, the impact of Covid-19 has been difficult, discussed the idea of planting a vineyard on Mapleton, given but Mapleton has now taken on a distributor to help boost sales that have initially been “to family and friends and through our mailing list”. its ideal aspects of gently rolling northern facing banks “It has been a very steep learning curve but the fact we have been getting and rich dolomitic soils, but early recognition for our wines has certainly helped. it was not until 2014 that ”It took us around 15 years to get around to doing things properly, so the thoughts became action. response has been gratifying. To be recognised by a national publication like Winestate indicates to us that we are doing things in the right way and moving in the right direction. ”There is a lot of potential in Tasmania and it is an exciting time to be involved in the wine industry.” The winery has been supported by local retailers including Gasworks in Hobart and the Pinot Shop in Launceston. Mapleton, like many Tasmanian boutique producers, still operates on a tiny scale. Current production is around a minuscule 1,000 cases annually. There are several producers in the Coal River Valley - 20 minutes north- east of Hobart – with similar production. Over the past two to three decades, the beautiful and historic township of Richmond and the Coal River Valley have become well known on a national level for their award-winning wineries. These vineyards are fortunate enough to have cool-climate conditions which have been compared to regions such as Burgundy in France. The Coal River Valley was one of the earliest areas settled by the first British with Richmond dating back to 1823, when a bridge across the Coal River was built. The name Coal River comes from the abundant natural source of coal in the area. The first British settlers used the valley as a mixture of grazing, pastureland and crop growing. Today the region is home to several leading wine producers with a national profile and history of success on the national stage including Stoney Vineyard/Domaine A, Frogmore Creek, Pooley’s and Tolpuddle and it seems Mapleton Vineyard is set to join their success. For details and orders visit www.mapletonvineyard.com.au Page 28: Mapleton's award winning rosé, exterior of Mapleton property, line up of Mapleton wines. Page 30 left to right top to bottom: Mapleton's award winning pinot noir rosé, cheese platter with Mapleton rosé, wines on ice and Mapleton's vineyards at sunset. Left: Mapleton's award winning pinot noir rosé. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 31

32 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

NOT ONE TO MINCE WINE OR WORDS Kevin Judd of Cloudy Bay fame garners continued success with his own brand, Greywacke. EMMA JENKINS MW KEVIN Judd may be a man of few words, but he’s an incredibly clear thinker with quite a unique view certainly one of many talents. Having established of how he sees things and doesn’t let too much flak his winemaking bona fides as Cloudy Bay’s get in the way. I think his eye for photography is founding winemaker, a position he held for 25 reflected in a very refined way with how he views years, Kevin and his wife Kimberley founded their whatever he is involved with. Very accurately with own label Greywacke, in 2009. Named after Kevin a Kevin lens”. and Kimberley’s original vineyard in Rapaura, Marlborough, Greywacke (pronounced grey- Born in England and raised in Australia, Kevin wacky) takes its name from New Zealand’s most studied winemaking at Roseworthy College and abundant bedrock, which produces the rounded, first made wine at South Australia’s Reynella, understated grey river stones found throughout alongside Geoff Merrill. When Reynella was Marlborough’s vineyards. It’s a fitting name with bought out, Kevin took the chance to move to New Kevin also being an acclaimed photographer, Zealand, in 1983 joining Selaks in Auckland. He his detailed and beautiful images of vineyards, recalls, “The first New Zealand wine I tasted was landscapes, people and animals appearing in a muller-thurgau. I still ended up going to New publications around the world as well as his own Zealand, despite that first experience.” A couple of books, The Colour of Wine and The Landscape years later, he was approached by David Hohnen of New Zealand Wine. His remarkable eye for to join Cloudy Bay, though at that stage there was light and detail can be seen in the images on the no winery, no grapes, nor even a name. This leap Greywacke labels. of faith was the start of a 25-year odyssey that would put Kevin’s name on the map and via the Not a mincer of words, Kevin’s insight and dry pioneering style of Te Koko sauvignon blanc, ignite sense of humour make him a highly illuminating, his passion for the wilder side of winemaking life. amusing conversationalist, if also one who is occasionally unprintable. He has an unerring Cloudy Bay of course went on to become a ability to spot bullshit, so if you’re going to offer Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc powerhouse and him an opinion, you’d better make sure you’ve the company was purchased by LVMH in 2003. thought it through first as he’ll quickly skewer Kevin says, “To be honest, I never thought I’d any weaknesses in your argument. Never one to leave Cloudy Bay. But then they offered me an seek the limelight, Kevin remains someone whose ambassadorial role, not a chief winemaking role...” reliably frank opinion is highly valued within the Change beckoned, and when the bumper 2008 industry. James Healy, (co-owner of Dog Point harvest came along, the stars aligned. “There with Ivan Sutherland - both long-time friends and was an instant over-supply, the price of grapes former Cloudy Bay colleagues) says that Kevin “is dropped, the price of land dropped. Ivan and Margaret Sutherland looked for people to sell Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 33

“The first New Zealand wine I tasted was a muller-thurgau. I still ended up going to New Zealand, despite that first experience.” Page 32-33 left to right: Upper Brancott Valley, settlement grapes to and said if you are going to do your own vineyard, Omaka Valley, Kevin Judd and Dixie and Greywacke thing we have room in the winery.” riverstones Simmerland vineyard, Rapaura. Top to bottom: Full moon over Yarrum Vineyard, Brancott Valley, The lure of hands-on winemaking again (and no Marlborough, Kevin Judd, Settlement Vineyard, Omaka Valley, HR department) became too great. Keeping it small Kevin relaxing on wine barrel with Dixie. and with first-hand control has been the enduring ethos at Greywacke – more than ten years down the track there is still a close-knit team of eight covering vineyards, winery, sales and marketing, and admin. Greywacke’s wines have been made at Dog Point winery with a more recent move to a standalone facility in the Omaka Valley where Greywacke now has cellar door tastings by appointment. Fruit is sourced from mature vineyards, mostly owned by the Sutherland family plus a few other growers with whom Greywacke has long-term relationships and overall control over the fruit. Kevin and Kimberley’s Southern Valleys vineyard contributes a small amount of pinot noir. Seeking lower yields than the norm, Kevin says, “We get ripeness, concentration and texture, aiming for subtle, ripe, non-aggressive, delicious-drinking fruit style…I like grapes that are golden not translucent green, I’m looking for something more subtle.” Greywacke’s core wines are sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, alongside tiny volumes of chardonnay, pinot gris and riesling. Richard Ellis, Greywacke observes that Marlborough’s “unique, raw, natural environment between the Southern Alps and Pacific Ocean delivers good natural acidity and elegance with ripeness, in a very different style from Australia’s sauvignon and chardonnay.” (Around 95% of Greywacke wines are exported to over 40 countries, with Australia being one of the top three markets.) Greywacke’s two sauvignon blancs are themselves distinctly different – one a classic expression of Marlborough’s vividly pure fruit with a rich palate, whereas the Wild Sauvignon is a refinement of the experiment Kevin began with Te 34 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

Koko. A subtly funky wine with integrated oak and malolactic influence, it walks the variety’s wild side as a textural, complex expression of Kevin’s low-fi, minimal intervention winemaking style. He prefers the Wild Sauvignon. “There’s not much fruitiness, as it has the influence of the wild yeasts, the malolactic influence, the barrel influence – there’s a lot more going on. It ages far more gracefully than the classic style. Wild Sauvignon actually seems to improve with age, from my perspective.” Kevin is passionate about chardonnay, and he and Richard are both bemused by the difficulty in getting the Marlborough Chardonnay message out there. “We make much more sauvignon blanc than anything else – we try and produce what the market wants – but it’s a continual frustration that in the US we sell just 1% of chardonnay compared to sauvignon blanc and in the UK about 7% even though it’s been said it is the best wine we make. But selling Marlborough Chardonnay is not like selling Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.” Greywacke’s chardonnay style has remained remarkably consistent, focused on older Mendoza fruit, wild ferment, around 20% new French oak and Marlborough’s hallmark cool climate fruit expression and natural acidity. It’s a mark of Kevin’s natural self-effacement that at the outset of Greywacke, he was worried no one would be interested in his own wines. Unsurprisingly to the rest of us, the response exceeded expectations. For a man who prefers to let his wines speak for him, Greywacke’s wines are saying plenty of good things. Greywacke is distributed by Saint Wine in Australia, and by Negociants New Zealand. Left to right, top to bottom: Yarrum Vineyard, Brancott Valley, Kevin Judd and Nigel Sowman in the vineyard, a selection of Greywacke wines and Kevin Judd filling barrels with Dixie. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 35

36 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

GAPSTED: A QUARTER OF A CENTURY ON As Gapsted Wines hit their silver anniversary, they reflect on where they’ve been and share a taste of what’s to come. MEGAN BLANDFORD IT’S a classic road trip, but it’s hard to imagine when driving the Great Alpine A future—which would soon be named Gapsted Wines—had begun. Road that the scenery used to look remarkably different in the shadows of the Fast-forward 25 years and Matt Fawcett, Gapsted Wines’ CEO and Chief Victorian Alps. Once a picture of hard work on post-war tobacco fields, it’s now Winemaker, reflects on the history of the winery. “We’re perceived as a larger a bustling wine centre that’s both stunning and a testament to the innovation wine company, but we are a family business,” he says of the founding families, of those who have worked the land for decades. most of whom are still involved with the winery, “and those family values always drive how we go forward.” The stories behind the local wineries are at the heart of discovering more Those families also continue to lead the cultural influence in the extensive about the evolution of this region. number of Italian varieties made at Gapsted, and for which the region as a whole has become known. But don’t expect to only find Italian wines on Back in 1996, the Alpine Valleys were at the end of their tobacco growing offer. “This region has been a pioneer in driving a great number of different years, and many of the region’s entrepreneurial families had replanted their varietals, and plenty of experimentation from people bringing grapes in from farms with grapes. They knew they were onto something, and could clearly their heritage,” says Matt. “There are the Italian wines, but also a lot of different see their future as a thriving wine region. But, according to a group of seven influences: we’ve got saperavi from Georgia, we’ve got pinot blanc which is grape growers and winemakers, there was one thing missing: the facilities to French, we’ve got touriga which is Portuguese, and the list goes on.” process the grapes locally. It certainly does. Gapsted Wines now make around 80 different wines over five labels: Tobacco Road, High Country, Ballerina Canopy, Hidden Story, This group of families put their heads together and created a processing and Limited Release. What ties them all together is the location of the fruit; facility, with a long-term vision of establishing their own label from the site. they consider themselves specialists in “cool climate Victoria,” Matt says. Within a couple of years they had done just that, releasing the firsts of the Tobacco Road range, a throwback to the former name of the road on which the winery sits (now the Great Alpine Road). Opposite page: Food and wine from Gapsted. Below: Gapsted vineyard and property in Spring. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 37

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It’s clear that Gapsted is a winery built on vision and an authenticity for heritage, with their eyes focused on an adventurous future all the while. “Everything from our range is grown in Victoria, with most of our fruit from If you’re planning a visit, Matt hopes you’ll be amazed by the diversity of wines here in the north-east, including the Alpine Valleys, King Valley, Rutherglen and Beechworth.” on offer. But it doesn’t end there: this is a location in which you can really feel In particular, Gapsted Wines is known for their whites, sparkling, and part of the region’s natural beauty and Gapsted’s wine story. “We back directly medium-bodied reds. Matt explains, “Our pinot grigio is really savoury and fresh, with crisp apple tones, and our prosecco comes out of the King Valley onto the Stanley State Forest, and we look out towards Mt Buffalo, so it’s a and is doing really well. In our reds, the sangiovese is great, and so is the High Country Tempranillo which is such a wonderful, deep coloured wine with beautiful vista,” says Matt. “The cellar door and the restaurant are five metres a lovely intensity and silkiness about it.” from the vines, so you feel immersed in the vineyard while enjoying a lovely They’re also a winery that thrives on innovation, as evidenced by their Limited Release range. “We have eight to a dozen wines in that range at any one time, outlook, beautiful food that’s sourced from around the region, and a range of and it varies each vintage, which is a great challenge for the winemakers,” says Matt. “It means we can play with different varieties before moving them wines from all over the valley.” into the core range. At the moment we have pinot blanc, saperavi, sparkling saperavi, sparkling pinot grigio rosé, fiano, and touriga.” It’s this natural connection between the vineyard and the wine that is It’s the latter which has caught the eye—and the tastebuds—of Winestate. perhaps what has made Gapsted Wines a success for a quarter of a Gapsted’s Limited Release Alpine Valleys Vintage Touriga 2018 is featured in our Fortified Wine of the Year category. Matt says this wine is such a hit because century—and counting. of its difference from other tourigas, while still maintaining its authenticity for the varietal. “It’s concentrated, it’s blackberries and cherries, and lots of velvety, silky tannins. It’s so vibrant, so fresh and so loud that it pops out of the glass,” he says. “It’s only two years old, but we’ve designed it to be as good as you get out of those vintage Portuguese ports. It’s certainly unusual to see a cool climate fortified wine from this region, but it proves that we can do really interesting things out of cool climates.” Gapsted Wines has had an interesting journey, from its early grape processing days in the 1990s, to the building of the cellar door in 2001, and the transition since then to become focused on their own labels. It’s clear that Gapsted is a winery built on vision and an authenticity for heritage, with their eyes focused on an adventurous future all the while. It’s a true high country experience in the bottle, as well as in the winery where the tastes are somehow enhanced by the ambience of towering mountains, rosellas and kangaroos visiting, and a wander through the vineyard. Opposite page, left to right, top to bottom: Gapsted vineyards, pouring wine in the cellar door, CEO and chief winemaker Matt Fawcett, Gapsted Wines cellar door entrance, Gapsted logo on wine glass and Gapsted cellar door outdoor decking. This page: A selection of Gapsted wines. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 39

Risk Reaps Rewards RICK ALLEN WHEN Darren Scott and his wife Tracey bought the RidgeView property in the Hunter Valley for a cellar door back in 2000, they knew they were taking a risk. Located on 100 acres at the end of Sweetwater Road at Belford, it’s hardly Pokolbin Central. The turn-off to RidgeView is a further seven kilometres up the road from the main entrance to Wine Country, then down a dirt road that’s prone to flooding, a right turn, keep going and it’s the last property you come to. Passing traffic? Zero. The property was “a nice setting, but just dirt and trees,” and needed a lot of work. And for a family with four children in Sydney, together with a thriving dental practice, trips up on weekends was all they could manage. But fast forward 20 years: they have an impressive cellar door and restaurant, a healthy mailing list, 22 acres under vine, multiple trophy winning wines, four accommodation cottages that overlook the lake, and they’ve just purchased another 14 acres of vines next door with room for more. Oh, and if that’s not enough, the transition to the next generation of family members is already under way with their children playing an increasingly prominent role. 40 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

Ridgeview’s Gamble Pays Off Opposite page: Scott family photo at Ridgeview. Above: Darren and Tracey Scott in the vineyard and Darren checking his grapes in the vineyard. “We opened the cellar door in December 2010,” Darren says. “It’s almost Awards winning a top gold, was pipped for overall Best White Wine by the exactly 10 years.” Briar Ridge 2018 Dairy Hill Semillon, and has collected numerous gold medals. Looking back, they couldn’t have asked for more. In short, it has form. These days Belford is no longer a backwater – a handful of other wineries are For a time-poor, wine-loving family that is still based in Sydney, they’ve dotted around them and it’s now a destination within a destination. The Belford come a long way. vineyards have become accepted for producing seriously good wines that The dream of a Hunter winery began in the ‘90s when Darren and Tracey have a profile all of their own. The whites tend to have a lovely acid structure, would come up to do some tasting and stock up the back seat with some and the reds a red-fruited fragrance, almost pinot noir-like. It screams Belford. of the Hunter’s finest. I’m ringing Darren to talk about his set-up, and specifically his 2013 “We tended to like the smaller boutique operations where we could talk Generations Semillon that is doing so well for him in competitions around to the owner or the winemaker. the country. “It was different back then, a lot quieter.” “It is probably right at its peak now,” he concedes. “It still has years But one thing led to another and a few short years later they were owners ahead of it, but it’s sublime, drinking beautifully.” of 100 acres. It’s a stunner, all right. Complex, with those typical honeyed notes starting “In the beginning we didn’t think we’d develop it as much as we have,” to shine through, it has a clean, lime-citrus backbone that remains steely Darren concedes. fresh and vibrant. This is a wine that is aging superbly and will be around “To start with we wanted some cottages so we could have an income which for many years to come. would allow us to continue developing the site and tending the vines. For the record, it has made the top five in Winestate’s semillon judging, scored “Our first wines were bottled in 2004. Then when our early wines won medals 97 from James Halliday, was named Best Aged semillon at the NSW Wine we thought we needed a cellar door to showcase them. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 41

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“So we started planning for that. I don’t know … it just seems to have grown.” But fast forward 20 years: These days the cellar door is impressive with polished stone floors and timber they have an impressive cellar ceilings … classy without being at odds with its surrounds. The restaurant door and restaurant, a healthy is popular, especially on weekends, and both the restaurant and cellar door mailing list, 22 acres under vine, area have views over the pinot gris vines outside. multiple trophy winning wines, The cottages – two two-bedroom and two one-bedroom – are dotted among four accommodation cottages that the trees near the lake, and have just been refurbished. All have outdoor overlook the lake, and they’ve just undercover dining areas and inside spas, while the one bedrooms have purchased another 14 acres of vines undercover Jacuzzi and sauna on the wraparound verandah. If you stay at next door with room for more. RidgeView, you’re not exactly ‘slumming’ it. It’s impressive. Their slogan: Our Passion, Your Reward. Their wines include the usual Hunter whites of semillon and chardonnay – both top quality - a restrained and tasty verdelho, a pinot gris that is “a big seller”, as well as viognier and traminer. In the reds, there’s shiraz, of course, as well as cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chambourcin. The one thing that stands out after a cellar door tasting is that the wines are strong across the board. There’s not a lot of winemaking bells and whistles, but rather good fruit, understated oak, and a light touch in the winery. It’s the house style. The shiraz and semillon tend to get most of the plaudits, but the chardonnay shouldn’t be underrated. It’s consistently impressive too. Their flagship wines are the ‘Generations’ range, although there’s also the ‘Impressions’ range that could equally sit in top spot. “We’re actually changing things around a bit at the moment,” Darren says. “We felt it was time we did some repackaging, some rebranding. “That includes the Impression and Generations ranges. We’ll see how that develops.” Darren shares the winemaking duties with Gary MacLean (owner and winemaker at MacLean Vineyard) and Mark Woods, who plies his trade with Leogate. Both have been around the Hunter for a long time, are highly respected, and it’s a team Darren is clearly comfortable with. “We’ll stroll through the vineyards, checking the fruit, but we’re pretty much always on the same page,” he says. “We’re after the same thing ... balanced, fruit driven wines. That’s the RidgeView style.” Next up there’s the property next door and those 14 acres of vines that have been let go in recent times and are going to need a lot of TLC. Then again, it’s nothing they haven’t done before. Opposite page, top to bottom: Ridgeview restaurant interior, Darren walking in the vineyard, Darren with his wines, grapes in the vineyard and line up of Ridgeview wines in the cellar door. Left: Award winning Ridgeview Generations Semillon 2009. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 43

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JOURNEY FROM THE OLD COUNTRY TO THE NEW Pioneers of the Orange wine region in New South Wales, Highland Heritage Estate proves that winemaking is in their blood. DENIS GASTIN HIGHLAND Heritage Estate, top five recipient for the Winestate Riesling Estate property in 1991. Three hectares of vines had been planted on of the Year in this year’s awards, is located in the State’s fast growing the 50-hectare estate in 1985. After the acquisition, additional vines were premium cool climate wine region of Orange. Its vineyards, cellar door, planted and the total vineyard area is now just under 15ha of intensely restaurant and function centre are located on the Mitchell Highway, 3 km managed vines. to the south of the city. The vines on the Estate are planted in a range of soils, all derived After a modest beginning, with plantings of just over 2 hectares of vines from remnants of the ancient volcanic eruption of the region’s icon, and raspberries on the 81 hectare property in 1985, it was acquired in Mt Canobolas. They range from decomposed basalt to silky clay over 1991 by the D’Aquino family, and has been creatively developed since andesite. then under the direction of this family with a long historical connection to wine in this region. At an altitude of 890 metres, the vines do have to deal with a wide span of climatic conditions, including ice and snow in winter. Though Rex is It began with Carmelo D’Aquino, who migrated from the Italian Island not particularly concerned by this, saying “it is not as cold as it used of Sicily in 1919. After setting up initially in Sydney and running a fruit to be, due to climate change”. The vines have budburst in October and shop there, he moved to Orange in 1946, with the intention of making the harvest usually begins in mid to late March and finishes in late April. and selling wine locally. You would expect to find some Italian varieties in the viticultural profile, There were no vineyards or winemakers in the region at that time, so given the family’s origin. But Rex says, “our first focus is on what people D’Aquino Brothers Pty Ltd, the company Carmelo registered in 1952, will buy. So, sauvignon blanc is the largest planting (6ha), and shiraz is was the region’s first wine business. He started off making a few barrels number two (3.22ha)”. The next largest plantings are pinot noir (1.8ha) of, mostly, fortified wines, but this didn’t really take off as a source of and chardonnay (0.8ha), for both sparkling and still wines. There is also growth for the business. Instead, he began to source wine and various riesling and merlot, each just under 1ha. Cabernet franc is a very recent other alcoholic products elsewhere and the business grew to become addition, with 0.6ha just planted this year. And Italy has finally surfaced, the major retail liquor business in the region. though very modestly, with a small planting (0.6ha) of prosecco, in 2019. But the family’s determination to make its own wines was deep and The Highland Heritage Estate wines are presented in three tiers – the did not go away. It sprung to life again after Carmelo’s grandson, Rex Highland Heritage range, the Highland Heritage Mt. Canobolas Vineyard D’Aquino, went to Roseworthy College in South Australia in 1978 to study range, capturing the outstanding landscape feature of the Orange region, Oenology. Practical winemaking is part of that course and he did his stints and the Patrono range. The Patrono range was added as the premium at Orlando and Jim Barry Wines. third tier in 2016, to honour the man who started it all, Carmelo D’Aquino, the Patrono (Patron). After graduating, in 1881, Rex returned to Orange with a determination to revive the original family winemaking passion. He began quietly, making In the Highland Heritage range there is a chardonnay, a sauvignon wine with muscat, riesling and table grapes he was able to source a bit blanc, a fumé blanc (barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc), a riesling, a further south, from Cowra. His ambitions grew when his first access to (shiraz-based) rosé, a merlot, a pinot noir, and a cabernet sauvignon. locally grown grapes came through procurement of the Highland Heritage The Highland Heritage Mt. Canobolas range does not have a merlot Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 45

It began with Carmelo D’Aquino, who migrated from the Italian Island of Sicily in 1919. After setting up initially in Sydney and running a fruit shop there, he moved to Orange in 1946, with the intention of making and selling wine locally. or a pinot noir but does have a syrah. There is also a sauvignon blanc, a fumé blanc, and a chardonnay, plus two riesling – one is dry, and the Nikki D Riesling is ‘off-dry’. The Patrono range has four offerings. There is a Methode Traditionnelle Pinot Noir/Chardonnay Cuvee Brut, the winery’s only sparkling wine (“at this stage,” says Rex), a shiraz, a pinot noir and a cabernet sauvignon. There are no cabernet sauvignon vines in the plantings at Highland Heritage Estate and the two cabernets in the line-up are made from grapes grown by another regional producer, Woodhouse Wines. But, as Rex says, “we only do cabernet in the good years”. There is also an extensive range of sweet and fortified wines, a prominent feature of the D’Aquino venture right throughout its 70+ year history. Rex D’Aquino has been, and still is, the team leader. But he says that, as the business has expanded, his responsibilities have concentrated more on sales, marketing, quality control and consulting. So he has come to rely on others for the functional roles of growing the grapes and making quality wine. Following a review of strategy to boost quality outcomes the wines are now being made at the Ross Hill Winery. The first vintage made there was 2019, under the direction of winemaker, Luke Steele. The Heritage team now also includes, as a consultant, the long-serving winemaker, Mile De Garis. Looking ahead, Rex says, “I am 61, and my youngest daughter, Nikki, who joined the business in 2018, makes us now a four-generation wine business and let’s see what happens next”. The Cellar Door was not closed due to Covid 19, but the restaurant and reception centre were closed. They are expected to re-open early in the New Year. Page 44, top to bottom, left to right: Highland Heritage vineyard in the snow, view as you enter the vineyard, the vineyards in Spring, entrance into Highland Heritage, vineyards in Autumn and on the deck looking out to the vineyards. This page: A few wines from Highland Heritage, Rex on the tractor and interior of the cellar door. 46 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

Special Awards Feature 2020 Featuring the winners and placegetters for each varietal category tasted throughout the year. Plus profiles of the Australian and New Zealand winemaker and wine company of the year. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 47

W I N E S TAT E - W I N E O F T H E Y E A R AWA R D S 2 0 2 0 THE JUDGING CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS IN BRIEF BEST OF THE BEST EACH year Winestate gathers together those wines that throughout the year have achieved a five star THE CLASSES (gold standard) or 4 ½ stars (high silver standard) to come up with a Top 5 list across fifteen categories and ultimately a winner for each category. SPARKLING A small but fine group of wines. The better Then all category winners were put together to decide a standout wine, no mean feat as they all examples displayed the toasty complexity represent different varietals and different styles. But as they say, “someone has to do it” and our expert bestowed by extended maturation on lees judges always do a great job. alongside citrus and berry fruit characters. The top wine displayed great depth of flavour yet This year led by established senior wine show judge and regular Winestate judge, Chairman of Judges, finished with zingy acidity and hence impressive Bill Hardy, we were also pleased to have AWRI Chief Scientist, Leigh Francis, involved again along with length. Master of Wine Kym Milne (who also has a Kiwi connection as former chief winemaker at Villa Maria and current consultant with Bird in Hand winery). Because of the sheer number of wines involved we were ALTERNATIVE WHITE also ably helped buy our Associate panel of Adam Clay, Pirathon wines (and formerly Penfolds), along A very interesting class showing considerable with Nick Haselgrove and Sam Watkins of the Watkins Wine Group (and formerly Boar’s Rock). diversity of style. The winning wine was enthusiastically supported by all three judges In this Trans-Tasman taste off the competition is fierce with around a third of Category Winners going and described as an extremely well-made to New Zealand wineries and the others to Australian wineries. This year was no exception with Kiwi gewurztraminer. Fresh and aromatic with tell-tale winners in five categories namely, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Alternative White and Pinot nutty notes and an unctuous palate, it was ripe Gris/Grigio. To lose the Sauvignon Blanc category would be akin to the All Blacks losing, which is rare harvest in style yet beautifully balanced. A delicate, if unheard of. Chardonnay tends to float between countries but when the Kiwi sugar level is reduced to tropical verdelho was runner-up and a more exotic balance acidity it tends to stay in New Zealand. Central Otago with its cool climate but high sunshine roll-call of varieties completed the group of finalists. seems to have a lock on Pinot, whilst Pinot Gris/Grigio is a perennial New Zealand performer and Alternative White is usually a toss-up. Interestingly this year Sparkling went to Australia as did Sweet RIESLING White which is not always the case. What a joy it was to judge this large and impressive class of wines. Whilst there were some exquisite For perennial Australian winners Fortifieds are hard to beat, as are Semillons that are uniquely Australian delicate, aromatic young wines which were in style, Shiraz is to Australia what Sauvignon Blanc is to New Zealand, along with warm climate Grenache, awarded, the judges were drawn to the winner’s Rieslings from Clare and other cool climate regions and finally Rosé. slightly fuller, more complex style with floral notes and even a touch of toast. Australian consumers Our congratulations go to all the Top Five Category wineries – an amazing achievement from a huge should rejoice that they have access to such array of quality wines judged throughout 2020 - and our thanks to all the judges throughout the year fabulous and unique wines at bargain prices. who gave of their time to bring you this hard earned result. And of course, to the sponsors who make all this possible by supporting this major judging event. We urge you to take note of them and also to look SAUVIGNON BLANC through the list of wines we recommend to decide which wines cater to your palate and then to seek Once again, the Kiwis dominated this class. The them out quickly as they rapidly sell out! aromatic intensity of the NZ wines was astounding, so seeking a winner became more about aromatic It has been our great pleasure to bring this to you and we look forward to doing it again in 2021. As I complexity and palate depth and balance. That mentioned in my editorial in these turbulent times it is important to support our local regions at the same the winning wine had a sister wine on the podium time as we enjoy the great products that they give us. demonstrates the maker’s understanding of these critical factors. Cheers! SEMILLON Peter Simic The anticipated pleasure of judging this class was Editor/Publisher not misplaced. Most of the wines displayed the obvious benefits of several years in bottle. Toast *All technical details for the Wine of the Year and honey or lime marmalade may not be the Special Feature are supplied directly from each ‘breakfast of champions’, but there is not much winery. better in the white wine world. These unsung heroes should be celebrated more widely. 48 W I N E S TAT E Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021

JUDGES Peter Simic Bill Hardy Kym Milne MW Leigh Francis Bird in Hand Chair: CEO & Editor/ WOYA Chairman The Australian Wine Publisher, Winestate Accolade Wines Research Institute PINOT GRIS/GRIGIO MERLOT SHIRAZ The crisp, fresh, light-bodied ‘grigio’ style made up the Again, roughly a dozen wines made the cut and Predictably, this was the largest and most challenging majority of the finalists, however the winner trod the they were solid yet not as inspiring as some of the class to judge. Whittling over 150 top class wines tightrope between the ‘grigio’ and the fuller-bodied, other classes. A very useful blending variety, merlot down to only 5 finalists was no easy task and I complex, unctuous ‘gris’ style. Notes of pear and does not often show strength as a straight varietal commend my fellow judges on carrying out this task honeysuckle co-existed along with the nutty notes however all of these top 5 wines achieved a gold with aplomb. The finalists this year represented both associated with gris/grigio’s cousin gewurztraminer. class standard. The winner showed highly typical the mid-weight spicy, savoury style and the full, rich, The palate was nevertheless crisp, fresh and long. varietal characters with a bouquet of ripe, sweet, sweet fruit style. Ultimately, an outstanding wine from berry aromas and a full, soft palate. the Pyrenees region of Victoria which played down the CHARDONNAY mint and spice in favour of rich, ripe, concentrated, A big class of outstanding wines. The vast majority PINOT NOIR plummy fruit was the judges’ choice. displayed finesse, elegance and considerable A big class of nearly forty wines displaying quite potential to develop in bottle. The judges were in a diversity of styles. Whilst the bigger, fuller, richer FORTIFIED two minds regarding what was an acceptable level styles tended to dominate, there were a number Once again, Australia’s supreme skill in producing of reductive, ‘struck match’ character on the nose. of very attractive lighter, aromatic wines which world-class fortified wine was demonstrated. Despite Many of the finalists displayed some reductive, still displayed good body and length. It is to be the presence of a fine young apera and one or two flinty notes but were blessed with balancing citrus hoped that the pursuit of depth and intensity does aged aperas, the class was dominated by cask or white stone fruit aromas and palates that were not see these fine, elegant styles sidelined. The aged muscats and sweet whites, although a fine silky yet not broad. The winner is world class. winner, from Central Otago, showed good depth, young fortified sweet red destined for bottle age complexity, harmony and balance. did also make the final selection. The winner was a SWEET WHITE classic muscat that showed both considerable age, A very small class of delicious wines. Most were ALTERNATIVE RED expressed as ‘rancio’, and freshness from judicious luscious, botrytized semillon styles with one lighter, This large class proved to be very exciting to over-blending with younger wine. finer, complex late harvest riesling. The winner stood judge. Quite staggeringly, the judges top ten wines out for its beautiful balance and complex flavours represented nine different varieties and one blend. Winestate Magazine would like to take this derived from both ripe fruit and botrytis influence. All were very distinctive and ranged from elegant, opportunity to thank our major sponsors for their mid-weight, savoury styles to deep, dark, firm, ongoing support. ROSÉ concentrated styles. This class was incredibly strong and extensive. The lagrein which won was very stylish and complex • Orora Glass • SMEG Nearly forty wines were under consideration and with well-integrated oak and a lovely long palate. • National Wine Centre • Interpack numerous styles were represented from the light, • Millésime Bio • Wineworks dry, salmon-pink ‘Provencal’ style to the more CABERNET SAUVIGNON • Kewco • Hamburg Süd vibrant pink, fuller, aromatic style. The pinot noir- This large class was exceptionally strong. Most • Northline • William Angliss based winner pitched itself in the middle and finalists displayed vibrancy and distinctive varietal • Luigi Bormioli • Le Cordon Bleu showed great vibrancy, intensity and length. characters such as black currant and mint on the • Classic Oak • DW Fox Tucker nose and structurally attractive palates driven by acid • Henson Lloyd • Harvey Norman GRENACHE and tannin yet not lacking in mid-palate weight. The This is the first year that grenache has been judged winner was absolutely magnificent and, whilst it was as a separate class and it proved worthwhile with still very much dominated by cabernet characters, the nearly a dozen wines under consideration. Almost all inclusion of a proportion of shiraz certainly served to displayed good depth and concentration indicating enhance its complexity, generosity and overall appeal. the likely use of low-yielding, old-vine fruit. The winner showed excellent vibrancy and a delicious savoury palate that conferred great drinkability. Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021 W I N E S TAT E 49

HITTING THE RIGHT NOTES THE FINE ART OF BLENDING JOY WALTERFANG YOU may have noticed the winner of this year’s Wine of the Year and Cabernet of the Year category was actually a blend of cabernet and shiraz; surprising? Not really, it isn’t the first time a blend has won this particular class - both the 2017 and 2018 winners were cabernet blends. Peter Simic, Winestate’s Publisher & Editor, explains the magazine’s philosophy behind the inclusion of blends in their WOTY awards. “Some years ago, purely by accident, a Margaret River sauvignon blanc/semillon ended up in the sauvignon blanc line-up,” said Peter. “When the judging panel tasted the wine they thought it was a New Zealand sauvignon blanc. The wine went on to knock the socks off the Kiwis, becoming the outright winner of that class. Out of that came our decision to include blends into the varietal classes providing the largest portion of the wine was of that variety. All our tastings are blind, judges won’t know if the wine they have been presented with is a blend or a straight varietal. The qualifying feature for the judges is that the wine must display the very best attributes of the variety it is representing. Clearly Majella’s 2018 The Musician did exactly that.” The Chairman of the judging panel was Bill Hardy, 5th generation winemaker of the Hardy Family. “I would not have picked the shiraz in the wine,” said Bill of The Musician. “It was very much cabernet driven exhibiting typical leafy blackberry varietal characteristics. The shiraz gave the wine an extra generosity and softness.” Bill Hardy has strong views on blending. “Blending is an important feature of wine production in Australia setting us apart from most other wine producing countries – both in the ‘old’ world and the new.” He believes that the complex art of blending requires an exceptional level of skill and experience on the part of the winemaker and that judicious blending, be it with different grape varieties or from different wine regions, can produce a wine with more complexity, structure and balance than one from a single vineyard. Blending of different grape varieties in winemaking is common practice around the world but blending parcels of wine from totally different wine regions seems to be unique to Australia. 50 W I N E S TAT E W ine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2021