2010 WINEWISE SMALL VIGNERON AWARDS
Check out the video! Video courtesy of Jennie Mooney of Capital Wines who was a steward at the SVA
The twenty-first Winewise Small Vigneron Awards were judged in Canberra on 1-3 July 2010 by one of Australia's most experienced panels, including respected wine critic and wine writer James Halliday AM, and chaired by prominent Australian wine judge Lester Jesberg (Winewise Magazine editor). The Awards recognize excellence in boutique winemaking, the heart and soul of the Australian Wine Industry (the Awards were open only to makers who crushed 250 tonnes or less for their own label in the 2010 vintage). The Awards pioneered judging wines in small regional groupings so that distinct regional styles are encouraged.
Judging was undertaken according to the highest Australian show standards. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were allocated and Trophies awarded to the best varietals and blends (see below). We commend all medals winners to our subscribers.
Full Results of the 2010 Awards: Click here
2010 Winewise Small Vigneron Awards Trophy winners:
Riesling: |
2010 Lock and Key Riesling (Hilltops, NSW) |
Chardonnay: |
2009 Oakridge Lieu-dit Chardonnay - Mackay Vineyard (Macedon, Vic) |
Semillon: |
2006 Coolangatta Estate Semillon (Shoalhaven, NSW) |
Sauvignon Blanc: |
2009 Abbey Creek Sauvignon Blanc (Great Southern, WA) |
Barrel Fermented Semillon or Sauvignon Blanc or Blends: |
|
Other White Varieties: |
2009 Ross Hill Pinot Gris (Orange, NSW) |
Sweet White: |
2010 Robert Stein Half Dry Riesling RS18 (Mudgee, NSW) |
Sparkling: |
2006 Brandy Creek Wines Sparkling “Menage à Trois” (Gippsland, Vic) |
Shiraz: |
2009 Nick O’Leary Shiraz (Canberra District) |
Cabernet Sauvignon: |
2007 Moss Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon (Margaret River, WA) |
Pinot Noir: |
2008 Paringa Estate ‘The Paringa’ Pinot Noir (Mornington Peninsula, Vic) |
Red Blend: |
2008 Sandhurst Ridge Fringe Shiraz Cabernet (Bendigo, Vic) |
Other Red Varieties: |
2009 Terra Felix Mourvèdre (Central Victoria) |
Fortified: |
Stanton and Killeen Grand Muscat (Rutherglen, Vic) |
Chairman's comments:
“We had a record number of entries this year, in excess of 1500, which meant judging by five panels”, Awards Chair Lester Jesberg said. "We maintained the highest judging standards and while this meant that the percentage of gold medal winners was down on last year's Awards, medal winners in this show will stand scrutiny anywhere." [5.0% Gold medals; 10.7% Silver medals; and 28.4% Bronze medals as percentages of total entries].
"The best of the shiraz are world class and I'm delighted to say that the finest of them come from the Canberra district. Australia's doyen of wine judges, James Halliday AM, chaired the judging of 24 Canberra district shiraz, and declared it to be the strongest red class of the show. The quality was so high that we decided not to split the top two wines, the 2009 Nick O'Leary Shiraz and the 2009 Ravensworth Shiraz Viognier, allowing both to advance to the trophy round. The Nick O'Leary wine subsequently won the trophy for best shiraz against very strong opposition."
"The best of the chardonnays, especially those from the Victorian regions of Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Macedon Ranges were exceptional. I can't understand why the market isn't embracing wines such as these."
"The standard of pinot noir from good producers in cool regions is particularly high. A lot of consumers think pinot noir is something like a dark rosé, but this simply isn't true. They are elegant, intense and long-flavoured, making them ideally suited to modern Australian cuisine."
"The trophy winners this year are, without doubt, the best collection of wines we have ever put forward. Despite the doom and gloom of the wine glut, the standard at the top has never been higher."
List of Exhibitors and Winery Contact details: Click here
James Halliday AM (far right) and panel: David Bicknell, Nick Spencer (Associate) and Deb Pearce
Tim Knappstein (third right) and panel: Nick O'Leary (Associate), Phil Trickett and Adam Foster
Chairman
Lester Jesberg (Winewise)
Panel Chairs
James Halliday (Wine critic and author)
Ian McKenzie (Consulting Oenologist)
Samantha Connew (Tower Estate, Hunter Valley)
Tim Knappstein (Riposte, Adelaide Hills)
Tim James (Consulting Oenologist)
Judges
Alex McKay (Collector Wines, Canberra District)
Bryan Currie (West End, Griffith)
Adam Foster (Syrahmi, Victoria)
Jeremy Stockman (formerly Manager, Fine Wine, Vintage Cellars)
David Bicknell (Oakridge, Yarra Valley)
Sarah Crowe (Swish Wines, Hunter Valley)
Len Sorbello (Winewise)
Phil Trickett (Winewise)
Ray Wilson (Winewise)
Debbie Pearce (Winewise)
Associates
Nick Spencer (Eden Road, Canberra)
Chris Carpenter (Lark Hill, Bungendore)
Simon Killeen (Cassella, Griffith)
Nick O’Leary (Nick O’Leary Wines, Canberra)
Fergus McGhie (Mount Majura, Canberra)
Ian McKenzie (far right) and panel: Alex McKay, Sarah Crowe and Chris Carpenter (Associate)
Tim James (far right) and panel: Jeremy Stockman, Len Sorbello and Simon Killeen (Associate)
Samantha Connew and panel: Ray Wilson, Bryan Currie and Fergus McGhie (Associate)
National Wine Show of Australia Eligibilty
Gold and Silver medal winners in the Winewise Small Vigneron Awards qualify for the premium and single vineyard classes in the National Wine Show of Australia while Gold medal winners also qualify for the premium gold classes (subject to the other entry requirements). See the Show's website: www.rncas.org.au/WineShow/site/index.php
Chairman Lester Jesberg and Stewards
Conduct of Awards:
Wines were poured by stewards “blind” and scored out of 20 by panels of three, each under the guidance of a panel chair. A gold medal wine is >18.4, a silver medal is >16.9 and <18.5, and a bronze is >15.4 and <17.0. Judges, as a matter of convention, score in full or half points e.g. 17, 17.5, 18.0, 18.5. The total scores shown in the Results pages are the sum of each panel judge's score out of a possible 60 points.
Reviews of all the Gold and Silver Medal winners were published in the August 2010 issue of Winewise Magazine which is available by subscription only: Subscribe Now.