WINEWISE SELECTS THE CHAMPION WINES OF AUSTRALIA   RESULTS ANNOUNCED

In what amounts to a ‘best of the best competition’, the object was to acknowledge Australia’s finest wines, from producers large and small.  The Winewise Championship is an exciting new initiative designed to showcase the benchmark wines of Australia.

The best wines from the 2009 National Wine Show (the premium national show which has increasingly become the province of large producers) and the 2009 Winewise Small Vigneron Awards (the premium small producers' wine show) were judged against the best from the major Australian regional wine shows during the 2009 show circuit. To add balance, some "wildcard" entries were invited from producers who don't normally enter wine shows but whose wines were previously judged under show conditions.

Overall Results

Champion Dry White: 2007 Penfolds Reserve Bin 07A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay
Champion Dry Red: 2008 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir (Mornington Peninsula, Vic)
Champion Varietal Red: 2008 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir (Mornington Peninsula, Vic)
Champion Red Blend: 2008 Water Wheel Memsie Homestead Red (Bendigo, Vic)
Champion Sweet White: 2006 Brown Brothers Patricia Noble Riesling (Milawa, Vic)
Champion Sparkling White or Rosé: 2003 House of Arras Grand Vintage (Tasmania)
Champion Sparkling Red: 2004 Blue Pyrenees Estate Sparkling Shiraz
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Medallion winners (for individual varieties or styles)

Riesling Medallion: 2004 Peter Lehmann Wigan Eden Valley Riesling
Semillon Medallion: 2005 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Hunter Semillon
Sauvignon Blanc Medallion: 2009 Printhie Orange Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc Blend Medallion: 2009 Edwards Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay Medallion: 2007 Penfolds Reserve Bin 07A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay
Viognier Medallion: 2008 Heafod Glen Swan Valley Viognier
Other Varietal Dry White Medallion: 2009 Beach Road Fiano (Langhorne Creek, SA)
Pinot Noir Medallion: 2008 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir (Mornington Peninsula, Vic)
Shiraz Medallion: 2006 McIvor Estate Heathcote Shiraz
Cabernet Sauvignon Medallion: 2007 Xanadu Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot or Cabernet Franc Medallion: 2008 Nannup Ridge Estate Merlot (Blackwood Valley, WA)
Grenache or Grenache Blend Medallion: 2008 DogRock Degraves Road (Pyrenees, Vic)
Italian Variety Medallion: 2007 Karanto Langhorne Creek Aglianico
Other Varietal Red Medallion: 2008 Brown Brothers Cellar Door Release Graciano (Milawa, Vic)
‘Bordeaux Blend’ Medallion: 2007 Capercaillie The Clan (Multi-Regional)
Classic Australian Blend Medallion: 2006 Wynns Coonawarra The Gables Cabernet Shiraz
Other Reds Blend Medallion: 2008 Water Wheel Memsie Homestead Red (Bendigo, Vic)

For more detailed results and background to the Championship: click here

“Anyone who thinks that Australian wine lacks diversity, individuality or interest has their head in the sand,” said Lester Jesberg, Championship Chair, announcing the winners of the inaugural Winewise Championship.  “In quality terms, the Australian wine industry is alive and well. It’s time to stop the negative talk”.

All eligible wines were judged on 11 and 12 February in Canberra. The wines were assessed in small groups of no more than seven and ranked in order of preference by the judging panel comprised of four of the regular Winewise panel and experienced show judges – Lester Jesberg, Debbie Pearce, Len Sorbello and Phil Trickett – and two of the most respected senior judges from within the wine industry – Tom Carson (Chairman of the National Wine Show) and Tim Kirk (Winemaker Clonakilla). The winning wines will each be awarded a gold-plated 63 cm Medallion, specially struck by the Royal Australian Mint (as illustrated above).

Championship Chair Lester Jesberg with judge Tom Carson

Why the need for yet another wine show? Chris Shanahan summed it up well in his recent article “National Show shouldn’t ignore gaps in its ranks”: Click Here

Full coverage of the 2010 Winewise Championship will be in our April issue: Subscribe Now!