Chardonnay has continued its dominance at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show, being declared the most outstanding wine for the third consecutive year.
Vasse Felix won the Most Outstanding Red or White Wine in Show trophy for their 2010 Heytesbury Chardonnay, also taking out the Best Chardonnay and Best White Wine titles. The Margaret River winery also received the Best Dry White Blend trophy for their Vasse Felix Classic Dry White. Last year"s top award went to Penfolds 2009 Reserve Bin A Chardonnay, with Wolf Blass" 2007 White Label Chardonnay winning in 2009.
The Clare Valley"s Leasingham Wines took out the Best Red Wine in Show and Best Shiraz trophies for their Classic Clare Shiraz, while Barossa stalwarts Wolf Blass Wines and Peter Lehmann Wines performed well, taking out three and two trophies respectively.
Majella Wines from the Coonawarra took out the prestigious Gramp, Hardy, Hill Smith Prize for Outstanding Wine of Provenance, winning the award for its Majella Cabernet Sauvignon. The Provenance Prize assesses three vintages of one wine with judges looking for strong regionality, consistency and sense of place.
New South Wales and Victorian wineries also performed strongly, including Yarra Valley labels St Huberts Wines who won the Best Pinot Noir title and De Bortoli Wines who gained recognition for their Noble One in the Sweet White Table Wine class. From the Hunter Valley, Tyrrells Vineyards took out the Semillon title with its Belford Semillon and McWilliams’s Show Reserve Muscet was named best Apera, Topaque or Muscat.
Chairman of judges Mr Brian Walsh said the resurgence of premium Chardonnay continued this year, with the judges presented with an abundance of quality, mature chardonnays.
“We hope consumers will look out for these styles at their favourite bottleshop or restaurant,” Mr Walsh said.
“The fresh, aromatic whites from 2011, including Riesling, Semillon and Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc, also showed well, particularly those with strong fruit characteristics - making them perfect for alfresco dining in spring and summer.
“The Australian Shiraz class, 2009 in particular, also performed well and it was pleasing to see improvements in the Grenache and Grenache Shiraz Mataro wines. Meanwhile, the first serious showing of some 2010 red wines suggests this year will come to be recognised as a great one for reds, particularly when all the wines are bottled and eligible for tasting.”
The most highly regarded Wine Show in Australia, the 2011 Royal Adelaide Wine Show attracted 2,414 entries from 318 Australian wineries. Overall, a total of 23 trophies, 158 gold medals, 250 silver medals and 631 bronze medals, across 67 classes, were awarded at this morning"s Declaration of Awards Ceremony, held at the Adelaide Showground.
Following the presentation of awards over 2000 winemakers, wine and hospitality industry staff attended an invitation-only tasting of wines entered in the Show, while trophy winners and invited guests attended the Wine Press Club of South Australia (WPC) luncheon, during which SA wine business student, Jessica Henderson, was awarded the 2011 WPC Wine Media Cadetship. This evening, members of the public will enjoy the „Taste of the Best" event.
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