The International Wine Challenge, the world’s most influential and rigorously judged wine competition, has announced its 30 best wines from around the world.
Angove Organic wins big at wine awards
Australian certified organic grape grower and winemaker, Angove Organic, has recently received several medals at the 2020 Drink Business Magazine Awards.
The range of certified organic wines are crafted from premium grapes sourced from a number of organic and biodynamic vineyards through McLaren Vale and the Riverland. At no stage during the grape growing or winemaking processes is synthetic chemicals or non-organic inputs used.
The winning wines at the include:
- 2018 Warboys Vineyard McLaren Vale Grenache 2018 – Master medal – “Delicious. Juicy, masses of cherry and strawberry, ripe, fleshy, but not heavy”
- 2019 Angove Organic Shiraz Cabernet – Gold medal – “Nice juicy, fruity, youthful nose with red and dark cherry fruit”
- 2019 Angove Organic Chardonnay – Gold medal – “Delicate nose, some peach and touch of cream”
- 2018 Warboys Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz Grenache 2018 – Gold medal – “Nose has gentle notes of red berry fruit, strawberry, lot of toasty oak, Grenache like character, with some cherry fruit”
- 2019 Wild Olive Organic McLaren Vale Chardonnay 2019 – Gold medal – “Peach, lemon and peanut nose.”
- 2019 Angove Organic Shiraz – Silver medal – “Quite deep ruby, intense nose with touch of vanilla and ripe black fruit”
- 2018 Wild Olive Organic McLaren Vale Shiraz – Silver medal – “Palate intense, sweet black cherry and blackcurrant, some vanilla and peppermint”
- 2018 Warboys Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz – Silver medal – “Medium weight, vanilla and toast, touch of mint.”
Handpicked Wines picks up silverware at wine awards
Handpicked Wines’ has won three trophies at the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards recognising its flagship Capella Vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula. Handpicked Wines 2017 Capella Vineyard Chardonnay won the Douglas Seabrook Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Wine, the trophy for Best Chardonnay (class 2017 and older), and the Capella Vineyard took out the Kym Ludvigsen Trophy for Viticultural Excellence.
Director of Winemaking Peter Dillon said the trophies were a vindication of major efforts to improve the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyard in Bittern, near the shores of Western Port, by focussing on soil health and vitality.
“We are seeing the rewards in so many ways – the increased energy in the vineyard is palpable, our wines are better than ever and our staff enjoy a healthy work environment and stimulating and satisfying work.
“I spend at least as much time in the vineyard as in the winery and building a strong teamwork ethic between the winemaking and vineyard teams has been key to our success.”
Karl Roberts has been Vineyard Manager at Capella Vineyard since Handpicked purchased the property in 2013, prior to that he was part of the team that planned and planted the vineyard in 2009.
“We were lucky to inherit Karl’s experience and knowledge of the property,” Dillon said. Roberts still remembers the site was horse paddocks before the vineyard was planted.
“Since our first vintage in 2013 Karl has accepted and grown with every challenge, including further study, new management practices and working cooperatively with the rest of our vineyard and winemaking teams.
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this site for more than 10 years and see it progress. It’s very satisfying to see how our use of organic principles such as inter-row crops and integrated pest management has improved the soil and reduced the need for pesticides and fungicides,” Roberts said.
Research such as soil pit analysis and a heavy emphasis on organics has guided management practices including planting of new clones, making compost teas, composting and mulching, inter-row planting, mechanical weed control, soil improvements and integrated pest management techniques.
Handpicked also owns vineyards in the Yarra Valley, Barossa Valley and Tasmania. Its 2018 Collection Tasmania Pinot Noir also picked up a gold medal at the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards, after scooping the pool at the 2019 Royal Hobart Wine Show, where it won trophies for Best Pinot Noir, Best Tasmanian Wine and Best Red Wine.
Australian Women in Wine Awards finalists announced
The 2018 Australian Women in Wine Awards have attracted strong numbers, with more finalists announced this year than in previous years.
There are eight awards on offer this year. Each attracted a large number of entries, which the judges decided to celebrate by naming four finalists in some of the categories, instead of the usual three.
The Fabulous Ladies’ Wine Society together with the Australian Women in Wine Awards (AWIWA) advisory board announce the finalists of the awards on October 16.
Now in its fourth year, the Australian Women in Wine Awards are the first awards platform for women in wine.
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Founding member of the AWIWA advisory board and award-winning wine journalist, Jeni Port, said each year the judging process gets harder as more talented women enter.
“We looked at entrants who are global leaders in their fields. That’s exciting and worth shouting about,” said Port.
The finalists in each category are:
Winemaker of the Year – sponsored by Tonnellerie Saint Martin
- Kate Goodman, Goodman Wines / Penley Estate
- Gill Gordon-Smith, Fall From Grace
- Cath Oates, Oates Ends
- Emma Wood, Penfolds Wines (Treasury Wine Estates)
Viticulturist of the Year – sponsored by Wine Australia
- Brooke Howell, Yalumba & Hill-Smith Family Vineyards
- Amanda Mader, Vine Scout
- Nicole Pitman, Kingston Estate Vineyards
Owner / Operator of the Year – sponsored by WineWorks Australia
- Kirsty Balnaves, Balnaves of Coonawarra
- Callie Jemmeson, Wine Unplugged
- Sarah Marquis, Mollydooker Wines
Workplace Champion of Change – sponsored by Winemakers Federation of Australia
- Darryn Hakof, Pernod Ricard Winemakers
- Lara Simic, Winestate Publishing
- Zonte’s Footstep
Cellar Door Person of the Year – sponsored by Platinum Bags
- Janine Carter, Voyager Estate
- Jessie Jiang, Sandalford Wines
- Michelle Stehbens, Katnook Coonawarra
Researcher of the Year – sponsored by Angove Family Winemakers
- Jacqui McRae, Australian Wine Research Institute
- Prof. Sandra Savocchia & Dr. Regina Billones-Baaijens, Charles Sturt University, National Wine and Grape Industry Centre
- Prof. Kerry Wilkinson, The University of Adelaide
Marketer of the Year – sponsored by Denomination
- Belinda Austin – Austins Wines
- Shirley Fraser – Byrne Vineyards
- Lynda Schenk – Purple Giraffe
The eighth award category, Woman of Inspiration Award – sponsored by Irvine Wines – is a judges’ choice award determined by AWIWA. No entry is required, and the winner will be announced at the awards ceremony on November 16 in Sydney.
The 2018 awards were judged by panels made up of AWIWA advisory board members as well as previous winners and category sponsors.
Yarra Valley company Seville Estate win winery of the year award
Seville Estate has been named Winery of the Year at the 2019 Halliday Wine Companion Awards.
Wine expert James Halliday presented the award at a ceremony in Melbourne, in early August.
Each year Halliday and a tasting panel determine the best from a pool of several thousand featured in the annual Halliday wine companion guide.
In addition to the Winery of the Year award, Seville Estate’s 2017 release includes 10 wines awarded with 95 points or more including its signature shiraz, pinot noir and chardonnay ranges.
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Chief winemaker and general manager Dylan McMahon said he was honoured to accept the award.
“Seville Estate has been consistently producing great wines ever since my grandfather Peter McMahon first planted the vineyard. I feel the success is attributed to a combination of factors, location, vine material and a good understanding of the vineyard that can be translated into the winemaking,” he said.
“My grandmother Margaret chose this site for its sheer beauty and it was Pete’s drive and determination to make great cool climate wines from it. Our team work hard to ensure this vision continues,” said McMahon.
The Seville Estate 2017 wine release was produced from 26 acres of estate vineyard and will be released on allocation from the 5th of October 2018.
An hour’s drive from Melbourne, Seville Estate is located in the foothills of Mount Dandenong at the start of the Yarra River.
The winery has a recently refurbished cellar door, onsite accommodation and a weekend restaurant providing lunch and dinner.
Wine of the Year was awarded to 2017 Duke’s Vineyard Magpie Hill Reserve Riesling, produced in Great Southern WA.
Winemaker of the Year went to Julian Langworthy of Deep Woods Estate in Margaret River, WA.
The Best Value Winery of the Year award went to Provenance Wines in Geelong, Victoria.
Best New Winery was awarded to Mewstone Wines, Tasmania.
Dark Horse Winery of the Year was awarded to Principia, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.
Photo: from left, Andrew Peggie, Jarrod Johnson, Dylan McMahon from Seville Estate.