WA shines at Royal Show wine comp
The 2014 Perth Royal Wine Show has been a triumph for WA producers with nine of the 19 trophies awarded for individual wines against all-comers going to wines made in this State.
The success story of the show was Margaret River's Aravina Estate which won five trophies including best wine of the show for its chardonnay 2013. Aravina's other trophies were for the best white table wine and best chardonnay, and also for the best WA white wine and best WA wine overall.
Aravina Estate is the reincarnation of the Amberley Estate vineyard which was bought by WA mining industry man Steve Tobin from Accolade Wines several years ago.
In April this year I wrote this wine up in the Weekend West with these comments: Lavish and stylish Margaret River chardonnay showing how far this producer has come in recent years. Has a nutty creamy nose with some spicy floral attributes. On the palate you start to get a taste of Margaret River power, but it's delivered with a degree of refinement and stylish restraint. Still has the power that is the hallmark of the region.
Score: 93/100
The show was a real success for some of WA's smaller producers and among the wins were several surprises.
In particular was Margaret River's Ashbrook Estate, which won a trophy for its 2014 riesling, a variety that is not generally associated with the region but which has been championed by Ashbrook for a number of years.
Another small producer's success - literally - was that of John Small's Smallwater Estate which won the hotly contested trophy for the best shiraz of the show against some of the biggest names in the country with its shiraz 2013. This wine has already scored a number of other show successes and points to the considerable potential for shiraz from the Geographe region.
Other trophies not restricted solely to WA wines included the West Cape Howe Tempranillo 2013 (Best Dry Red Varietal), the Ibizan Semillon sauvignon blanc 2014 (Best Dry White Table Wine and Best Semillon sauvignon blanc) and the Millbrook Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (Best sauvignon blanc).
Other trophies won by WA producers included the Amelia Park Reserve cabernet sauvignon 2012 (Best WA Dry Red), Houghton Wines (Most successful WA producer) and Mandoon Estate (Most successful WA producer processing less than 300 tones).
The Perth Wine show also ended the show judging career of the show chairman Brian Croser who said he "had decided to hang up his palate after 40 years of show judging". He said he was particularly impressed with the quality of the chardonnays and shiraz, which both showed great finesse demonstrating how far these varieties had come in Australia.
"Australian winemakers are reinventing theee4 styles and the award winners were world class," he said.
Perth Royal Wine Show 2014 results:
Most Successful Exhibitor
McWilliam's Wines
Best Wine of the 2014 Show
Aravina Estate Chardonnay 2013
Most Successful West Australian Exhibitor
Houghton Wines
The Trophy for Exhibitor whose 5 or more judged entries gain the highest average points.
Lake Breeze Wines Most Successful West Australian Exhibitor processing under 300 tonnes
Mandoon Estate
Best West Australian Wine
Aravina Estate Chardonnay 2013 Vintage, in Class 6
Best Fortified Wine
Morris Old Premium Rare Liqueur Tokay Non Vintage, in Class 82
Best Red Table Wine
Lake Breeze Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Best White Table Wine
Aravina Estate Chardonnay 2013
Best West Australian Dry Red Table Wine
Amelia Park Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Best Dry Red Table Wine
Bleasdale Frank Potts 2013
Best 2012 Vintage Dry Red Table Wine
Lake Breeze Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Best Dry Red Varietal
West Cape Howe Tempranillo 2013
Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Lake Breeze Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Best Pinot Noir
Montalto Teurong Block Pinot Noir 2013
Best Shiraz
Smallwater Estate Shiraz 2013 Best Western Australian White Table Wine
Aravina Estate Chardonnay 2013 Best Sparkling Wine
House of Arras Grand Vintage 2004
Best 2014 Vintage Dry White Table Wine
Pewsey Vale Vineyard Riesling 2014 Best Sweet White Table Wine
d'Arenberg The Noble Wrinkled 2011
Best Dry White Table Wine (Blends)
Ibizan Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Best Semillon Sauvignon Blanc/ Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
Ibizan Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Best Dry White Varietal
Princess Butterfly Marsanne 2013 Best Sauvignon Blanc
Millbrook Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Best Chardonnay
Aravina Estate Chardonnay 2013
Best Semillon
McGuigan Vineyard Select Semillon 2005
Best Riesling
Ashbrook Estate Riesling 2014
