Margaret River winery Xanadu was announced as winner of the Wine Show of Western Australia, Shire of Plantagenet Trophy, Best Wine of Show, for its 2017 DJL Cabernet Sauvignon, and was also awarded the trophy for Best Red Wine of Show.
This year there were 855 entries from a total of 115 producers with the awards presented at a lunch at Plantagenet Wines in Mt Barker.
Singaporean master of wine Ying Hsien Tan joined chief judge Tasmanian winemaker Samantha Connew and her team for the 42nd Wine Show of WA.
Connew said it was pleasing to see that 65 per cent of the 855 entries picked up awards, with 4.7 per cent achieving gold medal status, which she said reflected on the quality of WA wines.
There were 57 gold medals awarded.
The Portavin Integrated Wine Services Trophy for Best White Wine of Show went to the Robert Oatley 2019 Signature Series Great Southern Riesling.
Albany CCI trophy for the most successful exhibitor overall was won by Larry Cherubino Wines
The Winequip Trophy, most successful exhibitor processing under 250 tonnes was awarded to Castle Rock Estate.
The standout class was the Shiraz, Class 22, with five Golds going to the 66 entries in the class.
As expected, Chardonnay and Cabernet brackets were very strong but it was pleasing to see a depth and diversity in the Riesling and Shiraz classes with the 2018 Shiraz in particular showing a lovely purity of fruit,” Connew said.
“As we have seen at other shows over the last five years, the red blend classes were very strong with Bordeaux blends shining the light, although the Rhone blends didn’t reveal the highlights that we have seen previously.
“From a single varietal point of view outside of the traditional strong quartet of Cabernet, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Riesling, Malbec was a stand out for reds with another strong showing and with whites there was a lovely perfumed Alsatian blend and a textured Fiano.
“The Rose class was disappointing in the context of these wines being extremely commercially relevant; it seems that too many producers are sacrificing flavour in the pursuit of getting the right colour.”
Panel leaders include Courtney Treacher from the Houghton team at Nannup; freelance wine journalist Dave Brookes; and senior winemaker for Tyrells, in the Hunter Valley Andrew Spinaze.
As well as international judge Ying Tan, judges included WA winemaker Damian Hutton, and Margaret River winemakers Kate Morgan, Ben Rector, Brendan Carr and Severine Logan.
Beginning in 1978 as part of the Mount Barker and Districts Agricultural Show, the Wine Show of Western Australia has grown to become a separate and distinguished event which annually determines the best of Western Australian wines.
From only six classes in 1978, the show has grown to 39 classes and 23 trophies including the prestigious Shire of Plantagenet Trophy for Best Wine of Show.
