Margaret River winery, Fermoy Estate, has won the Portavin Wine Show of Western Australia’s Portavin Integrated Wine Services Trophy for Best Wine of Show for its Fermoy Estate Reserve 2019 Chardonnay.
It also won the Mt Barker Co-Operative Trophy for Best White Wine of Show and the Seguin Moreau Trophy for Best Chardonnay.
The Southern Haulage Trophy for Best Red Wine of Show went to another Margaret River winery, Stella Bella for its Stella Bella 2019 Shiraz.
The Most Successful Exhibitor Overall was also a Margaret River winery, Evans and Tate.
The Winequip Trophy for Most Successful Exhibitor processing under 250 tonnes went to Great Southern winery Castle Rock Estate.
Chief Judge for the Wine Show of Western Australia was Courtney Treacher, who is responsible for a variety of wine styles under the Houghton, Brookland Valley, Goundrey, Amberley and Moondah Brook ranges.
Courtney has been involved in wine show judging at a number of local and national wine shows and was a scholar at the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial in 2011, which she describes as a once in a lifetime experience.
Judging for the 2020 wine show, which took place in Mt Barker during the week of November 9, faced a number of challenges.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions the show was judged by a 100 per cent West Australian judging team.
Panel leaders were senior winemaker at Willow Bridge Estate, Kim Horton and senior winemaker at Xanadu Wines, Glenn Goodall. They were joined by Matt Byrne from Evans & Tate, Deep Woods Estate winemaker Emma Gillespie, Vasse Felix chief winemaker Virginia Willcock and Gourmet Traveller Wine List of the Year awards judge, Erin Larkin.
Courtney says the judging team was of the highest calibre.
“It was particularly pleasing to see that 68 per cent of the 647 entries picked up an award, nine per cent of entries received a gold medal, 23 per cent received silver and 35 per cent received bronze,” she says.
“There were a total of 64 gold medals awarded which reflects the quality of Western Australian wines from some exceptional vintages.
“The 2019 Shiraz class was strong; the top wines were brightly fruited with good spice and nicely balanced oak.
“It was exciting to see a range of winemaking techniques being applied to these wines.
“Unfortunately, the older Shiraz classes were lacking some freshness and/or oak balance.”
The highlights of the show, according to Courtney, were the varietal Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon classes.
“The 2020 class of Rieslings was very strong; it was exciting to see producers exploring some different approaches to Riesling making.
“The gold medal wines showed focus and precision with beautiful fruit purity, as well as some examples with underlying solids complexity.
“The top wines in the aged Riesling class showed an extra dimension of aged complexity while retaining a varietal core.
“The 2019 Chardonnay class was a pleasure to judge and truly reflected a great Chardonnay vintage in WA.
“There were some lovely wines with purity and finesse as well as some powerfully complex and flinty wines.
“The top wines showed a seamless balance of fruit drive, elegance and power that co-existed beautifully.
“We also saw some inspirational older Chardonnays. Top examples still showing fruit, balance and finesse.
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon class was surprisingly compelling at this young age with the wines being richly fruited with fine tannins – a great insight into the quality of the yet to be released Cabernets from this vintage.
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon class was an exciting and powerful bracket of wines.
“The top wines displayed a lovely purity of fruit, pristine palates and considered use of oak. The 2017 and older Cabernet Sauvignon class was also a delight.”
Courtney says that while the top Rosé was a delightfully complex wine, a number of wines in this class lacked freshness and vibrancy.
“The Sauvignon Blanc class was a little disappointing with some wines looking like they had been picked early to retain freshness however as a result the wines have suffered in that they are quite high in acidity and lean, a reflection of the vintage.
“The alternative white class showed good promise across a broad stroke of varieties.
“The better wines in this class showed varietal character however lacked some polish and finishing.
“As a result, no gold medals were awarded to this class of wines,” Courtney says.
2020 TROPHY WINNERS
PORTAVIN WINE SHOW OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
MOUNT BARKER
Portavin Integrated Wine Services Trophy
Best Wine of Show
Fermoy Estate
Fermoy Estate Reserve 2019 Chardonnay
Mt Barker Co-Operative Trophy
Best White Wine of Show
Fermoy Estate
Fermoy Estate Reserve 2019 Chardonnay
Southern Haulage Trophy
Best Red Wine of Show
Stella Bella
Stella Bella 2019 Shiraz
Most Successful Exhibitor Overall
Evans and Tate
Winequip Trophy
Most Successful Exhibitor processing under 250 tonnes
Castle Rock Estate
JS Gladstones Trophy Sponsored by RASWA
Best and Most Distinctive Regional Character
Xanadu
Xanadu 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Strike Point Trophy
Best Great Southern White
Cherubino Wines
Ad Hoc 2017 Wallflower Riesling
Southerly Magazine Trophy
Best Great Southern Red
Cherubino Wines
Ad Hoc 2018 Middle of Everywhere Shiraz
Seguin Moreau Trophy
Best Chardonnay
Fermoy Estate
Fermoy Estate Reserve 2019 Chardonnay
Pam McGregor Trophy sponsored by Plasdene Glass-Pak
Best Aged Riesling
Cherubino Wines
Ad Hoc 2017 Wallflower Riesling
Great Southern Wine Producers Association Trophy
Best Riesling
Cherubino Wines
Ad Hoc 2017 Wallflower Riesling
Hahn Corporation Trophy
Best Sauvignon Blanc
Stella Bella
Stella Bella 2020 Sauvignon Blanc
Multi-Color Australia Trophy
Best White Blend
Evans & Tate
Evans & Tate 2020 Fresh as a Daisy Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc
Air Liquide Trophy
Best Dry White Varietal
No trophy was awarded
Booth Transport Trophy
Best Rosé of Show
JAH Langworthy
Nocturne 2020 SR Rosé
Ian Tyrer Trophy
Sponsored by Galafrey Wines & Mt Barker Wine Producers
Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Xanadu
Xanadu 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Classic Oak Trophy
Best Shiraz
Stella Bella
Stella Bella 2019 Shiraz
Best Pinot Noir Trophy
Cherubino Wines
Laissez Faire 2019 Pemberton Pinot Noir
Neale Warneford Trophy
Sponsored by Warneford Family & the Mt Barker & District Agricultural Society
Best Red Blend
Deep Woods Estate
Deep Woods Estate 2019 Et Al Shiraz
Best Other Red Varietal Trophy
Evans & Tate
Evans & Tate 2019 Single Vineyard Malbec
Smith Thornton Trophy
Best Older Red Wine
No trophy was awarded
For more information go to www.wineshowwa.com.au
