Vintage Cellars 2013 Margaret River Wine Show Results

Chair Philip Rich and his fellow Judges including this year’s Internationals Stephen Brook and Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW awarded 426 medals from 690 entries with 37 Gold, 91 Silver and 298 Bronze at the Vintage Cellars Margaret River Wine Show. This represents Margaret River Wines collective commitment to quality with nearly 62% of all entries being awarded a medal.
The following major trophies and awards were presented at the Wine Show Gala Dinner held late last week at the Vasse Felix winery:
Best Red Wine of Show – Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Best White Wine of Show – Evans & Tate Redbrook Chardonnay 2011
Most Successful Exhibitor – Xanadu Wines
Best Cabernet Sauvignon – Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Best Chardonnay – Evans & Tate Redbrook Chardonnay 2011
Best Single Vineyard Red – Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Best Single Vineyard White – Xanadu Stevens Road Chardonnay 2011
Best Exhibition – Heydon Estate “W G Grace” Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Best Cabernet Sauvignon Predominant Blend – Clairault Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2012
Best Blends of Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon – Xanadu DJL Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013
Best Shiraz – Cow Bombie Shiraz 2012
Best Other Blend or Varietal – Deep Woods Estate Shiraz Et Al 2012

Philip Rich said, “While the trade, media and consumers will focus on the ten (10) Chardonnay Golds
and nineteen (19) Golds awarded to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends highlighting the region’s strength, these classes were so strong that there are a number of wines awarded silver medals that consumers should also seek out. In cricket parlance, Chardonnay and Cabernet in Margaret River bat well down the order. We were similarly impressed with the Semillon / Sauvignon Blanc blends ranging from lighter, fruit driven unwooded styles to the richer and still well balanced barrel fermented wines that certain producers are making. It’s also worth mentioning that 2011 was very strong across the board and should not be tarred with the same brush as some Australian regions that struggled in this vintage and that 2012 is also shaping up as another terrific vintage. I look forward to seeing more of them next year!”
Wine Show Chairman Edward Tomlinson said, “It was another tremendous show. The results reflect the Margaret River wine community’s focus on producing a superior product. Together with our geography, climate, and modest seasonal variation, Margaret River has the capacity to consistently produce fine wines equal to the best of their type.”
All results from the 2013 Vintage Cellars Margaret River Wine Show are available from the Association’s website.
Also announced last night was the annual Viticulture Excellence Award; this was won by David Botting of Howard Park and again represents the commitment to the underlying philosophy held by the Association that good wine can only be made from good vines.
The inaugural Marketing Award for Excellence was won by Flametree Wines and has been developed to aid wine businesses who choose to focus on consumer direct sales via the internet.