Overproduction, slash-and-burn retailing and our strong dollar should keep a lid firmly on mainstream wine prices throughout 2011. Adding to that chaotic mix are rising volumes of clean skins and labels owned or controlled by retailers, a dollop of parallel importing and the less-obvious but increasingly important activities of online retailers, auctioneers and direct marketers.

An indication of the pain ahead, for some, came last year when John Geber, proprietor of the Barossa’s Chateau Tanunda and successful wine exporter, claimed the strong dollar was slaughtering Australia’s exports and could ruin Australian producers. Geber didn’t say it, but our failed exports stays at home, adding to the oversupply, depressing domestic prices and putting further competitive pressure on established brands.

The oversupply also fuels the explosion of new labels and cleanskins sprinkled throughout the retail, online, auction and direct-marketing worlds. Confusing as this proliferation of new labels might be for wine drinkers, it tends in aggregate to increase competition and lower prices.

In the hands of skilled marketers, unknown labels can both protect and mask retail margins in a way that could never be achieved were all retailers to sell the same brands. Cellarmasters, Australia’s leading direct marketer, led the way with exclusive labels in the 1980s. Big retailers are now headed down a similar path.

Cellarmaster persuaded wine producers to supply exclusive variants of their branded products. This enabled them to fetch a premium on well-known brands by avoiding price comparisons with the regular label sold by other retailers.

On the other hand mainstream retailers today tend to create their own labels from scratch or arrange exclusive import arrangements with overseas producers (although they sometimes offer products exclusively from well-known local producers).

Liquor retail consultant David Farmer says that in the UK, over half the products sold by Tesco are house brands. But on a recent visit there he noted how shabby and degraded Tesco’s merchandising appeared – a downside he attributes partly to stripping out more glamorous, strongly marketed brands and partly to the poverty of the house labels on offer.

This suggests that if retailers drop the carefully built brands from their offer, the glamour, and ultimately the value of the retail offer goes with it. But we’re a long way from that point in Australia as big retailers rely on discounting strong brands to drive traffic – albeit in a quickly changing way.

In a recent presentation to independent Australian retailers, Farmer highlighted a technique Woolworths now uses to build the credibility of its house wine brands: positioning them in advertisements alongside comparably priced national brands – a simple way to suggest equal quality and, at the same time, to milk perhaps a century of goodwill behind the known label.

House brand wine labels these days don’t say “house brand” or “Coles” or “Woolworths”, “Aldi” or any other retail name. They look just like regular wine labels, more often than not with regional and varietal information on them. Coles, for example, offers Two Churches, its own Barossa brand, through their 1st Choice, Vintage Cellars and Liquorland outlets.

This growing shift to labels they own or control gives the big retailers more market power than the big producers. It must horrify them to see their biggest customers became their biggest competitors. The retailers have them over a barrel.

But it’s not just the big guys offering exclusive labels. For example, Kemeny’s, a high-profile Sydney independent retailer, now peppers its advertisements with its Hidden Label brand – no doubt to avoid the fight it can’t win: going head to head with the majors on strong brands. And these days every retailer, large and small, offers cleanskins – unbranded bottles.

Farmer believes cleanskins have grown at the expense of wine casks which have plummeted precipitously from 46 to 40 per cent of total Australian wine consumption in just a few years.

On www.glug.com.au, Farmer ranks cleanskins of various kinds in five of the top 25 positions of Australia’s biggest selling bottled wines. He estimates the volume of these top five categories of cleanskin at around 800 thousand cases annually.

As these are sold on price, tempered by hope (we all want Grange for $5) cleanskins selling in this volume inevitably maintain pressure on wine prices within their general price category.

Among all this chaos, though, some wine brands prosper, partly because many drinkers feel insecure buying unknown or no-label wines. Jacob’s Creek, for example, weathered the GFC and private label storm in the UK and, after a battering, is now growing again.

And in Australia, there’s a far more gentile wine scene operating out of sight of mainstream retailing. Every region now has its small volume, high quality producers like our own Clonakilla.

And across the regions, including tiny Canberra and massive Barossa, keen young winemakers without vineyards continue to team up with established growers to make exciting, single-vineyard wines in small quantities.

This activity offers better returns to grape growers, a living for winemakers and really interesting, generally inexpensive wines for drinkers. On a larger, long-term scale, this new wave of small winemakers exerts an influence beyond their size on the style of wines we’ll enjoy in the future.

These guys think long and hard about what they’re doing. And because more often than not they’re not making to a template, they bring welcome changes to regional style – just look, for example, at what Tim Kirk, Nick Spencer and Nick O’Leary are doing for the increasingly fine style of shiraz coming out of nearby Hilltops.

So, the prediction for 2011: lots of wine, lots of cheap wine, lots of good wine, lots of imported wine, greater diversity of top regional specialties, and increasing parcels of exciting stuff from our small makers.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2011

Canberra and surrounding districts fared sensationally well in this year’s National Wine Show of Australia, judged between 15 and 18 November. By my count, local wines won 31 awards – one trophy, 13 gold medals, four silver medals and 13 bronze medals.

The tally includes wines from most of the regions covered by the Canberra Regional Wine Show – Canberra District, Hilltops, Tumbarumba, Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven Coast. And the results are generally consistent with previously perceived regional strengths.

Local entries were up on previous years, thanks to two changes to entry requirements –  a halving of the amount of stock producers are required to have on hand when entering some classes, and the inclusion of the Canberra Regional Show as a qualifying show. The show organisers made the changes to encourage more entries from high-quality, small regional makers. For Canberra, the benefits of the quantity change become apparent in the results from the very first class in this year’s judging.

Helm Canberra District Classic Dry Riesling 2010 received one of two gold medals awarded in the 2010 riesling class. Ken Helm says he’s delighted at the rule change, and the result. He recalled that last year he couldn’t enter because his riesling production fell short of the show’s quantity test – despite qualifying with a medal from the regional show.

The success of Helm’s rieslings (his Premium 2010 won gold in another section) points to a solid judging performance in these classes. Often, when young, the high-acid, comparatively austere Helm style lose out to softer, fruitier, more accessible wines in long line-ups.

And if we scroll through the 96-page catalogue of results, we find a feast of good drinking among the medal winners. We can always quibble with the results when the wrappers come up off. But, as a buying guide it’s reliable, revealing the current trend for judges to rate purity and fruitiness over winemaking inputs.

The judges spell this out in their comments on Class 17 2009 Dry Red Shiraz, “Young, fresh and vibrant wines seduced the judges where the oak handling was not excessive. This was not always the case. Heavy-handed winemakers clouded the expression of many wines that had delicate floral fruit to offer. Less oak please.”

The positive comments could’ve been penned especially for one of the class gold-medallists – the locally made Eden Road Wines The Long Road Shiraz 2009, a Hilltops-Canberra blend.

This is the follow up vintage to the highly successful 2008 vintage, both made by Nick Spencer. Spencer ages portions of wine in large old oak and adds another completely unoaked component to the final blend. Thus, the wine has some of the mellowness and complexity of barrel ageing, but little oak flavour, and a main emphasis on vibrant, fresh, juicy, fruity flavours.

A move to more sympathetic oak treatment has been underway in the industry for more than a decade. But, as the judges commented, we still see too many potentially exciting wines blemished by poor oak treatment. Comments like these in the show system (and awarding fruity rather than over-oaked reds) encourages winemakers to look again at what they’re doing.

Occasionally, though, the focus on purity and fruitiness in reds rewards simplicity over complexity, as we saw to some extent in this year’s regional show.

Eighteen of the 31 National Show gongs won by Canberra and surrounding districts went to shiraz and riesling, reflecting widespread strength in these varieties. Tyrrell’s won the highest of these awards with a gold medal and trophy for its one-off 2008 Canberra District Shiraz.

However, the strengths of our local districts extends beyond these varieties, with medals awarded to two Shoalhaven Coast semillons (made by Tyrrell’s for Coolangatta Estate), chardonnays from Canberra, Tumbarumba and the Southern Highlands, tempranillo from Hilltops and Canberra and Mount Majura’s lovely Canberra District tempranillo-shiraz-graciano blend.

I’ve listed details of the successful local wines, awards and districts in the table below.

But despite the overall credible results, the show, like all shows, presents several dramatic anomalies. And they’re hard to explain. How, for example do we reconcile a 41 point score (out of 60) for a wine that earned 55.5 and a gold medal two months earlier at the regional show.

In the regional show, the judges wrote of Coolangatta Estate Savagnin 2010, “the savagnin had lovely bright fruit with depth of flavour and should be received with some excitement in the region”. In the National, judges dismissed the same wine and its peers as “mostly non-descript”.

Similarly, the National Show judges bagged Eden Road Wines The Long Road RHE 2009 (a white blend) as “non-descript” and worth a paltry 41.5 points. Two months earlier, in the regional show, the wine earned 56 points, a gold medal and a trophy. The judges enthused, “The two top wines were benchmark examples of their varieties”.

While these two anomalies go far beyond normal variability in wine show performance and beg the question of why they’re not up there sharing the glory, the list of winners across Australia’s many regions and wine styles is truly impressive.

This is an independent and high-quality appraisal of wines coming through the show system. It can’t pretend to be a grand final, as the National’s often billed, for the simple reason that so many of Australia’s very best wines of all styles never see a judge’s tasting bench and never will.

However, the depth Australia has to offer is truly extraordinary and well represented in this show. So it’s worth logging on to www.rncas.org.au and studying the catalogue of results class by class. The winners aren’t all expensive wines, as the gold-medal $21 Eden Road Long Road Shiraz 2009 demonstrates.

MURRUMBATEMAN SHIRAZ AND RIESLING DAZZLE

Murrumbateman’s Helm, Yarrh and Ravensworth wines all won gold medals in the National Show’s new classes for single vineyard wines. The classes are open to medal winning wines sourced entirely from a single vineyard named on the commercial label.
In the riesling class, Yarrh Wines won bronze for their 2010 and gold for their 2009 riesling. Helm Premium Riesling 2010 topped the class, qualifying for the taste trophy taste-off for best single vineyard wine of the show.

In the single vineyard shiraz class, Bryan Martin won gold medals for the 2008 and 2009 vintages of his Ravensworth Shiraz Viognier. The 2009 topped the class of 41 wines and joined Helm’s riesling in the trophy taste off.

The winner of the taste off was Oakridge Yarra Valley Van Der Meulen Vineyard Chardonnay 2009.

CANBERRA’S LOCAL HEROES

Gold medal and trophy

Tyrrell’s Canberra District Shiraz 2008

Gold medal

Helm Canberra District Classic Dry Riesling 2010
Helm Canberra District Premium Riesling 2010
Barwang Estate Chardonnay 2009 (region not stated, probably Tumbarumba)
Barwang 842 Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2008
Barwang Granite Track Riesling 2010 (region not stated, probably Hilltops)
Eden Road Wine The Long Road Hilltops-Canberra District Shiraz 2009
Coolangatta Estate Shoalhaven Coast Semillon 2006
Coolangatta Estate Shoalhaven Coast Semillon 2003
Yarrh Canberra District Riesling 2009
Mount Majura Canberra District Chardonnay 2009
Ravensworth Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2009
Ravensworth Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2008

Silver medal

Moppity Vineyards Hilltops Reserve Shiraz 2009
Moppity Vineyards Hilltops Lock and Key Shiraz 2009
Shaw Vineyard Estate Canberra District Winemakers Selection Shiraz 2008
Shaw Vineyard Estate Canberra District Premium Shiraz 2008

Bronze medal

Barwang Estate Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2008
Gundog Estate Canberra District Shiraz 2009
Barwang Hilltops Shiraz 2008
Westend Hilltops Tempranillo 2008
Yarrh Canberra District Riesling 2010
Moppity Vineyard Hilltops Lock and Key Riesling 2010
Moppity Vineyards Hilltops Estate Riesling 2010
Centennial Vineyards Southern Highlands Reserve Chardonnay 2008
Centennial Vineyard Southern Highlands Bong Bong Australian Dry Red 2009
Lerida Estate Lake George Chardonnay 2009
Mount Majura Canberra District Tempranillo 2009
Mount Majura Canberra District Tempranillo Shiraz Graciano
Pankhurst Canberra District Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2010

In 2009 Western Australia accounted for just eight per cent of Australia’s grapevine plantings and four per cent of our grape crush. But its wines, especially those from Margaret River, win a disproportionate share of accolades.

In this year’s Langton’s Classification of Australian Wines, for example, Margaret River won three of the 17 spots in the “Exceptional” category, alongside venerable wines such as Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace (and Canberra’s Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier).
Across the four Langton categories, totalling 123 wines, Margaret River contributed eight wines – Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot, Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Pierro Chardonnay, Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon, Vasse Felix Heytesbury Cabernet Merlot, Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot and Woodland Family Series Cabernet Sauvignon – a huge strike rate for a comparatively small growing area.

Western Australia’s dominance at the top end of the cabernet market, and to a lesser extent with chardonnay, is one of the great stories of Australia’s amazingly varied wine industry. It’s development can be seen in our historic shift from fortified wine production to table wine production that sparked in the fifties, gathered momentum in the sixties and exploded through the seventies, eighties and nineties.

Western Australia’s fortified industry had been centred on the hot Swan Valley, near Perth. And although the state, notably Houghtons (founded 1836), produced table wine, the shift to more suitable, cooler regions began in the late sixties.

In 1965, Dr John Gladstones, articulated the potential of the south west for growing fine wine, especially in Margaret River.

Vasse Felix was founded at Margaret River in 1967 and continues as a major player today under Janet Holmes-a-Court. Just two years later, Dr Bill Pannell established Moss Wood, now owned by Keith and Clare Mugford. Pannell later established Picardy Wines at nearby Pemberton with his son Dan.

Evans and Tate (now owned by McWilliams) arrived in1971. David Hohnen established Cape Mentelle in 1970, established its lofty reputation, added Cloudy Bay at Marlborough, later selling out to Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (and keeping the vineyards). In 2004, with other family members, Hohnen establish a new operation, McHenry Hohnen, now seen as one of the area’s great quality producers.

In 1971 Dr Kevin Cullen planted his first vines. After his death, his widow Diana further built Cullen’s reputation. The business now thrives in the hands of daughter Vanya Cullen.

Next of the now big names to arrive was Leeuwin Estate in 1973, the first in the region to bring glamour and luxury to the cellar door offering. The facilities, concerts and setting matched the stellar quality of its wines.

And so the new arrivals flowed in during the following decades – everything from hard working enthusiasts using off-farm income to become established, to mining magnates with buckets of cash, to scheme operators during the export boom years of the late nineties.

Houghtons, the state’s senior and biggest producer moved with the times. Under Hardy’s ownership it moved table wine production decisively to the south, sourcing fruit from around 1,000 hectares of vines by the turn of the century. It remains a leading producer in quality and quantity under ownership of US-based Constellation Brands.

While Margaret River wins the lion’s share of the glamour, the expansion south into cooler climates was much more widespread.

Today’s Western Australian wine map reveals a swathe of activity from around Perth and arcing south down the coast, before swinging east around to Albany.

The state now has four official wine zones – Central Western Australia; Eastern Plains, Inland and North of Western Australia; Greater Perth; and South West Australia.

The Greater Perth Zone includes the regions of Peel, Perth Hills, Swan District (and its sub-region Swan Valley). And the huge South West Australia zone includes all the pretty well all of the wine regions now winning the most applause: Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Manjimup, Margaret River, Pemberton and Great Southern, with its five sub-regions – Albany, Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker and Porongurup.

Across these regions everyone grows a bit of everything. That’s the Australian way and the only sure means of seeing what works where across hundreds of unique sites. But over the past forty years, we’ve seen the emergence of a few very strong regional specialties. These include cabernet and related varieties in Margaret River and shiraz and riesling in Great Southern. But the landscape’s changing rapidly and we’re now seeing very good shiraz from Margaret River and promising chardonnay, shiraz and merlot from Pemberton and even very good cabernet from down south.

We’ll be motoring around these areas and look forward to filing our next story from Western Australia’s deep south.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2010

The Canberra International Riesling Challenge, held in October, fielded a record 364 Australian entries, up from 352 in 2009. But the solid support from local makers wasn’t matched by international vignerons. Organiser Ken Helm says the number of overseas entries declined slightly.

France (Alsace), the Czech Republic, South Africa, Argentina and Chile each submitted a small number of wines. And in a quick flick through the catalogue of results, Germany and New Zealand seemed to have about three dozen entries each, and the United States around 20.

In one respect the Challenge remains out of step with Australian wine shows by awarding the trophy for the best South African wine to a silver medal winner. The general rule is, no gold medal no trophy – it sends the wrong message. How can a silver medallist win a trophy, the highest accolade in the show? Doesn’t make sense.

Entries came from every corner of Australia across three broad style categories – dry, semi-dry and sweet – with the main focus on dry wines. South Australia’s Clare and Eden Valley’s cemented their positions as leaders of this style, while Canberra looked the poor cousin – a result at odds with praise pouring in from other sources.

The judges awarded only three bronze medals to the 11 Canberra wines entered in the 2010 vintage dry classes. And the nine local wines entered in the combined 2008 and 2009 class tallied three medals – gold for Helm Premium Riesling 2009, plus two bronze medals.

In contrast, the Clare Valley fielded 40 dry rieslings from the 2010 vintage and 28 earned medals – four gold, 10 silver and 14 bronze. In the 2008-2009 class, 17 of Clare’s 21 entries won medals – two gold, three silver and 12 bronze.

The Eden Valley, a little to the south of Clare on the Mount Lofty Ranges, enjoyed similar success, with 14 of 23 wines from the 2010 vintage winning medals – three gold, three silver and eight bronze; and 21 of 26 wines in the 2008-2009 class succeeding, with three gold, four silver and 14 bronze medals.

Western Australia’s Great Southern region and Tasmania also showed good form with dry rieslings. Nine of Great Southern’s 2010 vintage wines won medals – one gold, one silver and seven bronze.

And Tasmania revealed that its rieslings might hit best form after a year or two in bottle. The state’s 2010 vintage wines earned four medals from ten wines (one gold, three bronze). But in the 2008-2009 class 17 wines yielded 12 medals – two gold, two silver and eight bronze.

While the wines were judged mainly in regional classes, some regions, with low entry numbers, were bundled into mixed classes – pitting contrasting styles against one another. Even so, the “various” class of 27 dry 2010 rieslings yielded three gold, six silver and 11 bronze medals. One of the gold medallists came from Central Victoria and the other two were large company blends, almost certainly from the Barossa-Clare-Eden Valley.

In this class, gold medals for Jacob’s Creek Reserve Riesling 2010 and Wolf Blass Yellow Label Riesling 2010 demonstrates what tremendous value big-company rieslings offer. Both can be found on special from time to time at around $11.

Some of the most exciting drinking, though, bubbled to the surface in the “museum” classes – for wines from the 2007 and earlier vintages. Their success sends three important messages – good riesling blossoms with age; the screw cap makes cellaring reliable; and the wines that age well are often fairly modestly priced on release.

Of the Clare Valley’s 18 museum rieslings, four won gold medals, five won silver and five won bronze. The gold medallists were O’Leary Walker Watervale Riesling 2006, Paulett’s Aged Release Polish Hill River Riesling 2005, Stone Bridge Wines Clare Valley Riesling 2006 and The Wilson Vineyard Polish Hill River Riesling 2004.

The oldest wine in the line up, Richmond Grove Watervale 1998, won a silver medal. Made by John Vickery, Phil Laffer and Bernie Hickin, from fruit grown on the historic Florita vineyard, this was the first modern, commercial-scale Clare wine sealed with a screw cap, setting the scene for the Clare winemakers larger-scale roll out of the seal two years later.

Eden Valley’s 11 museum wines showed good form, too, winning three gold, three silver and three bronze medals. The gold medallists were Peter Lehmann Wigan Eden Valley Riesling 2004 (current release is the sensational 2005 at $30), Trevor Jones Reserve Eden Valley Riesling 2005 and Wolf Blass Icon Eden Valley Riesling 2002.

A mixed museum class from various region yielded two gold medallists – Trevelen Farm Great Southern Riesling 2002 and Chartley Estate Tasmania Riesling 2007.

The judges found some excitement among the semi-dry Australian rieslings, awarding gold medals to two Tasmanian wines – Bream Creek VGR Riesling 2008 and Kate Hill Riesling 2009. This is a not unexpected result and cool climates produce the combination of fruit intensity, delicacy and high natural acidity needed to make this style well. Germany, of course, sets the pace.

Several vintages of sweet riesling attracted the judges, too, with gold medals awarded to Holm Oak Vineyards Tasmania Riesling TGR 2010, Pooley Late Harvest Tasmania Riesling 2010, Brown Brothers Patricia King Valley Noble Riesling 2006 and Ciccone Estate King Valley Botrytis Riesling 2006.

The catalogue of results is available at www.rieslingchallenge.com

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2010

Wine’s not a living thing but it can have personality. Clearly the more idiosyncratic a wine is, the more likely it is to stand out and be recognisable, even in a masked tasting. At times highly distinctive wines challenge our senses, or simply need time, sometimes decades, to reveal their best.

As drinkers it might take decades for the penny to drop. Or we might be lucky enough to taste, over a comparatively short period of time, various vintages of a distinguished wine – in youth, adolescence, early maturity and fragile old age. With that sort of experience, we might look at a gangly young red, or austere young white and feel comfortable about where it’s headed in the future.

This tends to become increasingly true as we move up the wine quality ladder. Look, for example, at the 17 wines classed as “Exceptional” (based on long-term auction volume and value) in Langton’s 2010 classification of Australian wine. These are wines with distinctive personalities.

The distinguishing features can be subtle, as in the finesse and elegance of Mount Mary Yarra Valley Quintets Cabernet Blend or strident, as in the sheer power of Grange or yeast-lees-based funkiness of Giaconda Beechworth Chardonnay.

If we lined up unmarked glasses of the 17 wines, anyone with a reasonably experienced palate and a brief of what to look for could identify most, if not all, of them – and have a bit of fun.

With only three whites in the line up, it’d be easy to separate the pristine, comparatively austere Grosset Polish Hill Riesling from the two opulent chardonnays; and to separate the svelte, seamless Leeuwin Estate Margaret River Chardonnay from the funky, minerally Giaconda Beechworth version.

That would leave standing 14 reds – one pinot noir, four cabernets, and nine shirazes. It’d be reasonably simple from here to sniff out the pinot noir – Bass Phillip Reserve from South Gippsland, Victoria. This is towering pinot, penetratingly aromatic with varietal red fruits, gaminess, savouriness, fleshiness, luxurious depth and authoritative tannin and acid structure. Oh, boy this is a long way from the average, soft Australian pinot noir – and it needs time to flourish.

We could now separate the shirazes from the cabernets by aroma alone; wines of this quality make the task straightforward. Then the individual cabernets might fall out. First, Penfolds Bin 707 on its inky deep colour and distinctive red-black hue – its identity confirmed by a sniff of generous ripeness, meshed with distinctive American oak.

Next, we’d probably spot Moss Wood Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, principally because it reveals more varietal cabernet character than the other two remaining wines, even though the blend includes the related varieties, cabernet franc and petit verdot.

It might be more difficult to separate the two remaining elegant blends – Cullen Diana Madeline Margaret River Cabernet Merlot and Mount Mary Quintet. These are both multi-variety blends – two or three in Cullens, depending on vintage, and five, in varying proportions according to vintage, in Mount Mary.

Typically, Cullens might have more assertive tannins than the ultra-refined Mount Mary. But the Cullen 2008 tends to greater delicacy than earlier wines, so distinguishing the two may prove challenging.

Now, we’re down to nine shirazes, dominated by robust warm-climate styles. Here the sole cool-climate style would stand out like a ballerina in a rugby pack – the aromatic, refined, medium-bodied Clonakilla Canberra District (Murrumbateman) Shiraz Viognier. We’d spot it with one sniff. But who could resist a little dalliance with its seductive, silkiness?

We’d probably sniff out another two relatively easily. Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Hunter Valley Shiraz, ought to stand out with early hints of regional earth and leather. And Penfolds Grange usually struts its combination of powerful fruit, American oak and lift of volatility.

For the remaining six shirazes me may need to back our noses with a sip or two. Henschke Hill of Grace Eden Valley Shiraz might be the next one we identify as it’s usually very fragrant and medium bodied, rather than robust like the last five.

We’d then have Wendouree Clare Valley Shiraz in our sights. Though it comes from the warm Clare Valley, it’s powerful, without being a block buster; and instead of the fleshy fruit we might expect, we’d find solid tannins clamped around a lovely core of sweet fruit, held below the surface to emerge after ten years or more in the cellar.

How do we now distinguish between four big shirazes – Chris Ringland Barossa, Clarendon Hills McLaren Vale Astralis, Rockford Barossa Valley Basket Press and Torbreck Barossa Valley Run Rig? With a bit of luck, the McLaren Vale wine might show more savouriness and be a little firmer than the Barossa line up. These are typically big, but with soft, sometimes tender tannins.

We could also call in a brains trust – for example, someone with recent experience tasting the wines to describe their characteristics. Certainly we’d perceive differences among the last three, even if we couldn’t identify them individually. I used the brains-trust approach years ago when Lindemans put its new-vintage Coonawarra trio – St George Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Limestone Ridge Vineyard Shiraz Cabernet and Pyrus cabernet blend – in a masked tasting with the five Bordeaux First Growths: Chateaus Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Margaux, Latour and Haut Brion.

I knew the Lindeman wines intimately, but having tasted the Bordeaux wines only occasionally, called on winemaker Brian Croser on the way to the Adelaide tasting. Brian has a knack for describing wine styles clearly and succinctly and did so on this occasion.

The Lindeman winemakers, led by Phil Laffer and Philip John, wanted to compare their own three distinctive styles with the Bordeaux classics. To maintain some objectivity the eight wines were served masked, even though we knew their identities.

The exercise was more about describing the personality and style of each wine than ranking them in order of merit – though tasters inevitably do this. By focusing on each wine, describing its aroma, flavour and textural characteristics and then comparing the descriptions with the notes from our brains trust, and our own past experience, it was no great chore to correctly identify every wine correctly.

This simply confirmed that really good wines have distinctive personalities – even in the comparatively narrow confines of a single region. In this instance the Australian wines quickly fell out as a group; and the Bordeaux classics grew further apart from each other stylistically as we sipped our way through them.

This is all part of the great mystique of wine that sets it apart from any other beverage.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2010

What can we learn from the honours list from the local wine show? Perhaps that wine shows tend to capture the big picture well but falter, at times, on the detail; that shiraz, riesling and chardonnay perform best; that pinot noir, cabernet and sauvignon blanc, with occasional exceptions, fare less well, or even poorly; that we have distinct regional specialties; and that some niche varieties show great potential.

In an impressive blaze of glory, around two-thirds of the entries made from shiraz, riesling or chardonnay won gold, silver or bronze medals. And what a tight race those varieties fought for number one spot.

For all the talk we’ve heard about shiraz and riesling, chardonnay topped the rankings by a nose. Twenty one of the of the thirty one chardonnays entered won medals – five of them gold – for an aggregate strike-rate of 68 per cent and gold strike-rate of 16 per cent.

That’s a big enough sample to be significant. And when we look at the gold and silver medal winners, we see further confirmation of high, cool Tumbarumba’s class with this variety. It won three of the five gold medals and one of the two silvers. The three gold medallists all appeared under McWilliams Barwang label; the silver medallist was Cassegrain Fromenteau 2008.

However, Tumbarumba shared the glory with Centennial Vineyards Old Block Southern Highlands Chardonnay 2008 and Mount Majura Canberra District Chardonnay 2005. Centennial vineyards fared very well in the show overall; and the Mount Majura wine demonstrated that shy, restrained wines sometimes need time to reveal their best. The shy, restrained 2009 won silver – but we’ll back it for gold three of four years down the track, just like the 2005.

Shiraz, with an aggregate medal strike rate of 65 per cent from 49 wines, once again generated more excitement than any other variety, even if chardonnay snuck ahead marginally on medal strike rate.

We’ve adjusted the official shiraz figures slightly by shifting Centennial Vineyards Bong Bong Australian Red from the “other reds” class to the shiraz classes. It topped the “other reds” group, just nudging out Mount Majura’s magnificent Tempranillo Shiraz Graciano 2009. But the web site describes it as being “mostly shiraz with a splash of tempranillo”. That’s good enough for us, for the purposes of studying varietal form, to call it shiraz.

With Centennial’s wine thrown in, 49 shirazes won six gold, seven silver and 18 bronze medals.

Canberra District showed strongly, winning three and a half of the seven golds. Our winning wines were Lark Hill Shiraz Viognier 2009 (made at Lark Hill using fruit from Ravensworth Vineyard, Murrumbateman), Lerida Estate Lake George Shiraz Viognier 2008 and Ravensworth Murrumbateman Shiraz Viognier 2008. And we can claim half of the gold medal for Eden Road’s 2009 blend from Canberra and Hilltops.

That gives Hilltops half a gold medal plus one each for Moppity Vineyards 2009 and Clonakilla 2009. And the seventh shiraz gold, of course, belongs to Centennial’s shiraz-tempranillo blend, the wine we’ve pulled in from the “other reds” category.

Results in the shiraz class raise serious questions, though, about variations in awards from wine show to wine show – and how show awards stack up against critical acclaim from other sources.

In the Canberra show, it’s fair to say the judges showed a leaning to the bigger, fruiter, broader shiraz styles (in the cool climate context). More refined wines, like Nick O’Leary 2009 and Clonakilla O’Riada 2009, for example, scraped in with bronze medals. Yet O’Leary’s beautiful wine won a gold medal and trophy at the recent Winewise Small Vignerons Awards; and you can bet your last bottle of 1971 Grange, critics will fall over themselves praising the sensational 2009 O’Riada.

In fact, I’ll bet a bottle of Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier now that chair of judges, Ben Edwards, co-author with James Halliday of the Australian Wine Companion, ranks O’Riada ahead of this year’s trophy winner, Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2009, in the next edition. That is, he’ll rate the bronze medallist higher than the gold medallist in other circumstances.

Why do I say that so confidently? And is this just some smart arse claiming a better palate than the show judges? The answer to both questions lies in the different ways critics appraise wine.

In a show we see no labels, just glasses on numbered squares, and we know nothing more than the variety, vintage and, in the case of the Canberra show, that the wines must come from one of the regions accepted by the show. Not surprisingly, with 24 strapping 2009 vintage shirazes lined up and only about two minutes average tasting time per wine, the more delicate styles like O’Leary and O’Riada may simply have been overshadowed by bolder or more fruitier wines. Indeed, judges call this well-known phenomenon “shadowing”.

The same judges sipping the same wines, or just a few of the same wines, at a more leisurely pace – perhaps over a few hours, or even revisited frequently over a few days, may easily rank the wines in different order. Certainly the fine-boned styles won’t remain in the shade. In fact, I’m backing them to prevail. We’ll see.

It’s also worth noting the absence, for various reasons, of several of the Canberra District’s best shirazes – firstly, our premiere wine, Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, then another long-term performer, Capital Wines Kyeema Vineyard Shiraz and it’s vineyard mate, Collector Reserve Shiraz, and finally Mount Majura Shiraz. Moving the show back a few months may see some of these wines entered in the show. Mount Majura 2009, for example, hadn’t been bottled at the time of judging.

Murrumbateman made a clean sweep of the gold medals in the riesling classes. The winners were Helm Classic Dry 2010, Helm Premium 2009, Clonakilla 2010 and Gallagher 2010.

While cabernet performed poorly overall, winning just eight medals from 38 exhibits, Pankhust 2009 won the sole gold medal for the variety and drew this high praise from the judges, “the top wine showed the benefit of judicious oak use and was a truly medium-bodied cooler climate style done well.

Twenty-five pinot noirs scraped just three bronze medals; and nineteen sauvignon blancs and blends fared slightly better with one silver and three bronzes from 19 wines.

The judges found some excitement among the “other red” classes, awarding gold medals to Mount Majura’s previously mentioned Tempranillo Shiraz Graciano 2009, Centennial Vineyards Bong Bong Australian Red 2009 (a shiraz-tempranillo blend, mentioned above) and Southern Highlands Wines Merlot 2007. The also awarded silver medals to Mount Majura Tempranillo 2009 and Ravensworth Murrumbateman Sangiovese 2009.

Sparkling wines failed to impress the judges, scraping in only three bronze medals from 14 entries – white, pink and red. But 14 stickies yielded two gold medals – one each for Tertini Southern Highland Reserve Noble Riesling 2008 and Centennial Vineyards Southern Highlands Late Harvest Chardonnay 2009.

And, finishing on a high note, the “other white” classes glittered. Coolangatta Estate, Nowra, won gold medals for their 2006 semillon (confirming a long-established reputation for the variety) and 2010 savagnin – the savoury, dry variety previously misidentified in Australia as Spain’s albarino. And Canberra’s Eden Road Winery won gold for its The Long Road RHE 2009 – a single-vineyard, Canberra District viognier.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2010

Every five years, Langton’s, a wine auction specialist belonging to Woolworths, updates its classification of Australian wines. Unlike all the other wine-rating systems, based on the judgement of individual palates, Langton’s derives its classification from the volume and value of wine it sells at auction. The rankings are therefore based on perceptions of value and quality by thousands of individuals over time.

The classification focuses on Australia’s greatest collectible wines, predominantly reds. It’s an elite group, totalling just 123 wines (15 whites, 108 reds) in this year’s update – up from 101 in 2005.

The classification breaks wines into four categories, “exceptional” (the most sought after and prized Australian wines on the market), “outstanding” (benchmark quality wines with a very strong market following), “excellent” (high performing wines of exquisite quality with moderate to strong market following) and “distinguished” (secondary market staples or emerging classics).

The 2010 classification lists 17 “exceptional” wines, 32 “outstanding” wines, 36 “excellent” wines and 38 “distinguished wines, from all wine producing states except Queensland.

Despite an immensely changed landscape since publication of the first Langton’s classification in 1990, there remains a strong bias to warm climate shiraz.

The super elite “exceptional” category, for example, demonstrates the enduring popularity and quality of these styles. It includes eight warm-climate shirazes, five from the Barossa – Penfolds Grange, Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Hunter Valley Shiraz, Chris Ringland Barossa Valley Shiraz, Clarendon Hills Astralis McLaren Vale Syrah (= shiraz), Henschke Hill of Grace Eden Valley Shiraz, Rockford Basket Press Barossa Valley Shiraz, Torbreck RunRig Barossa Valley Shiraz and Wendouree Clare Valley Shiraz.

However, the list now reflects something of Australia’s great winemaking diversity – a story best illustrated in the evolution of the category and the range of regions and style in it, starting with Grange as the sole star in 1990.

EVOLUTION OF THE “EXCEPTIONAL” CATEGORY
(known as “Outstanding A” until 1996)

Original classification 1990
1. Penfolds Grange – multi-region South Australian blend, based on a “mother” wine from Penfolds Kalimna Vineyard, northwestern Barossa Valley. Predominantly shiraz, but generally contains a small amount of cabernet sauvignon.

1996 classification
2. Henschke Hill of Grace (single vineyard shiraz, Eden Valley – a region within the Barossa zone)
3. Mount Mary Quintet Cabernets (single vineyard, Yarra Valley – a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot in varying proportions, according to vintage)
2000 classification
4. Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay (single vineyard, Margaret River)
5. Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon (single vineyard, Margaret River)
6. Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon (multi-region South Australian blend, generally containing significant components from Coonawarra and the Kalimna Vineyard, Barossa Valley)
7. Wendouree Shiraz (single vineyard, Clare Valley)

2005 classification
8. Bass Phillip Reserve Pinot Noir (single vineyard, Gippsland)
9. Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot (single vineyard, Margaret River)
10. Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay (single vineyard, Beechworth)
11. Rockford Basket Press Shiraz (Barossa Valley)

2010 classification
12. Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz (single vineyard, Lower Hunter Valley)
13. Chris Ringland Shiraz (single vineyard, Barossa Valley)
14. Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah (McLaren Vale)
15. Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier (Murrumbateman, Canberra District)
16. Grosset Polish Hill Riesling (Polish Hill sub-region, Clare Valley)
17. Torbreck RunRig Shiraz (Barossa Valley)

This year’s classification added four more warm-climate shirazes and filled two gaps in the top ranks. Canberra’s Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier cemented its position as Australia’s leading refined, elegant cool-climate shiraz. And Grosset Polish Hill Riesling confirms its status as Australia’s premier riesling.

The top ranks now include one riesling, two chardonnays, one pinot noir, nine shirazes and four cabernets. Conspicuously missing from the ranks are cabernet sauvignons from Coonawarra and pinot noirs and chardonnays from the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Macedon and Tasmania.

However, these are all knocking on the door. Coonawarra, for example has a leg in as it supplies much of the fruit for Penfolds Bin 707.  But the locals must look jealously at rival Margaret River’s two successful cabernets, Cullens Diana Madeline and Moss Wood, and wonder what they’re doing wrong.

However, they’ll be comforted by the elevation of Balnaves The Tally to the “outstanding” category and Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch” to “excellent”.

Perhaps they’ll be spurred to action by English writer Andrew Jefford.  In July’s Decanter magazine he wrote, “Coonawarra is a Ferrari among wine regions: its potential is astonishing. But it’s a Ferrari constantly pootled along at suburban speed limits for the sake of misguided efficiency. I long for some spirited garagiste to get hold of 10 hectares or so and send them screaming round every corner on the circuit, just to see what could be achieved”.

In the same way that many wines rose through the ranks and others arrived for the first time, others fell from favour. This doesn’t imply a fall in quality, just a shift in demand. The losers this year were:

GIACONDA Pinot Noir, Beechworth Vic
BANNOCKBURN Vineyards Chardonnay, Geelong Vic
BANNOCKBURN VINEYARDS Pinot Noir, Geelong Vic
BASS PHILLIP ESTATE Pinot Noir, South Gippsland, Vic
LEASINGHAM Classic Clare Shiraz, Clare Valley SA
MITCHELTON Print Label Shiraz, Nagambie Lakes Vic
ORLANDO Lawsons Shiraz, Padthaway SA
PETALUMA Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills SA
PLANTAGENET Mount Barker Shiraz, Great Southern WA
SEPPELT Great Western Sparkling Shiraz, Great Western Vic
YARRA YERING Dry Red No 2 Shiraz, Yarra Valley Vic

Despite the bias towards traditional warm-climate red styles, the list should help dispel the myth of a uniformly hot Australia making only one wine style. There’s a diversity and depth here to compete on a world scale. It contains the best of our multi-region blends, but the majority are single region or single vineyard specialties representing the major classic grape varieties across an astonishing spectrum of terroirs – from near Hobart at around 43 degrees south to the Hunter Valley, 11 degrees closer to the equator. Few countries can match that diversity.

And it’s not populated solely with unaffordable icons. Sure, scarce wines take on scarce prices, possibly adding to their allure for some. But up and coming stars may take years to be recognised in the secondary market. Look, for example, among the “excellent” ranks and find that affordable gem, Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. Or among the “distinguished” list you’ll see Majella Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Pewsey Vale The Contours Eden Valley Riesling – stunning wines offered at realistic prices when they’re released.

Even more encouraging for drinkers and cellarers, are the many beautiful wines not yet showing on secondary market radar. Think of Curly Flat Macedon pinot noir and chardonnay; of Canberra’s swelling ranks of beautiful, silky shirazes; of Tasmania’s Bream Creek pinot noir or Stefano Lubiana chardonnay, or the new ranks of alternative varieties, notably tempranillo, notably Mount Majura’s.

I’ve listed this year’s full classification below. For profiles of the wines or to check the latest auction prices, visit www.langtons.com.au

LANGTON’S CLASSIFICATION 2010

Exceptional
PENFOLDS Bin 95 Grange Shiraz, SA
BASS PHILLIP Reserve Pinot Noir, South Gippsland VIC
BROKENWOOD WINES Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, Hunter Valley NSW
CHRIS RINGLAND Shiraz, Barossa SA
CLARENDON HILLS Astralis Syrah, McLaren Vale SA
CLONAKILLA Shiraz-Viognier, Canberra District NSW
CULLEN Diana Madeline Cabernet-Merlot, Margaret River WA
GIACONDA Chardonnay, Beechworth VIC
GROSSET Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley SA
HENSCHKE Hill of Grace Shiraz, Eden Valley SA
LEEUWIN ESTATE Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River WA
MOSS WOOD Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River WA
MOUNT MARY Quintet Cabernet Blend, Yarra Valley VIC
PENFOLDS Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, SA
ROCKFORD Basket Press Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
TORBRECK RunRig Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
WENDOUREE Shiraz, Clare Valley SA

Outstanding
BALNAVES OF COONAWARRA The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra SA
BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE E & E Black Pepper Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
BASS PHILLIP Premium Pinot Noir, South Gippsland VIC
BEST’S Thomson Family Great Western Shiraz, Grampians VIC
BINDI Block 5 Pinot Noir, Macedon Ranges VIC
d’ARENBERG The Dead Arm Shiraz, McLaren Vale SA
DALWHINNIE The Eagle Shiraz, Pyrenees VIC
DE BORTOLI Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina NSW
GRANT BURGE Meshach Shiraz, Barossa Valley
GREENOCK CREEK Roennfeldt Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley SA
GREENOCK CREEK Roennfeldt Road Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
GROSSET Springvale Riesling, Clare Valley SA
HARDY’S Eileen Hardy Shiraz, SA
HENSCHKE Mount Edelstone Shiraz, Eden Valley SA
JASPER HILL Emily’s Paddock Shiraz-Cabernet Franc, Heathcote VIC
JASPER HILL Georgia’s Paddock Shiraz, Heathcote VIC
JIM BARRY The Armagh Shiraz, Clare Valley SA
KAESLER WINES Old Bastard Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
KATNOOK ESTATE Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra SA
KAY BROTHERS AMERY VINEYARDS Block 6 Old Vine Shiraz, McLaren Vale SA
MAJELLA The Malleea Cabernet-Shiraz, Coonawarra SA
MCWILLIAM’S Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon, Hunter Valley NSW
MOUNT MARY Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley VIC
NOON Winery Reserve Shiraz, Langhorne Creek SA
PENFOLDS Bin 389 Cabernet-Shiraz, SA
PENFOLDS St. Henri Shiraz, SA
PIERRO Chardonnay, Margaret River WA
TAHBILK 1860 Vines Shiraz, Nagambie Lakes VIC
TYRRELL’S Vat 1 Semillon, Hunter Valley NSW
WENDOUREE Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley SA
WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra SA
YALUMBA The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz, Barossa SA

Excellent
BANNOCKBURN Serré Pinot Noir, Geelong VIC
BEST’S Bin No.O Great Western Shiraz, Grampians VIC
BINDI Original Vineyard Pinot Noir, Macedon Ranges VIC
CAPE MENTELLE Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River WA
CORIOLE Lloyd Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale SA
CRAIGLEE Shiraz, Sunbury VIC
DALWHINNIE Moonambel Shiraz, Pyrenees VIC
DOMAINE A Cabernet Sauvignon, Coal River Valley Tas
ELDERTON Command Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
FOX CREEK Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale SA
GIACONDA Warner Vineyard Shiraz, Beechworth VIC
HENSCHKE Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon, Eden Valley SA
HOUGHTON Jack Mann Frankland River Cabernet Blend, Great Southern WA
HOWARD PARK Abercrombie Cabernet, Margaret River-Great Southern WA
KATNOOK ESTATE Prodigy Shiraz, Coonawarra SA
LAKE’S FOLLY White Label Cabernet Blend, Hunter Valley NSW
LEO BURING Leonay Riesling, Eden/Clare Valley SA
MAIN RIDGE ESTATE Half Acre Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula VIC
MOUNT MARY Chardonnay, Yarra Valley VIC
NOON WINERY Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Langhorne Creek SA
PARINGA ESTATE The Paringa Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula VIC
PARKER COONAWARRA ESTATE Terra Rossa First Growth Cabernet-Merlot, Coonawarra SA
PENFOLDS Magill Estate Shiraz, Adelaide SA
PENFOLDS RWT Shiraz Barossa SA
PETALUMA Coonawarra Cabernet-Merlot, Coonawarra SA
PETER LEHMANN Stonewell Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
SEPPELT St Peters Great Western Vineyards Shiraz, Grampians VIC
ST HALLETT Old Block Shiraz, Barossa SA
TORBRECK Descendant Shiraz Viognier, Barossa Valley SA
VASSE FELIX Heytesbury Cabernet Blend, Margaret River-Great Southern WA
WENDOUREE Cabernet-Malbec, Clare Valley SA
WENDOUREE Shiraz-Malbec, Clare Valley SA
WENDOUREE Shiraz-Mataro, Clare Valley SA
WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra SA
YARRA YERING Dry Red Wine No.1 Cabernet, Yarra Valley VIC
YERINGBERG Cabernet Blend, Yarra Valley VIC

Distinguished
BOWEN ESTATE Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra SA
CASTAGNA Genesis Syrah, Beechworth VIC
CHARLES MELTON Nine Popes Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvedre, Barossa Valley SA
COLDSTREAM HILLS Reserve Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley VIC
CRAWFORD RIVER WINES Riesling, Henty VIC
d’ARENBERG WINES The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale SA
FREYCINET VINEYARDS Pinot Noir, Eastern Tas
JACOB’S CREEK ORLANDO St. Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra SA
KATNOOK ESTATE Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra SA
KILIKANOON Oracle Shiraz, Clare Valley SA
LEEUWIN ESTATE Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River WA
LINDEMANS Limestone Ridge Vineyard Shiraz-Cabernet, Coonawarra SA
MAJELLA Cabernet, Coonawarra SA
MCWILLIAM’S Mount Pleasant Maurice O’Shea Shiraz, Hunter Valley NSW
MOUNT LANGI GHIRAN Langi Shiraz, Grampians VIC
PARINGA ESTATE The Paringa Single Vineyard Shiraz, Mornington Peninsula VIC
PENFOLDS Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz, SA
PENFOLDS Bin 128 Shiraz, Coonawarra SA
PENFOLDS Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon SA
PETALUMA Hanlin Hill Riesling, Clare Valley SA
PEWSEY VALE The Contours Riesling, Eden Valley SA
REDBANK SALLY’S PADDOCK Cabernet Shiraz Cabernet Franc Merlot, Pyrenees VIC
ROLF BINDER Veritas Hanisch Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
SAVATERRE Chardonnay, Beechworth VIC
TIM ADAMS The Aberfeldy Shiraz, Clare Valley SA
TURKEY FLAT Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA
TYRRELL’S Vat 47 Chardonnay, Hunter Valley NSW
VASSE FELIX Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River WA
VOYAGER ESTATE Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, WA
WANTIRNA ESTATE Amelia Cabernet Merlot, Yarra Valley VIC
WILD DUCK CREEK ESTATE Springflat Shiraz, Heathcote VIC
WIRRA WIRRA RSW Shiraz, McLaren Vale SA
WOLF BLASS Black Label, SA
WOLF BLASS WINES Platinum Shiraz, SA
WOODLANDS Family Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River WA
WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE Michael Shiraz, Coonawarra SA
YALUMBA The Signature Cabernet Shiraz, Barossa SA
YARRA YARRA VINEYARD The Yarra Yarra Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarra Valley VIC

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2010