Hunter's Top Drops In State Of Their Own
Newcastle Herald
Wednesday October 8, 2008
WINES from Hunter Valley producers, and particularly semillon whites, have dominated the 2008 NSW Wine Awards, winning 18 places in the Top 40 list.
The Top 40 was announced last week by the 23-member judging panel headed by Lester Jesberg, publisher of Winewise magazine. The annual judging attracted more than 800 entries and the Top 40 wines came from 14 different grape varieties or blends from 29 producers in 10 regions throughout the state. Hunter producers with wines in the Top 40 are De Iuliis (two), McGuigan (two), Mistletoe (two), Pokolbin Estate (two), Tyrrell's (two), Audrey Wilkinson, Hungerford Hill, Krinklewood, McLeish Estate, Petersons, Tempus Two, Andrew Thomas, and Warraroong Estate. Most of the wines are currently available and the details are as follows:Warraroong Estate 2002 Claremont Sparkling Chardonnay available at $45 a bottle at the Warraroong cellar door in Wilderness Road, Lovedale, or on 4930 7594 or www.warraroongestate.comAudrey Wilkinson 2006 Museum Reserve Semillon available on request at $35 a bottle at the De Beyers Road, Pokolbin, cellar door.This wine comes from Brian and Valerie Agnew's scenic, historic Pokolbin vineyard.Earlier this year it won a gold medal in the 2006 and older semillon varietal class at the 2008 Sydney Wine Show.De Iuliis 2007 Show Reserve Shiraz can be bought for $30 at the Broke Road cellar door or by mail order on 4993 8000 or www.dewin.com.au. It took 56.5-point top gold in the 2007 shiraz dry red class at this year's Hunter Valley Wine Show at Singleton.De Iuliis 2007 Limited-Release Shiraz is not yet available, but will be soon and will sell at the cellar door for $50 a bottle.Pokolbin Estate 2008 Hunter Ken Bray Semillon $22 at the McDonalds Road, Pokolbin, cellar door or by mail order on 4998 7524 or www.pokolbinestate.com.au.Made by Andrew Thomas from grapes from John Hindman's and Richard Friend's 15-hectare Pokolbin Estate vineyard, this won a 2008 Hunter Valley Wine Show gold medal in the 2008 semillon class.Pokolbin Estate 2007 Hunter ShiraZ-Viognier $22 at the cellar door or by mail order.Andrew Thomas 2008 Braemore Semillon $25 at the Small Winemakers' Centre, in McDonalds Road, Pokolbin, and the Hunter Resort cellar door or by mail order on (02) 6574 7371 or www.thomaswines.com.au.McLeish Estate 2008 Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc $16 a bottle at the De Beyers Road, Pokolbin, cellar door or by mail order on 4998 7754 or www.mcleishhunterwines.com.au. This wine is a blend of sauvignon blanc from Orange and semillon from Bob and Maryanne McLeish's McLeish Estate vineyard.Hungerford Hill 2007 Tumbarumba Chardonnay $30 in wine stores and at the cellar door in Broke Road, Pokolbin.Krinklewood 2004 Biodynamic Vineyard Chardonnay $24 at the cellar door in Wollombi Road, Broke, or on 02 6579 1322 or www.krinklewood.com. Earlier this year it won a 2008 Hunter Valley Wine Show gold in the 2006 and older chardonnay dry white class.McGuigan 2006 BiN 9000 Semillon $13.50 at the cellar door on the corner of McDonalds and Broke roads, Pokolbin.Mcguigan 2005 Vineyard Select Semillon $25 at the Pokolbin cellar door.Mistletoe 2007 Reserve Chardonnay $25 at the Hermitage Road, Pokolbin, cellar door or by mail order on 1800 055 080 or www.mistletoewines.com.Made by Nick Paterson from grapes grown on Ken and Gwen Sloan's Mistletoe vineyard, this classy chardonnay earned 2008 Hunter Valley Wine Show gold in the 2007 chardonnay dry white section.Mistletoe 2008 Verdelho $18 at cellar door or by mail order. Petersons 2007 Back Block Shiraz $50 at Mount View Road, Mount View, cellar door or by mail order on 4990 1704 or www.petersonswines.com.au.Tempus Two 2004 Copper Zenith Semillon $25 in shops or at the Tempus Two winery on the corner of Broke and McDonalds roads, Pokolbin.In the 2008 Hunter Wine Show it was the top-scoring 56-point gold-medal wine in the 2006 and older semillon dry white class, which was declared "excellent" by the judging panel.Tyrrell's 2006 VAT 47 Chardonnay $45 in shops or at the Broke Road, Pokolbin, winery.Tyrrell's 2004 Stevens Individual Vineyard Semillon $25 to $30 in shops or at the cellar door.It was one of the stars of the recent Hunter Valley Wine Show, winning the Petrie-Drinan Trophy for the best dry white of the show, the George Wyndham Trophy for the best premium-vintage dry white, the Maurice O'Shea Trophy for the best currently available dry white and the Tyrrell Family Trophy for the best 100 per cent Hunter dry white. It also received a 56-point top gold in the named vineyard for any vintage semillon dry white class.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald
