2012 Sydney Wine Show: A few of the winners

Crumpled. Or at least I was the next day…

2012 Sydney Wine Show: A few of the winners

As is my want, I spent last Friday and Saturday immersed in all things Sydney Wine Show related, an event that has become something of an annual must-do on my calendar (My 2011 and 2010 calendar for starters).

This year I did unfortunately did a little too much drinking and not enough critical tasting (industrial hazard) on Friday (which also several curtailed my Saturday tasting too) but I did manage to at least road-test a few of the winning wines. I’ve wrapped a few impressions of the trophy wines (as well as listing all the trophy winners) below with more to come when I write up the (rather few in number) notes from Saturday too.

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Leasingham Bin 7 Riesling 2011 (Clare Valley, SA)
Trophy
Lots of Clare lemon lime here so at the very least it was varietal. The line though was muddled and the acidity blunt. A heavy handed and awkward wine to my tastes, though I can understand why it won the trophy (it’s still distinctive stuff). Bronze medal wine. 16/87

Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 2006 (Hunter Valley, NSW)

I’m more than willing to admit that my personal bias – and love of this wine/style – is going to guide my tastes on this wine, but even in the context of Vat 1 this is a cracking wine. From a moderate and quite classic Hunter year this still shows green pea, bean and citrus of young Semillon, the first tempering of bottle age toast just creeping in. The tension between firm acidity and richness is spot on though, if in a moderate style (ala 2004 for those familiar with this wine). I like moderation. I like this wine. I love it even. Yes. 18.5/94+

Vasse Heytesbury Chardonnay 2010

Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2010 (Margaret River, WA)
3 Trophies
Apparently between this wine and the Yabby Lake Chardonnay (which also won a trophy at the Sydney show) there are some 13 trophies in the bag recently. I didn’t get a chance to try the Yabby but if it’s on a par with this wine then it’s entirely worth the excitement. Simply put this is beautiful modern Chardonnay, carrying a milky, struck match sulphide heavy nose with carefully integrated vanilla bean oak over grapefruit, moving on to a long, moderate (again) palate of acid drive and penetration, lingering long with dry, creamed grapefruit flavour. Again the fine line between palate texture and acid drive, still carrying that weight of Margs but without excess. Lovely. 18.6/95

Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 2010 (Grampians, Vic)
3 Trophies
My struggle to understand the glory of Langi continues. I think I’m the only one however as the whole range continues to pick up medals and trophies at will. Actually one of my gripes with Langi Shiraz – excessive ripeness – appears to be contained here as this ways in at just 13.5% alcohol. I still don’t appreciate this enough though as it looks stewed, skinny and sweet and sour. The nose carries some floral prettiness but it just doesn’t feel genuine or natural. There is clearly some attractive Grampians fruit in there but it also looks skittish and unconvincing. Am I alone here? 16.5/88

Leasingham Classic Clare Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Clare, SA)
1 Trophy
Old school! This couldn’t get anymore old fashioned if it tried. The oak is raw and sticks out from every edge. The palate too is rough, bulky and ridiculously firm. Viewed as a whole this is an aberation of a wine, the veritable antithesis of a slick modern wine. On one hand that could be a good thing (and this will last) yet for drinking now or any time soon I can’t see the appeal of this. Not much of a fan. 16/87+

Leconfield Merlot 2010 (Coonawarra, SA)
1 Trophy
What a surprise this wine was. A varietal, mid weight and perfectly weighted Merlot that stood out not for it’s bulk but instead for it’s form. Lovely herbal cedar aromatics, cassis, blueberry and spice, the palate ripe but intensely varietal, silken but dry and long. Great wine! The very model of a model modern Merlot. 18.3/93

Best’s Bin 0 Shiraz 2010 (Great Western, Vic)

Whilst the Bin 1 of the same vintage was good this really ramps up the intensity and regional character. What I most like about this is that hint of animale – an edge of earthen, musky, old vine richness that brings you back every time, an extra slice of Great Western to push it home. The palate too is drier, meatier, more briary and less flashy than the (still good) Bin 1. Cracking Bin 1 this in the mode of the 04 (if anything). Great stuff. 18.5/94

This is how decisions are made at the WCA Sydney Wine Show Lunch. Pictured here is the Qwoff Boys, crowned as the 2012 WCA Digital Communicators of the Year