Wine Industry Report

The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation has welcomed the outstanding performance of Australian wines at the 2006 International Wine & Spirit Competition in London.

In another case of “gold, gold, gold” for Australia, Australia was the overall country winner with 30 gold medals, 107 silvers and 269 bronzes, followed by South Africa in second place and France third. In terms of points scored, Australia (874.5) was well ahead of South Africa (740.5) and France (577).

The Corporation’s General Manager, Market Development, Paul Henry, said this year’s result is especially notable because it’s the second year in a row that Australia has been at the top of the IWSC competition table.

“Australia’s outstanding performance in this prestigious international competition once again highlights the depth and breadth of Australia’s wine offering from a regional, varietal and stylistic perspective,” Mr Henry said.

“Underscoring these results, of course, is the quality and technical excellence of Australia’s winemaking. The Australian wine sector prides itself in having one of the most stringent quality control systems in the world, run by the Corporation on behalf of industry, which has been the basis for our success in international markets for the past 15 years.”
Out of 15 table wine trophies awarded at the competition, Australian wines collected three:

Australian Red Wine (Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Barossa Shiraz 2002); Riesling (Peter Lehmann Reserve Riesling 2001); and Single Estate (Leasingham Classic Clare Valley Riesling 2002).

Mr Henry said Australia’s performance in London added further weight to the Corporation’s marketing initiatives under the Wine Australia banner which showcase the quality and diversity of Australian wine at all price points.

The International Wine & Spirit Competition was founded in 1969 and is the premier competition of its kind on the international stage. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. This is achieved through a rigorous two-stage judging process of professional blind tasting and detailed chemical and microbiological analysis.

The IWSC reported a record 6,000 entries in the 2006 competition which also saw the number of participating countries rising to 73 this year. Australia is still in the running for more honours with the Wolf Blass Winemaker of the Year award being announced on 31 October.

A complete list of Australian wines that won trophies and gold medals is attached.

Trophies
Winning Wine Producer
Australian Red Wine
Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Barossa Shiraz 2002 The Yalumba Wine Company
Riesling
Peter Lehmann Reserve Riesling 2001 Peter Lehmann Wines Ltd
Single Estate
Leasingham Classic Clare Valley Riesling 2002 Leasingham
Gold (Best in Class)
Winning Wine Producer
Botrytis Affected Wine - Sémillon - Australia
De Bortoli Noble One 2004 De Bortoli Wines Pty Ltd
Bottle Fermented Sparkling Wine - Australia - NV
Arras Bottle Fermented 2000 Hardy Wine Co
Cabernet Sauvignon - Coonawarra - 2001
Parker Terra Rossa First Growth 2001 Parker Coonawarra
Cabernet Sauvignon - Coonawarra - 2003
Nugan Estate Alcira Vineyard Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Nugan Estate Pty Ltd
Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot - McLaren Vale
Geoff Merrill Pimpala Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2000 Geoff Merrill Wines
Riesling - Adelaide Hills
Nepenthe Riesling 2004 Nepenthe Wines
Nepenthe Riesling Adelaide Hills 2004 Nepenthe (Waitrose)
Riesling - Clare Valley - 2002
Leasingham Classic Clare Valley Riesling 2002 Leasingham
Riesling - Eden Valley - 2001
Peter Lehmann Reserve Riesling 2001 Peter Lehmann Wines Ltd
Riesling - Eden Valley - 2002
Peter Lehmann Reserve Riesling 2002 Peter Lehmann Wines Ltd
Semillon - Hunter Valley
McGuigan Wines Bin 9000 Sémillon 1999 McGuigan Simeon Wines Ltd
Shiraz - Barossa Valley - 2002
Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Barossa Shiraz 2002 The Yalumba Wine Company
Shiraz - Clare Valley
Wakefield Shiraz 2004 Wakefield / Taylors Wines
Shiraz - Clare Valley - 2001
Annie’s Lane Coppertrail Shiraz 2001 FGL Wine Estates
Shiraz - Clare Valley - 2003
Leasingham Clare Valley Bin 61 Shiraz 2003 Leasingham
Shiraz - Grampians
Mount Langi Ghiran Blue Label Shiraz 2003 Mount Langi Ghiran
Shiraz - Heathcote
Redbank The Anvil Heathcote Shiraz 2002 Redbank Wines
Shiraz - McLaren Vale - 2004
d’Arenberg The Dead Arm 2004 d’Arenberg Wines Pty Ltd
Shiraz - Pyrenees
Blue Pyrenees Shiraz 2003 Blue Pyrenees Estate Pty Ltd
Shiraz - Yarra Valley
Yering Station Shiraz Viognier 2004 Yering Station (Sainsbury’s)
Yering Station Shiraz/Viognier 2004 Yering Station
Verdelho - South Eastern Australia
McPherson Verdelho 2005 McPherson Wines
Viognier - Regions of South Australia
Zontes Footstep Viognier 2005 Zontes Footstep
Gold
Winning Wine Producer
Semillon - Barossa
Peter Lehmann Reserve Sémillon 2001 Peter Lehmann Wines Ltd
Semillon - Hunter Valley
Tyrrell’s Vineyards Vat 1 Hunter Semillon 1999 Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd
Shiraz - Barossa Valley - 2002
Elderton Command Single Vineyard Barossa Shiraz 2002 Elderton Wines Pty Ltd
Shiraz - Grampians
Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 2001 Mount Langi Ghiran
Shiraz - McLaren Vale - 2004
Angove’s McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004 Angove’s Pty Ltd
d’Arenberg The Lovegrass 2004 d’Arenberg Wines Pty Ltd
Shingleback McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004 Shingleback Wine Pty Ltd
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