Wine Awards
Winemaker of the Year 2010
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Winemaker of the Year Awards 2010

Our last four finalists continue to produce superb wines that set new standards of quality.

While the only criterion in nominating a winemaker as finalist in the Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year Awards is the quality of their wines, especially those released in the past year or so, the panel of judges is conscious of the value of presenting a balanced list of finalists.

The second group of nominees ensures that a good spread of states is present this year. Two of Australia’s largest companies, Foster’s and Hardys, are represented, the former by Wynns Coonawarra Estate chief winemaker, Sue Hodder, and Foster’s regional viticulturist, Allen Jenkins, and the latter by group white winemaker, Tom Newton. Jim Chatto of Pepper Tree Wines adds another medium-sized winery to previously announced nominees, Virginia Willcock of Vasse Felix, Tim Adams, and Adam Wadewitz and Viv Thomson of Best’s Great Western. Father and daughter team, John and Belinda Thomson of Crawford River join Alex McKay of Collector to underscore the fact that tiny wineries can make great wines. Age is never a consideration in the nomination process yet there is an admirable spread of ages among the finalists.

It’s worth noting, Sue Hodder and Allen Jenkins were nominated in 2008 and have continued their impressive work of revitalising the Wynns vineyards and producing truly outstanding Coonawarra reds, including some exemplary single-vineyard cabernets. Tom Newton is acknowledged for his work with white wines over many years and mainly for his stunning Eileen Hardy Chardonnays. Jim Chatto has revitalised the Pepper Tree Wines portfolio and found new directions for the company. His work with pinot noir in Tasmania is also turning heads. After learning her craft elsewhere Belinda Thomson returns to help her father continue to produce one of Australia’s most distinctive and fascinating expressions of riesling at Crawford.

TEXT PETER FORRESTAL IMAGE GRANT HARVEY

This article is from the August/September 2010 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.


 



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