Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) licenced copy /J..TJ..\ Brief: WINES MEDIA MONITORS Page 1 of 2 Phone: 0393489191 Adelaide Review Thursday 1/1/2004 General News Page 33 Circulation: 40,636 Size: 382.83 sq.cms. Better alternatives

There's a big, exciting world of· beyond WINE shiraz and , as Nick Stock discovered. ------

INE shows are very much As a consequence, the Mildura show true to wine; some love leaves the shiraz, cabernets, sauvignon them, some have them and blanc and chardonnay to the other events many have no interest at and attracts an the experimental, nouveau W and sometimes cutting-edge wines - as well all. There are now so many shows and so many entries that the logistics constantly as the odd resilient pioneer. Each gets their threaten the outcomes. While committees own airing and a chance to be shown in welcome more and more entries (and their context. associated revenue), judges can for fewer For example, nebbiolo is so different entries, smaner classes and better dentists. to our idea of what red wine should be in The mantra has long been "improving the Australia. Indeed, it is almost the antithesis breed"; some will say it is more like "main­ with light colour, often orange and showin~ taining the order". Contentious stuff; it's a tawniness, subtle fruit character, perfumed drink after all. and fragrant, often more savoury than The Australian Alternative Varieties sweet, high In acid and chock full of tannin. Wine Show, held each year in Mildura, is It is cryptiC and contradictory - and herein aiming to be, well, different. The judges lays its ability to captivate and engage, are not sporting dreadlocks or wearing Jimi though not in 38 seconds surrounded by Hendrix T-shirts - and Patchouli characters purple- ripe sweet reds at a big wine show. in wine are not rewarded for nostalgiC rea­ In Mildura, 16 nebbiolos were lined up sons. Joss sticks are not burned. Most judges side-by-slde and swirled, sniffed and spat are generation Xers; they think of an insect for almost an hour, producing five bronze when someone mentions a Beatie. medals, one silver and a gold. Conventional Commenced in 1999 as the Sangiovese conditions would likely yield a lesser swag. Awards, the first event saw 27 wines entered. While judging alternative varieties, This expanded in 2000 to include Italian I believe it is relatively easy to pick out varieties; 69 entries. In 2001, the reigning the best examples in a line-up. The real event incarnation was spawned and in 2003 challenge and excitement comes when entries topped 300. The mission is simple: calibrating them into the broad scheme of provide a forum for growers and winemak­ Australian wine. Judges awarded 13 gold ers to get feedback and unravel the mystery medals at the 2003 show and this com­ of new varieties in Australia. There's a sense pares fairly closely with the percentages of of camaraderie and pioneering spirit often alternative grape styles winning medals at missing in the current competitive, brand­ conventional shows. soaked cut-and-thrust of Australian wine. Interestingly, scooped four Wine show entries are organized by golds while the founding variety, san­ variety, so you judge like with like. In most giovese, produced nothing above a sliver shows, the "other" varieties tend to end medal. , marsanne, , up lumped together in a catch-all class; a traminer, barbera, nebbiolo and durif all bunch of misfits, vinous pariahs. Judging wines of consistent variety is hard enough made the top grade. While such varieties but to glean meaningful, consistent results may be caned alternative, many of I Australia's top producers make some of , from SO wines ranging through albarino, arne is, verduzzo, viognier, garganega, rou­ the stalwarts. , Henschke, and d' Arenberg feature in the medals, sanne, frontignac and more can be near along with lesser known newcomers such I as Longview and Scorpo. impossible, especially when they're scat­ A producer with a keen and vested tered through a single line of glasses on a interest in little-known varieties would do bench and there's still more than 100 wines wen to make the pilgrimage to Mildura near to come after lunch. These are not deemed the end of October, to taste the benchmarks "important" wines and just pronouncing or best attempts. It may confirm your half of them can polarize a judging panel. theory that viognier could do really III Ref: 10301971