2014 Singapore Airlines - Swan Valley Wine Show

Media Release September 1st 2014

For immediate publication

2014 SINGAPORE AIRLINES - SWAN VALLEY WINE SHOW

INTERNATIONAL TICK OF APPROVAL

In its 180th year of winemaking, the annual Singapore Airlines - Swan Valley Wine Show Awards Dinner, held at Belvoir Homestead, celebrated another successful wine show with guests, sponsors and winemakers enjoying Belvoir’s chef’s personally designed menu to complement the finest wines from the Swan Valley region. To complete the evening, the Swan Valley wineries dug deep into their cellars and shared with guests a selection of aged and vintage wines with some wines more than 30 years old.

Judges at the 2014 Singapore Airlines Swan Valley Wine Show judged 249 wines from 33 producers with 19 gold, 39 silver and 103 bronze medals awarded highlighting the quality of the region’s wines.

Guest International judge CH’NG Poh Tiong from Singapore had high praise for the wines exhibited. He was particularly impressed with the high quality of Swan Valley Verdelho, Chenin and Shiraz also the region’s fortified wines. Poh Tiong said fortified wines produced in the Swan Valley should be entered into international wine competitions as they are world class wines equal to any he had tasted around the world.

Standout producers of the evening’s awards were:

 Sittella Winery who took out three trophies also for their 2009 Museum Silk  The Chairman’s Trophy this year was awarded to John Kosovich Rare Muscat which also won the Best Fortified Wine Trophy.  The Singapore Airlines Premium Trophy for the Best Alternative Varietal Wine was won by the 2013 Myattsfield Durif  The City of Swan Trophy was awarded to Talijancich Winery

The evening also featured the latest induction, Thomas Waters, into the “Icon of the Swan Valley” hall of fame for 2014. To be eligible to be inducted as an Icon of the Swan Valley a person must have exhibited a minimum of twenty five years of significant influence in the history of winemaking in the Swan Valley. The award was accepted by on behalf of the Waters family by Gayna Groflin – the great great granddaughter of Thomas Waters. An excerpt of her thank you speech is below.

When Thomas came to Australia in 1829 he brought with him rooted vines from South Africa packed in barrels containing soil and cuttings. He planted the grape vines along the Swan River allotment which he named "The Olive Farm". Whilst in South Africa he learnt how to make wine, so when his vines began to produce fruit he made wine using it to barter for other essential goods. The Olive Farm was the first winery in Western Australia and some of the original cellars, established approx. 1830 still exist and are said to be the oldest below ground cellars in Australia.

Because of his botanical knowledge he was of great assistance to the settlers who were experiencing great losses because their stock had eaten a particular scrub. He diagnosed it as a poisonous plant and it was given the name "York Road Poison". His reward for this was an extra grant of 100 acres adjoining his existing property. Thomas was the first settler to attempt to grow wheat and he invented a wooden plough. He was also a Constable on the Swan in Dec. 1829.

Thomas drowned in the Swan River at Guildford on the 28. February 1869. Amongst many others, the headstone for Thomas, Sarah, Henry and William, erected by Charlotte Mary O'Rourke, daughter and sister of the above can still be visited on the Guildford Grammar School Chapel grounds. Sarah died on the 20. February, 1854.

For more information or images contact

Julie Church Swan Valley and Regional Winemakers Association t. 0430 622130 [email protected] wwwfacebook.com/swanvalleywinemakers

Full list of wine show results at: www.swanvalleywinemakers.com.au/swan-valley-wine-show/