2018 Results Catalogue
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19 th CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL RIESLING CHALLENGE HOTEL REALM CANBERRA AND ALBERT HALL CANBERRA AUSTRALIA 15 – 20 OCTOBER 2018 RESULTS CATALOGUE Canberra International Riesling Challenge October 2018 Canberra International Riesling Challenge October 2018 TROPHIES and AWARDS Best Wine of the 2018 Challenge Canberra International Riesling Challenge Trophy Black Star Farms - 2017 Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling (Class 10, Dry, Old Mission Peninsula, USA) Best Dry Riesling Jim Murphy AM Perpetual Trophy Black Star Farms - 2017 Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling (Class 10, Dry, Old Mission Peninsula, USA) Best Semi-Dry Riesling Wolf Blass Trophy Risky Business Wines - 2018 Risky Business Luxe Riesling (Class 2, Semi-dry, Great Southern, Australia) Best Sweet Riesling Australia Post Trophy 2017 Forrest Botrytised Riesling (Class 6, Sweet including Botrytis & Eiswein, Marlborough, New Zealand) Best Museum Class ActewAGL Trophy Poacher’s Ridge - 2016 Poacher’s Ridge Riesling (Class 7, Dry, Great Southern, Australia) Best Australian Riesling ACT Government and Hotel Realm Trophy Risky Business Wines - 2018 Risky Business Luxe Riesling (Class 2, Semi-dry, Great Southern, Australia) Best New Zealand Riesling New Zealand High Commission Perpetual Trophy Forrest Wines - 2017 Forrest Botrytised Riesling (Class 6, Sweet including Botrytis & Eiswein, Marlborough, New Zealand) Best European Riesling German Ambassador’s Perpetual Trophy Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung - 2016 Hallgarten Riesling Alte Reben VDP.ORTSWEIN (Class 14, Semi-dry, Rheingau, Germany) Best American Riesling USA Embassy Perpetual Trophy Black Star Farms - 2017 Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling (Class 10, Dry, Old Mission Peninsula, USA) Best Canberra District Riesling ACT Chief Minister’s Trophy Mount Majura Vineyard -2018 Mount Majura Vineyard Riesling (Class 1, Dry, Canberra District, Australia) Best Tasmanian Riesling Tamar Valley Wine Route Trophy Goaty Hill Wines - 2017 Goaty Hill Riesling (Class 4, Dry, Tasmania, Australia) Wines of Provenance Trevelen Farm Riesling – 2016, 2011, 2005 (Great Southern, Australia) Wolf Blass Award Neil and Andrew Pike, Pike’s Wines, Australia Jim Trezise, USA Encouragement Award for up and coming Australian Riesling Winemakers Shaw Vineyard Estate Daniel Hetherington, Capel Vale Wines 1 1 Canberra International Riesling Challenge October 2018 Canberra International Riesling Challenge October 2018 Canberra International Riesling Challenge – a brief history The concept of the Riesling Challenge came from Ken Helm AM, a pioneer Canberra winemaker with a passion for Riesling. The idea of the Challenge was launched in 1999 at the Murrumbateman Cool Climate Wine Show. As the second biggest Riesling producer in the world next to Germany, and it seemed appropriate that Australia should promote the variety. The concept was further developed by Ken, with the Hyatt Hotel Canberra (the major sponsor at the time) and a group of Canberra business people, including (the late) Jim Murphy AM, James Service, Paul Walshe, and Emmanuel Notaras, together with the ACT Government. Wolf Blass AM accepted an invitation to be the first Chairman of judges; he held that position for six years. He introduced the Wolf Blass Award, became a major sponsor, member of the Committee and is now the International Ambassador for the Canberra International Riesling Challenge. Ken Helm was elected Chairman and from that position has guided development over the last nineteen years. The inaugural event in October 2000 at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra attracted 137 entries from across Australia. The trophy for the Best Riesling went to McWilliams 1996 Eden Valley Rhine Riesling. In 2002 entries were sought from New Zealand, and in 2003 the Wolf Blass Award was included to recognise a person or innovation that has made a major contribution to the development and promotion of Riesling. In 2004 the German Ambassador, Dr Klaus Peter Klaiber, offered a Perpetual Trophy for the Best German Wine and organised a comparative tasting of 21 German wines. This provided an opportunity to promote the event as the Canberra International Riesling Challenge. Realising the international concept was made possible through the assistance Canberra’s Diplomatic missions, which enables the entry wines from various countries to be sourced through the Ambassadors and High Commissioners. The Challenge has become an internationally-recognised wine event, making it the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. 2008 saw the introduction of judging on a regional level, a first in Australia for an international event. This approach showcases the individual characteristics unique to a wine’s location in the world, the soil, the climate, aspect etc. Since 2012 judging has been undertaken against the 100 point judging system. Seminars conducted by Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga were introduced to promote better winemaking and appreciation of the many styles of Riesling. A Master Class has been conducted annually since 2012 to build knowledge and appreciation of Riesling within the wine industry and consumers through presentations and guided tastings of the world’s best Rieslings. Consumers are able to taste all of the entry wines at the conclusion of the judging. This is a unique opportunity to taste some of the best Rieslings the world has to offer, many of which are not readily available in Australia. The Challenge has drawn judges from Germany, USA, France, England, and New Zealand and from winemakers, media and sommeliers from across Australia. The 2018 Challenge welcomes for the first time a judge from China illustrating the growing interest in all things wine in Asia. Associate Judging positions which are offered annually to provide judging experience, are eagerly sought after roles. The ongoing support of the ACT Government since the inception of the event has been a crucial factor in its success in promoting the Riesling wine styles, the Canberra Wine Industry and Canberra as a tourist destination to the world. 2018 sees a new record entry with 567 Rieslings from 240 wineries across six countries and four continents. This year for the first time a Provenance Class was introduced with entries comprising three vintages of the same wine/label produced from a single vineyard and winery, with 10 or more year’s age range between the most recent and the oldest vintage. The Canberra International Riesling Challenge has been a leader in innovation in wine judging, and promotion of wine and Riesling. The future will see it further develop with plans for national and International road shows to promote the best Rieslings in the world, and the Australian Wine Industry. 2 2 Canberra International Riesling Challenge October 2018 Canberra International Riesling Challenge October 2018 12 – 17 October 2015 Patron: ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA International Riesling Ambassador: Wolf Blass AM BVK Organising Committee James Service AM, Chairman James Austin Ian Cox Ken Helm AM Chris Holly Kenan Morris Manny Notaras Phil Scott Graeme Shaw Paul Walshe OAM Executive Officer: Sue Hart National Secretariat: Commerce Management Services Judges Awards Gold Medal 95.0 – 100.0 Silver Medal 90.0 – 94.0 Bronze Medal 85.0 – 89.0 Chairman of Judges Cameron Douglas MS Master Sommelier, New Zealand Judging Panel Members Alison Eisermann MW Wine Maker and Wine Educator, New South Wales Trent Mannell Senior Buyer, Australian Wine Selector, New South Wales Steve Baraglia Senior Winemaker, Pikes Wines, South Australia Greer Carland Winemaker and Consultant, Tasmania Jim Trezise President, Wine America, USA Fongyee Walker MW Dragon Phoenix Wine Consulting, Beijing, China Associate Judging Panel Members Will Gilbert Gilbert Family Wines, New South Wales Rafe Nottage Bream Creek Vineyard, Tasmania Celine Rousseau Eden Road Wines, New South Wales Stewards Phil Scott (Chief Steward); Brian Sinclair; Allen Grant; Marina Sekoranja; John Sekoranja; Paul Ngo; Siw Wittkopf; Alex Lang; Julia O’Keefe; Arian Farrant; Rona Farrant; John Byrne; Neil Hamilton; Kylie Neasy; Mandy Judson; Kimberley Barsby; Emma Shaw; Karly Winkler; Nicole Henry 3 3 Canberra International Riesling Challenge October 2018 ELITE GOLDS Canberra International Riesling Challenge October 2018 ELITE GOLDS Insert Elite Gold artwork as used in the 2018 entry schedule Excluding Trophy winners. Elite Gold is equal to or better than 96 points. Class Winery Wine Vintage Region Country 1 Eden Hall Wines Springton Riesling 2018 Eden Valley Australia 1 Jacob’s Creek Wines Jacob’s Creek Classic Riesling 2018 Various Australia 1 Jim Barry Wines The Lodge Hill Riesling 2018 Clare Valley Australia 3 Plan B! Wines Plan B! ‘OD’ Riesling 2018 Great Southern Australia 4 Australian Vintage Ltd McGuigan Shortlist Riesling 2015 Eden Valley Australia 4 Larry Cherubino Wines Cherubino Porongurup Riesling 2017 Great Southern Australia 4 Tim Adams Wines Tim Adams Skilly Ridge Riesling 2017 Clare Valley Australia 5 Kahurangi Estate Kahurangi Estate Mt Arthur Reserve Riesling 2017 Nelson New Zealand 7 Ladbroke Grove Wines Schoolhouse Riesling 2005 Coonawarra Australia 7 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Pewsey Vale Vineyard The Contours Riesling 2008 Eden Valley Australia Museum Release 7 Poonawatta Poonawatta The Eden 2011 Eden Valley Australia 7 Shut the Gate Wines For Love Watervale Riesling 2012 Clare Valley Australia 7 The Wilson Vineyard Polish Hill River Riesling 2009 Clare Valley Australia 11 Chateau Lafayette Reneau Dry Riesling 2017 Finger Lakes USA 12 Weingut Georg Müller 2017