Hunter Valley to Host 2016 NSW State Wine Judging

In the true spirit of the recently announced Hunter Valley Tourism Alliance, the judging of the 2016 Pier One Sydney Harbour New South Wales Wine Industry Awards will be held next year in the Hunter Valley at Cessnock Leagues Club from 20-22 September. During the three days in Hunter Valley Wine Country, the judges and officials will be spoilt by all the Hunter region has to offer. "This is part of the continuing strategy to attract recognition and prominence for Hunter Valley Wine Country," Chairman of the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association, Hon. George Souris said.

In recent years the NSWWIA implemented that the judging be held throughout the regions following successful trials in both Griffith and then Orange consecutively.

Following the 2016 judging in the Hunter Valley, the awards lunch will be held at Pier One Sydney Harbour on 28 October 2016 for all of the NSW wine industry to celebrate.

The judging of the awards in NSW's premier wine district of the Hunter Valley is a flag for the importance that the Hunter Valley is barely one and a half hours from the Sydney metropolis and only half an hour from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens, as well as the growing importance of Newcastle Airport and Cruise shipping in the Port.

"I look forward to welcoming prominent judges to the Hunter; it is an opportunity for them, outside of their judging duties, to familiarise themselves with the local wine industry, the varieties under cultivation and being planted, the geography and agricultural strengths of the area and also to note the extent of development of tourism facilities in Wine Country."

"I hope they will also have a chance to sample something of the surrounding villages such as Wollombi and Broke."

The 2015 NSW Wine Awards demonstrated the strength of wines against competition from throughout the State with a whopping 197 medals received for the 293 wines which were submitted for judging. This gives the Hunter Valley a 67% strike rate and puts them ahead of all of the other regions which participated.

"We want to see the Hunter shine even further in 2016," Mr Souris concluded.

Tipsy: The drinkers' guide

 

THINGS YOU CAN LEARN BY GETTING TIPSY

David Ellis

WE'VE had plenty of books come across our desk in the three decades or so we've been writing this column, but none quite like a 200-odd pager that came in this month, and simply titled Tipsy.

For while the majority of the others have been pretty-much deeply thought out single-subject works covering wine, or whisky, beer or aperitifs, and how they are made or how best they should be served, Tipsy is a wonderfully expansive look at all this, and at the one time is informative, amusing, and simply an enjoyable read.

It was penned by Clare Burder who has been in the wine business in one way or another since she was just 15, and who now runs appreciation courses covering wine, beer, whisky, gin and sake – while also heading-up her boutique, family-owned Eminence Wines in Victoria's King Valley.

Tipsy takes readers through everything from how to master a daunting 40-page wine list, understand "trade talk," this-goes-with-that cheeses and drinks, to how not only are wines made, but also beers, whiskies, gins and sakes. It also covers storage and cellaring, getting the most enjoyment from rums, tequilas, ciders and vermouths, understanding the difference between a single malt whisky and a blend… even selecting the best glasses for quaffing a good beer, and tips on how to pour like a pro.

We think it a real must-have, and great value at $24.99 from all good book stores.

 


 

[] FUN and informative, a must-have for when you want to know all about that drink you've got in mind.

 

for week beginning 30 November 2015

Lindeman's 2013 St George Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

CLASSIC Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
that's rewardingly rich and generous in flavour.

ONE TO NOTE: 2013 was an excellent vintage in Coonawarra, and on Lindeman's 12ha St George Vineyard the reds ripened slowly and fully to give winemaker Brett Sharpe wonderful fruit of excellent colour density, concentration of flavour and ripe tannin structure for the limited release 2013 St George Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

Already brimming with generous and rich blackcurrant flavour and savoury tannins, at $70 this is a great wine now but will simply get better over the coming five, ten or even more years. Put it on the table with a good steak, or simply enjoy it on its own.


week 30 Nov15

Logan Wines Vintage ‘M’ Cuvee - NSW Central West

GREAT party drop named for a dad who was a
great fan and devotee of premium sparkling wine.

ONE TO NOTE: PETER LOGAN at Logan Wines at Orange in the NSW Central West has long displayed a dogged commitment to evolve and improve his Logan Vintage 'M' Cuvee that's named in memory of his late father, Malcolm – a great fan and devotee of premium sparkling wine.

Made in the traditional Champagne method, Peter's latest release is from the 2012 vintage and is interesting in that he's broken away from a usual practice of close to equal parts of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. For this one he's opted instead for a literally whopping 79% Chardonnay, 11% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier , all off 18 year old vines growing in rich, deep volcanic soils on the north-facing slopes of the local Mount Canobolas.

Crisp and dry with flavours of lemon, wild strawberry, almond and a salty minerality, this 2012 Logan Vintage 'M' Cuvee is a great drop at $35 for upcoming partying.


23.11.15

Margan Wines 2011 Aged Release Shiraz - Hunter Valley

SPECIAL occasion good cheer, an ideal red with the
turkey this Christmas, or perhaps another
any time up to 20 years down the line.

A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS TURKEY RED

David Ellis


IF you've an extra-special Christmas coming up and you are looking for an extra-special wine for just the two of you, give real consideration to Margan Wines' recently released 2011 Aged Release Shiraz.

At $100 a bottle this is a unique wine you'll find is just the drop for a unique-occasion Christmas, especially if turkey is at the centre of the table: Andrew Margan created it using grapes from 40 year old Hunter Valley vines that yielded just a half tonne per acre of intensely flavour-concentrated fruit when picked at full ripeness.

After fermentation it was given 20 months in new French oak barriques, then bottled and aged for four years in Margan's own cellars under Andrew's care.

A beautiful dark purple in colour, this one screams classic Hunter Shiraz, with aromas of white pepper, ripe dark berry fruit, tar, a hint of cigar box and lovely follow-through flavours. And while Ideal for that special-occasion Christmas lunch or dinner turkey this year, it'll also mature beautifully over the next couple of decades for even greater enjoyment at Christmases or other special dining events down the line.

for week beginning 23 November 2015

Drink red wine at room temperature, right? No.

No Australian Drinks Warm Beer, So Why Are 82 Per Cent of Us Drinking Red Wine Too Warm?

In a recent IPSOS study conducted by Taylors Wines, 8 out of 10 Australians are drinking their red wine 'at room temperature'. While this may seem like normal behaviour, our warm Australian climate is actually having a negative impact on the flavour of our favourite shiraz, pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon.

The temperature of an average Aussie home, particularly in summer, ranges between 22˚C-24˚C, and according to industry experts, including the Court of Master Sommeliers, serving a red wine at this temperature robs it of its finesse and flavour. This antiquated advice of drinking red wine at 'room temperature' originates from medieval French drawing rooms which were closer to a chilly 14˚C-16˚C.

White wine isn't exempt from the harsh Australian sun either. While nothing may seem more refreshing than a crisp glass of riesling poured straight from the fridge, chilling a white wine too cold can mask its flavours and aromas, making its acid flavours more pronounced. In a recent Wine Intelligence survey commissioned by Taylors Wines, 77 per cent of Australians enjoy a cool glass of white fresh from the fridge, while 21 per cent even serve it directly from the freezer.

This means approximately 406,825 bottles of red wine and 436,615 bottles of white wine each day are inadvertently being consumed at the incorrect temperature. (1)

Taylors Wines third generation Managing Director Mitchell Taylor says this is a dilemma that affects most Australian wine drinkers, they just don't know it yet.

“Temperature is a vital piece in making sure wine is enjoyed at its very best. While our winemakers take great care to ensure our wine is of utmost quality and value, the warm Australian climate is not so great for storing and drinking wine,” Mitchell said.

“It's an issue that most wine lovers don't know is having a massive impact on their enjoyment and appreciation of wine.”

While expensive high-tech wine fridges and thermometers can be used to control and monitor a wine's temperature consistently, most Australians don't have access to this equipment, so Taylors have found a solution to wine drinker's temperature troubles with their latest label innovation.

Now featured on the back of Taylors Estate and Promised Land ranges is the Optimum Drinking Temperature Sensor – a temperature sensor which uses thermo-chromatic ink technology that changes colour depending on the temperature of the wine, turning green when the white or sparkling wine is just right to pour, and turning fuchsia for the red wines.

This is the first time the technology has been used in educational application, allowing wine drinkers to know when their wine is at the best temperature to enjoy, depending on the variety.

Taylors' wines can now be enjoyed
at their correct temperature

“Using insights and research into Australian wine drinking habits, we're excited to share a simple way for wine consumers to know when their wines are just right to drink,” Mitchell said.

According to Taylors Chief Winemaker Adam Eggins, he suggests putting a red wine in the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving. This will give the wine time to chill to the optimum drinking temperature, turning the back label's small seahorse sensor to a bold fuchsia colour.

As for whites, Adam suggests pulling a white wine from the fridge 30 minutes prior to opening and enjoying as this will give the wine enough time to warm up, opening the wines aromas and unique flavours.

The Taylors Estate range of wines are available for RRP $20. The Taylors Promised Land range are available for RRP $15. Both ranges are available at all good liquor retailers throughout Australia and online at www.taylorswines.com.au.

For more information about Taylors new Optimum Drinking Sensors, visit www.taylorswines.com.au/betterbydegrees.

Instagram: @taylorswines
Twitter: @taylors_wines
Facebook.com/taylorswines
#BetterByDegrees

(1)Nielsen ScanTrack Liquor data to 23/08/15, ABS Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia 06/05/15, IRI-Aztec Liquor Outlook data to 05/07/15

Where do Australians buy their wine? (Roy Morgan)

According to the latest findings from Roy Morgan Research, some 4.8 million Australian adults buy alcohol in an average seven days, spending almost $296 million between them (an average of $61 per person per week). Enjoying the largest slice of this rather substantial pie is liquor megastore Dan Murphy’s--leader not only in terms of market share, as it happens, but also in total customer numbers.

In any given week, 1.2 million Aussies 18+ (or 23.9% of total alcohol-buyers) shop at Dan Murphy’s, spending an average of $67 each. The result? An impressive 26.3% share of total dollars spent on alcohol during an average seven-day period—well ahead of BWS (Beer Wine Spirits), which has 17.9% of the total weekly liquor spend.

With 1.1 million people shopping there in an average seven days, BWS is only just behind Dan Murphy’s in terms of customer volume. However, because BWS customers spend considerably less on average ($48) than Dan Murphy’s shoppers, the difference in market share between the two retailers is more pronounced.
Top 10 liquor retailers in terms of market share

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), October 2014 – September 2015 (n=3,730). Dollar figures = average customer spend for each store. (click to enlarge)

Liquorland (10.8% of total market dollars), 1st Choice (6.3%) and wine clubs such as Cellarmasters and the Wine Society (4.8%) complete the top five liquor retailers with respect to market-share size.

But where a retailer sits in term of market share does not always correspond with the volume of customers shopping with them in any given seven days.

Wine clubs are the most striking example of this. While they account for the fifth-greatest portion of total dollars spent—thanks to their customers’ hefty $194 weekly spend— they don’t even crack the top 10 for customer numbers. Used by 74,000 Australian adults in an average seven days, these online retailers tend to specialise in bulk sales (eg cases of wine) rather than spontaneous one-off purchases.

The opposite pattern is true of ALDI Liquor, which attracts the fifth-highest number of shoppers in any given seven days (251,000) but only 2.2% of total dollars spent due to their customers’ low average spend ($26). Given the low prices of ALDI Liquor’s products, this is not especially surprising.

Andrew Price, General Manager – Consumer Products, Roy Morgan Research, says:

“These latest alcohol findings will come as very good news to Woolworths Limited, which owns both Dan Murphy’s and BWS, the retailers with the highest share of Australia’s liquor market—just over 44% between the two of them.

“With its enormous, well-stocked stores, low-price policy and strong online presence, Dan Murphy’s also happens to be the current Liquor Store of the Month in the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards. Clearly the chain is ticking all the right boxes among Australia’s alcohol buyers, who not only flock there in droves but rack up one of the higher average weekly spends.

“BWS serves a different purpose, being geared more towards convenience with its stores located adjacent to Woolworths supermarkets. It is interesting to note that Woolworths also has a finger in the wine club pie with Cellarmasters, one of the country’s top online wine stores.

“With its three very different liquor retail offerings, Woolworths seems well positioned to thrive in this competitive market even as the proportion of Australians drinking and buying alcohol continues to decline…”