A Pinot Noir from Tasmania has broken a six-year winning streak by white wine varieties to be crowned Australia’s best at the Royal Queensland Wine Show (RQWS) Awards at the Brisbane Showgrounds.
The Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 is the first red wine to claim the Angelo Puglisi Grand Champion Wine of Show since 2013, with the award usually dominated by Chardonnay.
The top drop also won the prestigious Stodart Trophy for the best red table wine of show.
“The Giant Steps Nocton stood head and shoulders above the pack for its clarity of fruit, exquisite perfume and profound structure,” says Chief Judge Jim Chatto. “As soon as I tasted it, I knew it was going to be hard to beat.
“Steve Flamsteed is an accomplished maker of fine Pinot Noir in the Yarra Valley – seems he’s pretty handy in Tasmania too.”
Yarra Valley winemakers and red wine varieties continued their success, with the new Chief Judge’s Award going to Yarra Yering’s Dry Red Wine No.3 2018.
“The Yarra Yering No.3 is a deliciously fragrant and harmonious blend,” says Chatto.
“It was a little unlucky, missing out on the Best Red Blend taste off by just one vote.”
It was a white wine’s time to shine in the new Wines of Provenance classes, where winemakers entered three different vintages of the same label in red and white varieties.
The King Street Best Wine of Provenance award came down to a Reisling and Cabernet, with the Leasingham Classic Clare Riesling from Leasingham Wines in South Australia winning the judges over.
The 24 judges tasted their way through 1,695 wines from 234 Australian wineries over four days last week and were pleased with the overall quality.
Chatto says 4.6% of wines were awarded gold medals, which spoke highly of the wine being made across the country.
“Being the first show on the Australian wine show calendar, light to medium bodied reds from 2018 performed very well,” he says.
“The rise and rise of ‘Mediterranean’ varieties such as Grenache and Tempranillo is very exciting.
“They’re often better suited to our hot and arid climate, and lifestyles, than the traditional cool climate French varieties our industry was founded on.”
The RQWS dates back to 1876, giving Australian wineries exposure by helping to promote the nation’s diverse growing regions, the winemakers and their exceptional drops.
2019 TROPHY AWARD WINNERS
THE MALDWYN AND IAN DAVIES BEST SPARKLING WINE OF SHOW
Brown Family Wine Group – Brown Brothers Patricia Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Brut 2012
BEST RIESLING WINE OF SHOW
Pewsey Vale Vineyard – Pewsey Vale Vineyard The Contours Riesling 2013
BEST SEMILLON WINE OF SHOW
Australian Vintage Limited – McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2013
BEST SAUVIGNON BLANC OR SEMILLON & SAUVIGNON BLANC BLEND WINE OF SHOW
Grape Expectations Vintners – Miles From Nowhere Sauvignon Blanc 2019
THE AO FLEMING BEST CHARDONNAY WINE OF SHOW
Capel Vale Winery – Capel Vale Wines Black Label Chardonnay 2018
BEST PINOT GRIS / GRIGIO WINE OF SHOW
Jacob’s Creek Wines – Jacob’s Creek Classic Pinot Grigio 2019
BEST SINGLE WHITE VARIETAL WINE OF SHOW
Australian Vintage Limited – Nepenthe Winemakers Select Gewurztraminer 2018
BEST SWEET WHITE WINE OF SHOW
Brown Family Wine Group – Brown Brothers Patricia Noble Riesling 2015
BEST SINGLE VINEYARD WHITE TABLE WINE OF SHOW
Pewsey Vale Vineyard – Pewsey Vale Vineyard The Contours Riesling 2013
RNA BEST WHITE TABLE WINE OF SHOW
Capel Vale Winery – Capel Vale Wines Black Label Chardonnay 2018
BEST ROSÉ WINE OF SHOW
Jacob’s Creek Wines – Jacob’s Creek Le Petit Rosé 2018
BEST CURRENT DRINKING LIGHT RED WINE OF SHOW
De Bortoli Wines – Villages Tempranillo Touriga 2018
THE DR BILL RYAN BEST PINOT NOIR OF SHOW
Giant Steps Wine – Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
BEST GRENACHE, ASSOCIATED VARIETY OR BLEND WINE OF SHOW
Hentley Farm – Hentley Farm The Old Legend Grenache 2018
BEST SHIRAZ WINE OF SHOW
Windance Estate – Shiraz 2018
THE WINE GUILD OF AUSTRALIA INC (QUEENSLAND) BEST SHIRAZ/CABERNET BLEND WINE OF SHOW
Deep Woods Estate – Deep Woods Estate ‘Ebony’ Cabernet Shiraz 2017
THE ALAN COOK MBE TROPHY THE ALAN COOK MBE TROPHY BEST CABERNET, ASSOCIATED VARIETY OR BLEND WINE OF SHOW
Xanadu Wines – Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
BEST SINGLE RED VARIETAL WINE OF SHOW
Agnew Wines – Cockfighters Ghost Single Vineyard Sangiovese 2017
BEST RED BLEND WINE OF SHOW
Hardys Tintara – Hardys Tintara Grenache Shiraz Touriga 2018
BEST SINGLE VINEYARD RED TABLE WINE OF SHOW
Giant Steps Wine – Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
BEST FORTIFIED WINE OF SHOW
Baileys of Glenrowan – Baileys of Glenrowan Rare Topaque
KING STREET BEST WINE OF PROVENANCE
Leasingham Wines – Leasingham Classic Clare Watervale Riesling 2005, 2012, 2018
CHIEF JUDGE’S AWARD
Yarra Yering – Dry Red Wine No3 2018
THE STODART TROPHY BEST RED TABLE WINE OF SHOW
Giant Steps Wine – Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
THE ANGELO PUGLISI GRAND CHAMPION WINE OF SHOW
Giant Steps Wine – Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
