By David Ellis from vintnews.
We admit to being somewhat blasé when it comes to medals, trophies and other gongs going to those in the winemaking industry, seemingly just about every maker we know winning something or other for one of their wines (at some time or other,) and which makes us fear that if we mention one award we’re going to have to mention the lot – and that would take up our entire column every week of the year.
But we feel we should give recognition to one accolade that’s just been handed out as it’s a world first – and that we can give it mention because the wine’s sold out anyway. And that’s the Semillon Trophy at the 2015 International Wine and Spirit Competition that was won for an amazing fifth consecutive year by the Hunter Valley’s McGuigan Wines – the first time in history anyone’s achieved such a feat.
The record-setting 2015 winning drop was McGuigan’s 2006 Bin 9000 Semillon that Chief Winemaker, Neil McGuigan sums up as having been “a true Hunter style Semillon, fresh and light when young, and which will develop rich honey and toast characters with extended cellaring over the next 10+ years.”
Medium bodied and full of gooseberry and lime on the palate, with fresh acidity and a lingering finish, it virtually marched off the shelves… to the disappointment of those who missed out.
One to note: Tintilla Estate, that proudly boasts to being the first in the Hunter Valley to plant Sangiovese vines – and that was back in the mid-90s – is earning a well-deserved reputation for the Rosé it makes from the fruit of these vines.
So much so in fact it has a wait-list each year of regular buyers, and this year had sold a third of anticipated production before the wine was even made. Winemaker James Lusby has created in 2015 a Rosé that, despite coming from a challenging cold and wet vintage, is wonderfully dry and food-friendly.
At $26 its good-value buying and ideal at this time of year with summer salads (avoid any bitter greens,) pork sausages off the barbie, or linguine with garlic and mussels.
