Geelong’s best wines awarded

A Shiraz from Provenance Wines has taken out the top gong at this year’s Geelong Wine Show.

Judging took place over two days last week ahead of Saturday’s awards dinner and saw 229 wines from 31 producers vie for a number of industry awards.

Geelong Wine Show chair and Oakdene Wines general manager Steven Paul said the event, held at Provenance Wines, continued to bring together large and small producers from across the celebrated Geelong wine region, and showcased the quality and diversity of their wines.

“The Geelong Wine Show aims to promote excellence in wine growing in the region, broadly promote the wines of the region to the wine trade and wine-drinking public and identify the best wines of the region each year, in addition to fostering links between sponsors and the wine industry.

“We encourage the region’s winegrowers to use the Geelong Wine Show as a learning and development opportunity. Entrants are provided with written feedback that can be drawn upon for future wine-making decisions.

“The high calibre of judges, sponsors and winemakers make the Geelong Wine Show one of the standout regional wine shows in Australia, and with renowned winemakers John Harris and Simon Steel joined by winemaking and vineyard consultant Victor Nash on the judging panel, the event provides an essential benchmarking opportunity in the wine industry.”

Geelong Wine Show chief of judges John Harris, of Mitchell Harris Wines in Ballarat, said it was a real thrill to see the quality of the winemaking and the diversity of the Geelong subregions on display at this year’s show.

“Judges were impressed with the medal-winning wines across all classes that exhibited good fruit purity and concentration, and considerate winemaking expertise.

“Congratulations to Sam Vogel, Scott Ireland and the team at Provenance. They continue to be an example of our great wineries in Geelong who showcase the quality and strength of the region as a whole. It’s a well-deserved win.”

The awards dinner, hosted by Nicky Buckley, showcased the trophy, gold, silver and bronze medal-winning wines and included a new trophy for the Tonellerie Marsannay Best Wine of Provenance – awarded to the best flight of three wines from the red and white wine of provenances classes – taken out by Moorabool Valley region winery Lethbridge Wines.

Local industry legends Richard and Pam Austin were also inducted into the Wine Geelong Hall of Fame.

Their family business, Austin’s Wines, is now ran by its second generation and has expanded to more than 67 hectares under vine.

Its recently opened cellar door, housed in a former shearing shed, has become an extremely popular wine and dining destination.