Lindeman’s red dominates wine show

Judges impressed with quality of entries at 21st Limestone Coast Wine Show

A classic Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon has dominated the 2022 Limestone Coast Wine Show. Lindeman’s Wines 2019 St George Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded the Bill Redman Trophy for Best Wine of Show at last Thursday’s celebration dinner held at the Robe Mechanics Institute, after earlier collecting the HR (Ron) Haselgrove Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon (Current to 3 Year Old), the Trophy for Best Individual Vineyard Wine and the David Wynn Trophy for Best Red Wine of Show.

Chief of Judges Samantha Conne described the winning red as a stand-out among 465 entries. “It’s a wine that encapsulates the very best of what the Limestone Coast has to offer,” she said.

Grapes for the limited-release St George Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced exclusively from the 45-year-old St George Vineyard in Coonawarra, with viticulturist Ben Briggs collecting the Arthur Hoffmann Trophy for Viticulturist of the Year. Lindeman’s Wines’ astonishing trophy haul climbed to seven when the 2019 Lindeman’s Limestone Ridge Shiraz Cabernet was awarded Best Blended Red and the 2019, 2014 and 2008 vintages of the same wine won Best Wine of Provenance. Judge Philip Rich praised its consistency and common stylistic thread. “They were three excellent wines with demonstrated ability to age well; it illustrated both the variety and the region well,” he said.

The 2022 Ottelia Riesling made with grapes grown in the Kongorong area southwest of Mount Gambier won the Colin Kidd Trophy for Best White Wine of Show and the Karl Seppelt Trophy for Best Aromatic White Wine. “It just had everything – it was a wine that jumped out of the glass with lovely flavour, and you just wanted to drink more,” said judge Liz Heidenreich.

Landaire based at Padthaway Estate was another big winner with a four trophy haul; the 2021 Chardonnay won the Pam Dunsford Trophy for Best Chardonnay and was named the Chief of Judge’s Wine to Watch. Landaire’s 2022 Rose won the Trophy for Best Rose, with judge Cath Oates proclaiming it a “fresh and delicious stand-out”. The family-owned company’s Padthaway Estate Eliza Blanc De Blancs was named Best Sparkling Wine for the second year in a row, again winning praise for its beautiful complexity and balance.

Meanwhile, it was a triple trophy treat for Wangolina. The Mount Benson winery’s 2021 Wangolina A-Series Tempranillo won the Peter Wehl Trophy for Best Single Variety of Italian, Portugese, Spanish Heritage, and cemented the region’s reputation for outstanding shiraz when the 2021 Wangolina Originals Syrah won the Small Batch Experimental Wine Award and the International Judge’s Award. New Zealand judge Jane Skilton MW described it as a modern take on a traditional style that was true to its origins. “I was looking for deliciousness above all else, but it was also a fresher wine with slightly lighter tannins,” she said. “The Limestone Coast’s reputation is built on wines that age which is brilliant, but if you’re going to get some of the newer consumers who want to drink wines of provenance and place but maybe don’t have the appetite for long aging and want more of an immediate style, this is a terrific wine.”

Rounding out the awards, the 2022 Reschke R-Series Malbec won Best Single Variety of French Heritage, the Eric Brand Trophy for Best Shiraz went to the 2018 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz, and Coonawarra also came to the fore with the Brands Laira 171 Cabernet Sauvignon claiming the Trophy for Best Cabernet 4 to 6 years old. The 2013 Peppertree Wines Block 21A Cabernet Sauvignon from Wrattonbully won the Ewen Fergusson McBain Trophy for Best Museum Wine, and Padthaway’s Farmer’s Leap Wines won the Trophy for Most Successful Exhibitor.

A total of 43 gold medals were awarded during the 21st anniversary event after two days of judging. The winners are on show this morning (Friday October 21) at the Exhibitors Tasting at Rymill Hall, Penola.