When it comes to judging wine, we usually leave the honours to the highly trained honkers and rarefied palates of recognised experts, doyens who have swirled, sniffed and swilled their way into the know.

Yet as our recent Festival People's Choice Awards proved, an appreciation of what separates the good stuff from the vin ordinaire can be safely left in the hands of an increasingly sophisticated public. If you like it, drink it, is a pretty safe credo. Albeit, there were some mighty likable wines to judge.

We invited 50 wine devotees to judge a diverse selection of Margaret River wines during the Wine Festival in November. The People's Choice Awards saw participants taken through the rigours of judging by respected West Australian wine writer and critic Ray Jordan.

Ray had selected several superb regional styles for judging prior to the event. All in all, the acolyte critics did very well indeed. In fact, the experts couldn't have done much better.

The winning wine, the delightful Vasse Felix 1996 Shiraz, was announced at a gala dinner at the Flame Tree restaurant following the tasting.

There couldn't be a more deserving winner. In 1997, the Vasse Felix won best shiraz and best varietal red at the Adelaide Wine Show, and silver at both the National Wine Show in Canberra and the Melbourne Wine Show.

This intense, fruit-driven red also made James Halliday's top 100 wines, and is powerful proof that the variety is as much at home in Margaret River as Cabernet.

Mind you, Vasse Felix had some stiff competition on the way. The best wines were named the Festival Dozen. They were: Brookland Valley 1997 Sauvignon Blanc, Cape Clairault 1997 Sauvignon Blanc, Cape Mentelle 1996 Chardonnay, Redgate 1997 Semillon, Vasse Felix 1997 Semillon, Abbey Vale 1995 Merlot Shiraz, Brookland Valley 1995 Cabernet Merlot, Cape Mentelle 1996 Cabernet Merlot, Evans & Tate 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon, Arlewood 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon, Ribbon Vale 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Vasse Felix 1996 Shiraz. Learn more inside...

Why not join us at next year's Festival... and show the judges a thing or two! - Ron Macfarlane