THE INAUGURAL 2002 MARGARET RIVER
WINE SHOW MEDAL WINNERS DOZEN
Eight gold, 3 silvers and a bronze medal winner from the extremely successful, first ever Margaret River Wine Show.

The Margaret River Regional Wine Centre has been a strong advocate for this exceptional world recognised region for many years and was delighted to lend its support to this benchmark event.

We sponsored Class 23 for Older Red Blends, a class in which the judges did not award a gold medal. Instead 3 silvers were awarded — to Lenton Brae’s 1999 Margaret River Cabernet (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot), Brookland Valley’s 1999 Cabernet Merlot and Voyager’s Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.

It was good to see Lenton Brae get the recognition we believe it deserves. Club members may remember, we included the wine in our very popular Cabernet Heaven pack, where it stood alongside the 1999 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon and 1999 Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. It is standing up so well, we’ve included it in this edition’s special dozen and written a profile of the vineyard after a guided tour by winemaker Ed Tomlinson (see back page).

This is a star-studded line-up, a snapshot of the very best the region has to offer.
Begining 2002 ASHBROOK
  VERDELHO
A dry, unwooded style. First up, a heady passion fruit/tropical fruit aroma, which flows through to the palate, finishing with a fresh clean acidity. There is a certain spiciness that complements a wide range of foods, especially oriental dishes. Gold.
Begining2002 EDWARDS
  SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC
Fermentation in stainless steel and new French oak has resulted in lifted nectarine and passion fruit aromas with hints of freshly cut grass, tropical fruits and lemon zest. The palate sees zesty citrus fruits overlay hints of creamy nuttiness from the oak, which gives length and structure. Gold.
Begining2002 HAMELIN BAY
  FIVE ASHES RESERVE CHARDONNAY
A complex array of aromas including ripe peaches, dried banana, pineapple and mangoes, with soft touches from 9 months in new French oak. The palate shows rich tropical fruit flavours, length and suppleness with good acid balance. Gold.
Begining2001 CAPE MENTELLE
WALLCLIFFE SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON
Sourced from the Wallcliffe Vineyard, planted in the 1970s. French and American oak has produced the minera/lemongrass aromas with notes of lemon meringue pie and smoky peat that is becoming typical of this emerging style. Lingering flavours echo the nose and carry through the length of the palate. Gold.
Begining2001 DEVIL'S LAIR
  CHARDONNAY
A richness and texture, born of 12 months French oak, with lees contact and some malolactic fermentation. With concentrated pink grapefruit and pear on the nose, and complex toast, caramel, almond meal and butterscotch rolling onto the palate, it is already showing subtlety, style and great harmony. Gold.

Begining2002 LENTON BRAE
  SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC
The 16th vintage of this fabulous 55%, 45% blend. A riper style, with tropical and citrus notes, rather than those herbaceous green bean vegetative characters. Stelvin sealed for that fresh, as it entered the bottle, taste. Bronze.
Order the Special Dozen here..
Begining2001 EDWARDS
  CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Fifteen months in French oak has produced lifted aromas of sweet red berries, with earthy, black berry notes overlaying touches of mint and mocha. Ripe, sweet and delicate cassis fruit dominates the front palate with red currant, raspberry and fine ground tannins providing a lingering finish. Gold.
Begining2001 ARLEWOOD
   CABERNET MERLOT
This 70/30 French oak blend presents a dark brooding and tarry nose of ripe raspberry, elderberry, crushed mulberry leaf, cassis and smoky oak. The palate is of rich redcurrants, cherry and mint, with
biscuity oak flavours and fine, ripe tannins. Gold.
Begining2001 CARBANUP CREST
   CELLA RAGE CABERNET MERLOT
A moderately intense nose of blackberry and liquorice root that should gain further complexity in the bottle. The palate has concentrated blackberry and blackcurrant fruit flavours, and is currently intensely phenolic. Will benefit from at least 12 months in the bottle. Gold.
Begining2001 FLYING FISH
   CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Aromas of black currant, sweet liqueur dark cherry, black plums, anise, chocolate and lightly perfumed oak. A delicious full bodied dark berry richness in the mouth, finishing with savoury French oak spices and supple rounded tannins. Silver.
Begining1999 LENTON BRAE
   MARGARET RIVER CABERNET
Superb nose of blackcurrant, spice, cedar and truffle, followed by liquorice end notes. The palate is classic Bordeaux — pronounced spice, liquorice, blackcurrant, cedar and cigar box. The tannins are fine-grained, well balanced, followed by a very long aftertaste of blackcurrant, cedar and liquorice. Silver.
Begining2000 SETTLERS RIDGE
   ORGANIC SHIRAZ
The Settlers Ridge flagship. Every one released so far has won at least silver and this is no exception. Fruit driven, it has a fine balance of oak and tannin. Cellaring potential of around 10 years. Silver.


End of Lamonts

 

June 2003