Australian Wine Online: 1996 Great Australian Shiraz Challenge

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October 1996

Wirra Wirra wins 1996 Great Australian Shiraz Challenge

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The 1994 Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz has won the 1996 Qantas-Australian Gourmet Traveller Great Australian Shiraz Challenge, presented by the Goulburn Valley winemakers. It is the second year that a McLaren Vale producer has topped the Challenge in this new competition that already sparks keen rivalry between Australia's premier Shiraz producing districts. No doubt the rhetoric between old rivals the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale will again be flowing this year, after another McLaren Vale wine -- the 1994 Merrivale Brian Light Reserve Shiraz -- secured second place, ahead of the 1994 Michelton Goulburn Valley Shiraz in third position.

The Top 3 placing for the Michelton Shiraz is a boon for the local Goulburn Valley wineries who host the event, and breaks the stranglehold of South Australian wines on the top placings, after South Australians took the trifecta last year. However, the 1996 Challenge Top 10 are drawn from seven regions and the Top 50 from 21 regions, reinforcing Shiraz as 'Australia's National Red.'

With its system of aggregating and averaging the judges' marks, and independent rather than group judging, the Great Australian Shiraz Challenge is probably Australia's toughest wine contest. The winning Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz was the more remarkable for scoring unanimous gold medal marks from all three judges, James Halliday, Brian Croser and UK judge Robert Joseph. The judges retasted 18 finalists during September to find the trophy winner. While a gold medal ranking is difficult to achieve, 58 wines of a total of 102 entries scored medal ranking.

Several of Australian Wine Online's featured wineries scored very well: Chatsfield ranked 8th with a silver while St Hallett's '93 Old Block and Reilly's '94 Shiraz earned bronze medals.

The Shiraz Challenge, of which Winetitles is a sponsor, is already one of Australia's most valuable wine competitions, with the winner taking out Qantas international airfares, The Wine Society Trophy for Best Shiraz, Seguin Moreau oak and Reidel glassware valued at $14,000. Placement in The Wine Society Shiraz Challenge Dozen, and promotional opportunities through Qantas and Australian Gourmet Traveller, have established the Challenge Trophy as one of the country's most sought after prizes in only its second year. The public can taste all Top 50 wines of the Challenge at the seven host Goulbourn Valley wineries - Somerset Crossing, Hankin Estate, Plunkett's Winery, Mitchelton, Chateau Tahbilk, David Traeger Wines and Longleaf - over the Melbourne Cup weekend on 2-3 November. A tasting passport for all 50 Shiraz is $20 or individual winery Shiraz passes at $5. Wineries will also feature food and music.

1996 TOP 50

GOLD MEDAL & TROPHY

1994 Wirra Wirra RSW 18.5

SILVER MEDAL

1994 Merrivale Brian Light Reserve 18.0

1994 Mitchelton Goulburn Valley 17.83

1994 Rosemount Estate Reserve 17.66

1994 Charles Sturt Uni Cellar Reserve 17.6

1994 Saltram No 1 17.6

1991 Orlando Lawsons 17.5

1994 Maglieri 17.43

1994 Chatsfield 17.33

1994 Leasingham Bin 61 17.2

1994 Steve Maglieri 17.16

1994 Bethany 17.16

1994 Richmond Grove Barossa 17.06

1993 Grant Burge Meshach 17

1994 Grant Burge Filsell 17

1995 Fox Creek Reserve 17

1995 Briar Ridge Stockhausen Reserve 17

BRONZE MEDAL

1993 Hollick 16.83

1994 Edwards & Chaffey 16.83

1994 Jim Barry McRae Wood 16.76

1994 Plantagenet 16.73

1994 Woodstock 16.66

1994 Normans Chais Clarendon 16.63

1994 Mount Hurtle 16.63

1994 Rosemount Estate Balmoral Syrah 16.6

1994 Merrivale Tapestry 16.56

1993 St Hallett Old Block 16.56

1994 Sandalford 16.5

1994 Woodstock The Stocks 16.4

1992 Cellarmasters Mums Block 16.4

1994 Primo Estate 16.4

1994 Evans & Tate 16.33

1993 Tollana Eden Valley 16.33

1994 Craigmoor 16.33

1994 Brown Brothers Merkels 16.3

1993 Wolf Blass Classic 16.3

1994 Zema Estate 16.26

1994 Campbells Bobbie Burns 16

1994 Cellarmasters Vine Vale Black 16

1994 Balgownie Estate 16

1992 Seppelt Great Western 16

1994 Heathcote Winery Shiraz 16

1994 Reillys Cottage Clare Valley 15.96

1994 Twelve Acres 15.93

1995 Leconfield 15.9

1995 Charles Melton 15.83

1994 Craiglee 15.83

1992 Grant Burge Meshach 15.83

1994 Bests Great Western 15.83

1994 Basedow Barossa 15.8

1996 TOP 50
GOLD MEDAL & TROPHY
1994 Wirra Wirra RSW	18.5
SILVER MEDAL
1994 Merrivale Brian Light Reserve	18.0
1994 Mitchelton Goulburn Valley	17.83
1994 Rosemount Estate Reserve	17.66
1994 Charles Sturt Uni Cellar Reserve	17.6
1994 Saltram No 1	17.6
1991 Orlando Lawsons	17.5
1994 Maglieri	17.43
1994 Chatsfield	17.33
1994 Leasingham Bin 61	17.2
1994 Steve Maglieri	17.16
1994 Bethany	17.16
1994 Richmond Grove Barossa	17.06
1993 Grant Burge Meshach	17
1994 Grant Burge Filsell	17
1995 Fox Creek Reserve	17
1995 Briar Ridge Stockhausen Reserve	17
BRONZE MEDAL
1993 Hollick	16.83
1994 Edwards & Chaffey	16.83
1994 Jim Barry McRae Wood	16.76
1994 Plantagenet	16.73
1994 Woodstock	16.66
1994 Normans Chais Clarendon	16.63
1994 Mount Hurtle	16.63
1994 Rosemount Estate Balmoral Syrah	16.6
1994 Merrivale Tapestry	16.56
1993 St Hallett Old Block	16.56
1994 Sandalford	16.5
1994 Woodstock The Stocks	16.4
1992 Cellarmasters Mums Block	16.4
1994 Primo Estate	16.4
1994 Evans & Tate	16.33
1993 Tollana Eden Valley	16.33
1994 Craigmoor	16.33
1994 Brown Brothers Merkels	16.3
1993 Wolf Blass Classic	16.3
1994 Zema Estate	16.26
1994 Campbells Bobbie Burns	16
1994 Cellarmasters Vine Vale Black	16
1994 Balgownie Estate	16
1992 Seppelt Great Western	16
1994 Heathcote Winery Shiraz	16
1994 Reillys Cottage Clare Valley	15.96
1994 Twelve Acres	15.93
1995 Leconfield	15.9
1995 Charles Melton	15.83
1994 Craiglee	15.83
1992 Grant Burge Meshach	15.83
1994 Bests Great Western	15.83
1994 Basedow Barossa	15.8