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London International Wine Challenge 2009 The Trophy Winners
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The 26th International Wine Challenge (IWC) – the world’s most prestigious and influential independent wine competition – unveils the results of the 2009 Challenge.
Entries came from a record 41 countries, with 304 Gold medals awarded, up 13% on last year. Retaining the top gold medal nation status is France with 49 medals, closely followed by Australia and then Portugal. Boasting more than 9,500 entries, the International Wine Challenge (IWC) has cemented its place as the best and biggest blind tasting in the world. A large part of the IWC's reputation is down to the quality and experience of its judges. This year, more than 370 winemakers, merchants and writers from around the world took part. Wines are marked out of 100, with the following points corresponding to the relevant award: Gold 95 - 100, Silver 90 - 94, Bronze 85 - 89. www.internationalwinechallenge.com All Trophy winners ________________________________________
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Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Marlborough - New Zealand
 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Trophy New Zealand White Trophy International Sauvignon Blanc Trophy
Light pale yellow in colour, mineral nuances, green mangos and lemon zest on the nose, with an incredible finesse of palate. Perfumed herbal notes and fresh mango juice on the palate, zesty with a wonderful freshness, excellent acidity, and real length. IWC Judges comments.
Awatere minerality and punch, with a lacing of cut grass and redcurrant notes. "Long and light, beautiful and succulent," offered Louisa Rose (Head winemaker Yaluma). Eminently drinkable summer Sauvignon. Cusine Magazine Sauvignon Blanc tasting Janurary 2009. 3rd place 5 Stars.
"For just $20 this is one super duper sauvignon blanc. It’s made with grapes grown in the Awatere Valley, just south of the massive Wairau Plains. Its flavours are piercingly fresh and intense and it has subtle fruit aromas rather than being overtly sweet. It stands head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the pack with its lively, clean style and beautiful balance." Joelle Thompson - Mindfood Magazine, Wines of the Week
This wine shows blackcurrant, guava and citrus notes. The palate exhibits the same fine fruit flavours with an under lying flinty note typical of Awatere Valley fruit. The finish is long, crisp and dry. This Sauvignon Blanc is ready to drink now, and over the next 2-3 years. Winery notes
Single $19.99 Straight/mixed dozen $15.99 WAS $21.99 ________________________________________
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Clairault Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Margaret River - Western Australia
 Western Australian Red Trophy Australian Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy
Very typical Margaret River nose – ripe, maturing aromas of black fruit, and a pencil shaving and bell pepper palate. Very good structure, with ripe tannins, spice. The finish has liquorice notes and is elegant and satisfying. IWC Judges comments.
It’s all dark fruit, chocolate, spice and earthiness here with just a flash of green escaping from the void. On the palate rich and full bodied with mainly black fruits (and just few red ones bobbing up) and chocolate and black olive flavours. It has plenty of fine chalky tannins and shows a little warmth but nothing intrusive. Smooth and dense with a good black fruited finish. It’s a good satisfying wine that delivers plenty of bang.” Gary Walsh
Single $37.99 Straight/mixed dozen $34.99 WAS $39.99 _____________________________________
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Tim Adams Riesling 2008 Clare Valley - South Australia
 Clare Valley White Trophy Australian Riesling Trophy Great Value White Award
Clean, green and complex. Limes, tropical fruit, dry, apple core and oatmeal. Lots of fresh acidity. Palate has a nice pleasing roundness with quite a long finish. IWC Judges comments.
A stunning wine from one of our best riesling makers ... Has the structure to cellar for many years. CLICK HERE to read article. Ray Jordan, The West Australian (Perth) 4 April 2009
Typical top-end, age-worthy Clare Valley riesling from a master ... Now to 10-plus years. 91/100. CLICK HERE to read article. Huon Hooke, The Sydney Morning Herald, 24 March 2009
This crisp, fresh and zesty wine is driven by delicious lime-lemon flavours. CLICK HERE to read article. John Fordham, The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney) 18 January 2009
Single $19.99 Straight/mixed dozen $17.99 ________________________________________
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Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2008 Eden Valley - South Australia
Eden Valley Viognier Trophy
Very fresh, clean white peach and viognier character, with alluring aromas. Some very soft and fresh citrus fruit flavours, and a finish that's clean and slightly oily with purity. IWC Judges comments.
The colour is pale gold with green highlights, with a nose of pure aromas displaying apricot nectar, lifted honeysuckle and orange oil perfume. The palate is long, rich and luscious, with intense stone fruit - particularly white peach and apricot flavours, finishing with an aromatic citrus freshness. This wine will continue to grow and develop in the bottle, firstly showing enhanced apricots and spice, then after a couple of years, honey flavours and toast. Winery notes.
Single $21.99 Straight/mixed dozen $18.99 ________________________________________
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Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2005 Barossa Valley - South Australia
 Barossa Valley Red Trophy South Australian Red Trophy Australian Red Trophy
Attractive warming black fruit and spice. Pleasing palate of fine cherry and blackberry. Balanced and fresh with an enduring finish. Good overall harmony. Mature. An excellent wine. IWC Judges comments.
Has rich berry flavours, yet with elegance. It appealed greatly to Peter Bourne who summed it up: "rich and plush with lots of dark berry fruit and a generous slick of oak". The berry flavours suggest blackcurrant and blackberry and the new oak, while showing obvious nutmeg and cedar characters, is of great quality. I liked the wine's suppleness and beautifully polished balance. It finishes with fine tannins and good length. It's ready to be enjoyed but may be cellared confidently for many years. Gourmet Traveller Wine June/July 2009.
Deep dark red in colour this wine displays aromas which are dense and curranty, yet pure and bright. The nose shows lifted florals, violets and choc mints. The palate is brooding and serious with dark chocolate hazelnuts and warm generosity. The Signature finishes with long fine powdery tannins. Can cellar for 15+ years. Winery notes.
Single $41.99 Straight/mixed dozen $39.50 Yalumba Menzies also available at $39.50 ________________________________________
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Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay 2007 Martinborough - New Zealand  New Zealand Chardonnay Trophy
Intense nose with butter and green beans. Lovely, creamy mouth with good length and stone fruit. A hint of toffee on the finish. Lots of acidity and good length. IWC Judges comments.
This Martinborough chardonnay has refined white peach-like aromas harmoniously trimmed with nutty oak and subtle, mealy complexities. A very fine texture, mouth-filling yet without heaviness and a very long, elegant finish. Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Melbourne Age 2 Dec 08
Here is the answer to all those people who think Chardonnay is too fruity, too oaky, too alcoholic, too clumsy - which can sometimes be the case. This Martinborough wine is subtlety personified, but it is far from weak. There is a simply beautiful white-flowers bouquet with some fruit and winemaking complexities detectable, leading to a palate which is limpid in its purity, harmony and balance: pale stonefruits, lightly mealy, subtle limestone minerality. One could drink a lot of this. Cellar 2-6 years. Geoff Kelly, WineNZ, Spring 08
I've always loved this wine - it comes up to the mark every vintage. It has beautifully focused fruit flavours (grapefruit, nectarine and white peach) that are exquisitely enhanced by sensitive winemaking to add bran biscuit and hazelnut flavours to the mix. Serious Chardonnay that promises to age well. I always plan to keep a few bottles for five years but rarely hang onto them after one. Bob Campbell, Bobs Wine Reviews Sep 08
Single $53.99 Straight/mixed dozen $49.99 RRP $60.00 ________________________________________
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Shaw & Smith Shiraz 2007 Adelaide Hills - South Australia  Adelaide Hills Red Trophy
A very taut and stalky nose, with a fresh, rich, brambly finish over soft and juicy plum and damson flavours, and creamy soft tannins. IWC Judges comments.
Single $39.99 Straight/mixed dozen $35.99 ________________________________________
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Last but not least...
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Kennedy Point Waiheke Syrah 2007 Waiheke Island - New Zealand  Auckland Syrah Trophy New Zealand Syrah Trophy New Zealand Red Trophy International Syrah Trophy
Perfumed floral notes with some gamey and sweet oaky aromas. Ripe rich fruit on the palate. Full with some peppery nuances. Complex, powerful, with a great length. IWC Judges comments.
Extremely Limited - 2 Bottles per customer - Stocks arriving next week
$56.99 ________________________________________
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Orders Phone: 02 9882 1788 Email: garth@wineculture.com.au _______________________________________________
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Last Weeks Deals..
William Downie 2008 Mixed Pinot Noir Packs
3 Pack $160.00 Contains 1 bottle each of the Yarra, Mornington & Gippsland
6 Pack $310.00 Contains 2 bottles each of the Yarra, Mornington & Gippsland LIMITED AVAILABILITY -------------------------- Hentley Farm "The Beast" Shiraz 2007 Barossa Valley - South Australia ONLY TWO 6 PACKS LEFT! Single $79.99 Straight/mixed dozen $75.99 ------------------------ Mount Langi Ghiran "Langi" Shiraz 2006 Grampians - Victoria Single $69.99 Straight/mixed dozen $64.99 -------------------------- Andrew Thomas "The OC" Semillon 2009 Hunter Valley - NSW Single $23.99 Straight/mixed dozen $21.99 ---------------------------- Wither Hills "Rarangi" Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Marlborough - New Zealand Dual Trophy Winner Single $25.99 Straight/mixed dozen $23.99 ______________________________
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Orders Phone: 02 9882 1788 Email: garth@wineculture.com.au ____________________________________________
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Wine News
Are Empty Wine Bottles on eBay Being Used for Counterfeiting? One of the most thought-provoking papers at this year's meeting of the American Association of Wine Economics was presented by Gunter Schamel, a professor at the Free University of Bolzano.
Bloomsbury Auctions nets $1.35m in first wine auction Known primarily for selling books, prints, magazines and other literary works, Bloomsbury has entered the secondary market for wine with money-back guarantees for authenticity and quality, the mechanics of which are being handled by New York-based fine wine merchant Sokolin.
Priest blames holy wine for drink-driving An Italian priest caught driving over the alcohol limit pleaded to police that it was only because of the Holy Wine he had drunk as part of the mass, Ansa news agency reported yesterday.
Penfolds trials glass stoppers Penfolds is trialling a revolutionary glass stopper system - on the 2006 Grange. Peter Gago, chief winemaker at the iconic Australian producer, said at Vinexpo this week the trials are in their very early stages, but might bear fruit in 'two to three years.' Electronic nose can pin point where wine was made The technique exploits the unique and complex mix of thousands of compounds found in each bottle of wine that gives the drink subtly different scents and flavours.
Cheers Garth, Ben & Tin
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Orders Phone: 02 9882 1788 Email: garth@wineculture.com.au
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