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27.05.11
Best of the Best Announced in the Huntery Valley Wine Industry Awards
Winners of six highly prestigious categories for the fifth annual Hunter Valley Legends and Wine Industry Awards were announced tonight at The Semillon Room, Mercure Hunter Valley.
The gala event saw the Hunter Valley Wine Industry gather to celebrate the achievements of their peers and announce the most prestigious award, the Hunter Valley Wine Industry Legend who was inducted into this select and highly regarded group.
Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association (HVWIA) President, Andrew Margan said the evening celebrates the achievements, hard work and exceptional dedication to excellence of the region’s winemakers, viticulturists and industry professionals. They are the people that have been instrumental in building and maintaining the Hunter Valley’s standing as a world class wine producing region, with wine styles of exceptional caliber not replicated anywhere else in the world.
“We are so proud and honoured to have such a talented group of people representing the Hunter Valley. This year’s winners are more than deserving, and they have really excelled in such a highly competitive industry,” Mr. Margan said.
The award winners are:
2011 HUNTER VALLEY WINE INDUSTRY LIVING LEGEND: DON MCWILLIAM
Individuals who have shown long term vision and commitment to the betterment of the Hunter Valley Wine Industry are inducted as Hunter Valley Legends.
Don McWilliam commenced employment with McWilliams Wines in 1951 and completed his first vintage at Mount Pleasant with the legendary Maurice O’Shea in 1954.
In 1957 Don was appointed Director of the company and over the next 5 decades played a significant role in the development of both the Hunter Valley and Australian Wine industry.
Don became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2003 in recognition of more than 50 years service to the Australian Wine Industry. During his career he was active on the boards of The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation, The Australian Wine Board, The Australian Wine Research Institute and The Winemakers Federation of Australia.
In 1990 Don inaugurated the introduction of the prestigious Maurice O’Shea Award and was later recognised himself when he became a patron of the Wine Industry in 1994 and received the Graham Gregory Award in 1995.
Don was a pioneer in the development and expansion of the Hunter Valley and his name is synonymous with the legendary wine styles and brands such as Mount Pleasant Elizabeth, Philip, Old Paddock & Old Hill, Lovedale and Rosehill.
2011 HUNTER VALLEY WINE SOCIETY WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR:
LIZ JACKSON from FIRST CREEK WINES
Finalists: Usher Tinkler, Poole’s Rock Wines; Andrew Thomas, Thomas Wines
This award recognises an outstanding Hunter Valley winemaker, who is a leader in their profession. It’s awarded for achievements over the span of a person’s career and is judged upon a number of factors including experience, qualifications, winemaking techniques, experimentation or individual style resulting in unique wine styles produced, wine assessing skills, other awards or reviews gained from respected media or associations, and ambassadorial work for the winery and the region.
Liz is currently the winemaker at First Creek Wines. She is the only Hunter Valley participant to ever Dux the Len Evans Tutorial which she completed in 2006. Liz also has years of accumulated wine show judging and tasting panel credits to her name.
Liz was recently named in the prestigious, “2011 People to Watch” edition of the Sydney Morning Herald’s, Sydney magazine, following a triumphant year on the wine show circuit.
First Creek Wines have been awarded five trophies, 17 gold medals, 18 silver medals and 24 bronze medals for wines from the 2009 and 2010 vintage.
Liz had five wines listed in this year’s NSW Top 40 Wine Awards, and spends her days keeping no less than 24 Hunter Valley wine brands moving forward with wines of quality and style.
2011 LAFFORT RISING STAR OF THE YEAR: JEFF BYRNE, AUDREY WILKINSON VINEYARD
Finalists: Duane Roy, Glandore Estate; Phil LeMessurier, Thomas Wines; Chris Tyrrell, Tyrrells Vineyards.
This award recognises an aspiring star of the Hunter Valley Wine Industry. They can be involved in winemaking, vineyard management, marketing or sales and have made an outstanding contribution over the preceding twelve months, showing vast results and achievements. They have represented the Hunter Valley Wine Industry generally, resulting in its profile being raised further.
Jeff is currently the winemaker at Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard. He was selected as the inaugural participant of the Alastair Sutherland Scholarship in 2008 and was a Len Evans Tutorial scholar in 2009.
Jeff has had a stellar year on the wine show circuit with a total of five trophies, 22 gold medals, 31 silver medals and 60 bronze medals, including the ‘Trophy for Most Successful Exhibitor’ at the 2010 Australian Small Winemakers Show, and the Trophy for ‘Most Successful Exhibitor of Young Wine’s at the 2010 Clear Image Hunter Valley Wine Show.
2011 VITICULTURIST OF THE YEAR: LIZ RILEY, VITIBIT
Finalist: Keith Collier, Ironbark Hill Vineyard; Carl Davies, Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard
This category recognises that any great wine starts with good vineyard management resulting in quality grapes. It awards an outstanding Viticulturist involved in the management of Hunter Valley vineyards and spans the person’s career to date. The criteria includes demonstration of vineyards that have resulted in wines being consistently recognised by awards or noted by respected media, any vineyard/s that have achieved single vineyard status in the care of the nominee, any research and development undertaken to improve quality, and work that has resulted in better practice for the Hunter Valley as a whole.
Vitibit provides local and independent viticultural advice to small, medium and large vineyard and winery operations in the Hunter Valley.
In 2008, Liz was the inaugural winner of the Viticulturist Award at the Australian Small Winemakers Show and is an active member of the HVWIA’s Viticulture Sub-Committee. Liz and her clients try to adopt and implement ‘best practice’ viticultural techniques, which are suitable to the Hunter Valley.
She is passionate about the extension of viticultural research and professional development for viticulturists, and is currently researching ‘biological farming’ concepts with local vignerons.
2011 CBA LOCAL BUSINESS BANKING CELLAR DOOR OF THE YEAR:
PEPPER TREE WINES
Finalists: Pepper Tree Wines; Hungerford Hill Wines; Margan Family Wines
This award recognises excellence at a Hunter Valley Cellar Door which largely influences the public perception and image of the Hunter Valley Wine Industry. Cellar Doors must display discernible promotion of Hunter Valley Wines, they must be open for visitation without appointment, and must be able to demonstrate active involvement in wine/tourism industry activities and events. The Cellar Door of the Year Award is judged by ‘secret shoppers’.
Pepper Tree Wines was founded in 1991 and boasts the Hunter Valley’s most scenic Cellar Door. Pepper Tree offers a unique and relaxed wine experience set amongst the spectacular gardens that surround the property. Winemaker, Jim Chatto named ‘2009 Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year’ handcrafts wines of purity, elegance and distinction. The Winery and Cellar Door display the charm and essence of style that is a trademark of the operation. The team at Pepper Tree Cellar Door are passionate about wine and offer a friendly and relaxed atmosphere of discovery.
HERITAGE AWARDS: THE BEN EAN WINERY, THE OLD STILL HOUSE
‘The Heritage Award’ which acknowledges landmarks or items of historical importance that have influenced the course of, or made a significant contribution to the Hunter Valley Wine Industry.
The exact origins of The Old Still House at Ben Ean are not known, but it is thought that it may have been built by the McDonalds family from whom Lindeman’s bought the vineyard and winery.
When Karl Stockhausen first arrived at Ben Ean in 1955, the Still had been operating on and off and there was a stock of brandy in barrels in the store attached to it.
Karl operated the Still in the early 1960’s, and as he remembers, it was very old and there were problems with losses, which the Customs Officer at the time did not appreciate!
The heating of the still was done by a steam generated Colonial Boiler situated in the winery and piped over to the Still. The Still as it stands today has a replica column and carry over, which was replaced to assist with the losses but never actually used, while the Pot remains as an original part of the Still House.
MOUNT PLEASANT WINERY, THE MAURICE O’SHEA MOUNT PLEASANT LABEL
If James Busby was the founder of wine growing in the Hunter Valley, it is equally true that its greatest exponent was Maurice O'Shea. The name Maurice O’Shea is synonymous with Hunter Valley wines of great character and regionality.
O’Shea’s Mount Pleasant wines were also unique for their time, in that the labels were always named. The names were personal and informative: they referred to the vineyard they were picked from, or to a specific part of the vineyard, or to the grower, or to a friend.
Wines with the name “Charles” always came from the Elliot vineyard, HT from Hector Tulloch’s, TY and Richard from Tyrrell’s. To his best wines, he awarded the names of his closest friends and the wines given the name “Mountain” were the wines made off his home vineyard, at Mount Pleasant itself.
Some of O’Shea’s greatest wines were some of Australia’s greatest wines. Whilst it is now rare to find any of O’Shea’s wines – his legacy remains with these wonderful labels.
The awards are supported by the NSW Office of Trade, Business & Industry.
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