2001 Kelman, Stoddart and JWT Winners head to head

[Murray]

The themes for the tasting of The Wine Group With No Name (TWGWNN) are varied and imaginative. At the last tasting Rudy provided a great exercise by presenting the winners of three show trophies from the 2001 vintage side by side.

The Jimmy Watson Trophy from Melbourne and the Stoddart Trophy from Brisbane are judged on one year old, and therefore mostly unfinished, wines. The Sydney Wine Show only permits finished wines to be entered and the Arthur Kelman Trophy thereby should have the greater prestige, however the Jimmy Watson gets all the news in the general public eye.

Here was a chance to compare all three as they appear on the market place. The wines were served decanted and blind, into three glasses serve all together.

My notes as taken:

2001 Penley Estate “Phoenix” Cabernet Sauvignon – 2003 Kelman Trophy (Sydney)
Young red-purple in colour. Ripe berry and spice on the nose. Ripe balanced characters, if just a touch warm on the palate. Very good balance across the mouth. A lovely wine, very young and should age very well.

2001 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon – 2002 Stoddart Trophy (Brisbane)
Rich red-purple colour in the glass. Full berry, pepper and chocolate. Very full palate with rich back palate and a big long finish. Great balance, a lovely wine.

2001 Rosemount “Traditional’ Cab/Merlot/Petit Verdot – 2002 Jimmy Watson Trophy (Melbourne)
Red-purple in colour, slightly closed on the nose, plum and floral characters. Full bodied structure showing good oak and well-structured tannin; nice balance with a medium-full finish. A delicious wine while not having the structure of the other two. Should integrate with age.

My preference, which was shared by most, was for the Majella. It’s a lovely wine and great drinking. The Phoenix was a delicious wine, and it’s it’s worth noting that the Kelman is for “Best Medium Bodied Table Wine” with the 2001 Tatachilla 1901 winning the overall “Best Red” trophy. Some of these trophies are all about context. The Rosemount is a great drink but on this tasting didn’t quite have the structure of the other two.

A great exercise, try it yourself!