Some impressions from the public tasting of the 2004 Qantas Wine Show Of Western Australia's Wine Showcase of the Top 50 pointed Wines !!
It used to be just the Mt Barker Wine Show, but I guess if they need sponsorship to bring the tasting and presentation to Perth, well okay!
It features only wines produced in WA, and had over 1000 entries in 33 classes.
The Best Wine in Show (and best red) was the Brookland Valley 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot, while Best White went to the Madfish 2004 Riesling from Howard Park.
Now, as for my impressions: points out of 20. I lost track of scoring later as I tried to get through the reds before we were kicked out (along with the loss of concentration that happens after tasting 25-odd whites in 1.5 hours)
I liked the Madfish Riesling (18-18.5), quite good for drinking now or short term cellaring, but preferred their top riesling (Howard Park 2004, (19) which was not entered into the show... deemed not quite ready for release by the maker - much longer and finer, more of a cellaring proposition). I also preferred the Trevelen Farm 2004 (18.5-19). Also good were some of the older rieslings - Garlands 2003 (18 - Mortein on the nose, though), Castle Rock 2000 (17.5-18), Lamonts 2000 (17.5-18, more developed than the Castle Rock).
WA Classic Dry Whites (otherwise known as SSB blends) which were nice included the Madfish 2004 (good quaffer!), Houghton Crofters 2004, and the Ferngrove Leaping Lizard 2004.
There were some stunning Chardonnays... 18.5-19 for Wise Single Vineyard 2003, 18 for 2002, 18.5-19 for both of the Harewood 2002 (cool climate grapefruit) and the Lamonts 2002 (mentioned in a previous note, complex and long), and a definite 19 for the 2003 Houghton Pemberton. Just fantastic!
There was a very nice sticky which was not on the list - I think it may have been a Vasse Felix Noble Riesling. The amazing Talijancich fortifieds did not make it to the tasting, but the Lamont's Vintage Sweet Red Fortified Wine was just as described. Pretty good, but quite simple.
Ferngrove had 6 gold medal winning reds, but I was not overly impressed with any of them. Not bad, just not outstanding. The 2003s "King" and "Stirlings" seemed to be the best of them.
The standout reds for me included the Houghtons 2002 Gladstones Shiraz (5 messy ticks!), and the Woodlands pair of 2003 Margaret (4 ticks) and 2001 Kevin (unreadable scrawl). The 2001 Jack Mann was huge, and needs a good lie down before looking at again. The 2002 Vasse Felix is very good (18.5), but should improve with a few years away, while the Happs Three Hills Charles Andreas 2002 Cab is great now, but should improve too. The Moondah Brook 2002 Cab is very good value for money. The Juniper Estate 2001 Cab and the Flying Fish Cove 2003 shiraz (both 18) are worth checking out.
I have no notes or ticks for the Brookland Valley trophy winner, but I have vague recollections that it was very enjoyable. I didn't spit all that much after the first hour, so leaving the best reds to the end unfortunately doesn't help for coherent notes. By that stage, the majority of the industry crowd had gone off to the formal dinner, leaving a few stragglers to pour their own from what was left while some of the stewards got a chance to taste things which were not near their assigned table.
All in all, a good tasting, well worth the small investment.
