The Auswine Forum

Aussie Wine Best of Show
San Diego International Wine Competition was held on April 23 and 24 at the Westgate hotel in San Diego. The results have not been organized into anything like a coherent fashion, simply an alphabetical listing of the wines and what result they achieved. In the A-C group a stand out is the 2004 Angove's Nine Vines Rośe, Grenache Shiraz ($10USD) which was Awarded “Best of Show”. An Aussie Rośe Best of Show, wonders will never cease.

The 2003 Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz was also voted Best of Show.

Mike

Mike, those kind of results really say something about the show, it's not worth reading any further results.

IMO Wyndham Estate is just swill that is well suited to the Liquorgland outlets that it plagues, may it never escape into the wider world!

Hi Steve

I agree about Wyndham, even if they do have the oldest winery in Oz. I've haven't had any Wyndham estate ever since Wine and Spirit Buying Guide wrote up a bin number Cab or Shiraz in the late '70s or early '80s and I wasted money on a bottle.

The Bin 555 Shiraz seems to be favorite of the shows over here winning double gold at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. That little achievement is even written up on the Wyndham Estate home page.

Its probably important to note that a Shiraz over here called Two Buck Chuck (because it costs $1.99) has won double gold in some of these wine competitions. $2 is sold by a great retail chain called Trader Joe's, and people buy these wines by the case like there is no tomorrow. I've tasted the Shiraz and it is worth about $2. Its main claim to fame is that it has a considerable amount of sweetness which, as we are told, appeals to the American palate. I don't know if the Bin 555 has the same character.

What is less clear is why do wines like these win in shows. Is it a judging problem, or a lack of suitable competition? Or more likely a bit of both.

Mike

A complete mystery to me too but the things you mentioned are likely. There's also the "Show Special" bottles that are strongly rumoured to be used for entry into wine shows and for handing out to scribes.

How does a $2 wine win anything if what is in the bottle is the real $2 wine?? Or does it win a double gold in the "Under $2" class against other under $2 wines? Given the cost of packaging, transport, taxes etc, it makes you cringe about what fluid is actually in a bottle of Two Buck Chuck - eeerrgghhh

International competitions seem to throw up some real vaguaries with very ordinary Australian wines winning gongs like "Best Cabernet" or "Best Shiraz" in the world. Back here in Ozland we can invariably name dozens of better wines than the world beater.

Whilst I always go to at least two of the tasting sessions at the annual Adelaide Wine Show, I don't actually take much notice of the gongs awarded. Tasting Gold Medal winners alongside non medal winners is interesting as associates & I often rate non winners above the Goldies.

KMP,

It says way too much about the quality of judging at such a show. Sounds like they do a roll call at the local pub, " Guys, when you've finished your beers, can you come down and judge a few wines for us?"

The last Bin 555 I had was nil by mouth. It was a few years ago, and it may have improved dramatically in the years since, but to trophy/gold medal standard? Look out for the medals to appear on the bottles before the end of the month!


Cheers

I could easily get a few of my mates to be judges at a wine show. I'm tipping Passion Pop, Bodega, Ben Ean and Yellow Tail would sweep the field. Come to think of it, maybe they've recently been to san Diego ....

Dear 707
Got to say its great to see people are aware about the great ripoff about wine shows.and wine writers. I love wine shows, but lately its getting to be a joke about the wines entered and those sold.
Often the theory is"best barrells etc", but we are seeing heaps of show entries under screwcap and the wine the consumer buys under cork.

What the....
Bottled at different times, under different closures.

I would argue its a separate wine.
So much so when we did a tasting recently we bought every bottle.
Even then I was criticized by some who said " Should've told us ...I would have given you a bottle of X vintage." Thats why we bought them!

One very big name wine that I've seen in the show looked NUTHIN like what I've seen show-wise. IMO, and that to me is bloody close to cheating the customer.

Cheers
Smithy

Andrew, the ploys are well known by most informed winos. Special bottles for shows, for journos, for samples.

One that often crops up is multiple bottlings under the same label. It was really exposed when the much sought after but sold out 1998 Seppelt Chalambar suddenly reappeared wholesale. I think you know the rest.

The 2002 Ballast Stone Shiraz was another recent example after the initial bottling proved a huge hit in the mid teen $ and then it magically reappeared after being sold out. "Sold Out" is the correct turn of phrase there!

I've actually compred bottles from seperate bottling runs alongside each other and found them substantially different, obviously different wine in the later bottlings. These aren't the only examples, I could go on with more but why bother.

Obviously integrity is something that is thrown out in the corporate world where profit is the god. They are in wine for the profit not for the wine. If there was more money in horse shit they'd change their business!

It's why I now buy small makers almost exclusively - integrity. Integrity is something that can't be bought, it's earned!