By Fergal Gleeson

The results are in from the 2018 Langton’s Margaret River Wine Show. Stella Bella Wines were the biggest winners on the night winning six trophies including ‘Best Wine of Show’ for the ‘Suckfizzle Chardonnay 2017’ and ‘Most Successful Exhibitor’. It’s a great recognition for Winemaker Luke Jolliffe and his team making wines from the cooler, southern Margaret River area.

Other notable winners included Xanadu Wines who collected four trophies including ‘Best Single Vineyard Wine’ for the ‘Xanadu Stevens Road Chardonnay’ and a trophy for ‘Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2016’. Xanadu have had phenomenal critical acclaim since Glenn Goodall took the reins as Winemaker 13 years ago. This year he won the Jimmy Watson Award, Australia’s most respected red wine award, for the same 2016 Cabernet.

Another Winemaker with consistent trophy success is Julian Langworthy. He is ‘Winemaker of the Year’ for the 2019 Halliday Wine Companion and the 2016 Jimmy Watson Memorial winner. Deep Woods Estate won a trophy for their 2018 Sauvignon Blanc. Nocturne Cabernet 2017 won ‘Best Red Wine’ Trophy of Show. While Deep Woods is his ‘day job’, Nocturne is the personal side label of Julian and his wife Alana. The Nocturne wines are all small production with Julian sourcing fruit from local growers in the region.

Mark Warren of Marq has taken out the trophy for ‘Best Other Varietal’ for the Marq Malbec 2017. Marq Wines specialises in alternative varietals and their range includes a Petit Manseng, a Gamay and a Vermentino.

Everybody loves a bargain. What would you think if you could pick up a trophy winning wine for around $10? Well you can! ‘Watershed The Farm Semillon Sauvignon’ won the trophy for best Semillon Sauvignon Blend. The RRP for this wine is $13 but you will see it frequently discounted to $10.

John Brocksopp and Bob Cartwright, respectively former Viticulturist and Winemaker, at Leeuwin Estate were awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards. ‘Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay’ is arguably Australia’s best known Chardonnay. It showed the world the potential of Chardonnay in the region when ‘Art Series’ won the prize for best Chardonnay in the world at the Decanter International Wine competition in 1982 for their first vintage.

The other Lifetime Achievement award went to Dr Tom Cullity, Founder of Vasse Felix in 1967, who planted the first vines in the region.

The aims of the Langton’s Margaret River Wine Show are to provide an opportunity for local winemakers and grape growers to receive appraisal from national and international judges, to promote wine styles that excel in the region and to recognise excellence in the winery and in the vineyard.

Full list of winners and more information on the Wine show at http://www.margaretriver.wine/margaret-river-wine-show/

From the summer edition of Your Margaret River Region Magazine