Five stars for Orange winemakers
2012 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion
Media release
The Orange Wine Region has been recognised by Australia’s leading wine critic for its increasing quality with the awarding of six local wineries 5 star ratings in the recently released 2012 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion.
Orange’s 5 star winemakers for 2012 comprise Belgravia, Bloodwood, Brangayne of Orange, Philip Shaw, Printhie and Ross Hill.
Five stars are only awarded to the most outstanding Australian wineries. The Wine Companion explains that a winery with five stars is an “Outstanding winery capable of producing wines of very high quality, and did so this year. Also will usually have a least two wines rated at 94 points or above.”
“These are exciting results for our region,” commented Orange Region Vignerons’ Association President Charlotte Gundry. “These ratings are showing the rapid increase in quality from the region as well as the increasing awareness of our wines.”
“James Halliday is Australia’s most respected wine writer, judge and author and his Wine Companion is eagerly sought when it’s released each year. This is a fantastic result and helps the continuing work that the winemakers and Taste Orange are doing in the market.”
Other Orange region winemakers that were recognised in the upper echelon of the ratings in the 2012 Wine Companion include 4.5 star wineries, Angullong Vineyard, Mayfield Vineyard, Cumulus Estate, Patina and Hedberg Hill. 4 Star wineries comprised Word of Mouth, Swinging Bridge, Sons and Brothers, Jarretts of Orange, Millamolong, Orange Highland and Borrodell on the Mount.
The Wine Companion also lists James Halliday’s ‘Best of the Best by Variety’ which included a range of Orange wines.
96 points - 2010 Belgravia Apex Chardonnay
96 points - 2010 Peppertree Single Vineyard Venus Block Chardonnay
96 points - 2007 Brangayne Cabernet Sauvignon
96 points – 2008 Philip Shaw No.89 Shiraz
95 points – 2008 Philip Shaw No.17 Merlot Cabernets
94 points – 2010 Angullong Sauvignon Blanc
94 points – 2010 Mayfield Icely Rd Sauvignon Blanc
94 points – 2010 Printhie MCC Sauvignon Blanc
94 points – 2010 Ross Hill Pinnacle Series Sauvignon Blanc
94 points – 2010 Tamburlaine Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
94 points – 2010 Belgravia Gewürztraminer
94 points – 2007 Bloodwood Chirac Pinot Noir Chardonnay
The latest ‘Wine Companion’ ratings come on the back of the recent Association of Australian Boutique Winemakers, Boutique Wine Awards which were announced in Sydney this week. Wine industry luminaries Huon Hooke, Gary Baldwin, Toni Patterson MW, and Bob Campbell MW chaired the judging of these awards.
The 2010 Philip Shaw No.11 Chardonnay was awarded ‘The Max Lake Memorial Trophy’ for the best chardonnay of the show and went on to claim the trophy for the ‘Wine of the Show’. The other stand out wine from Orange was the 2009 Brangayne ‘Tristan’ which was awarded Top of Class, Red blends as well as a Gold Medal.
Regions
- Orange (NSW)
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