Winestate Magazine

Launched in 1978, Winestate is one of the world’s longest running wine magazines, featuring over 140 pages on all things vinous from around the globe. Winestate tastes and rates over 10,000 wines a year, making Winestate the leading authority on Australian and New Zealand wines.

editorial

briefs

nzbriefs • what’s happening in the NZ wine scene

GENE THERAPY FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

CHAMPAGNE’S ROLLER COASTER RIDE

PUTTING ON THE BAIR-RITZ

LAST THOUGHTS ON WINE ETIQUETTE

SOUTHERN SPLENDOUR • South Australia’s Kangaroo Island continues to build its reputation as a fine fare destination.

OUT OF THE   SHADOWS • FOR SO LONG IN A BACK-UP ROLE TO CABERNET SAUVIGNON, SHIRAZ ELBOWED ITS WAY ON TO THE WORLD WINE STAGE IN THE 1980S.

vinitaly INT'L WINE & SPIRITS EXHIBITION 2018 ROUNDUP

BEST OF A Beautiful Bunch

category winners

FINAL TOP 10

TWICE IS NICE • FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS GRANGE HAS LIFTED THE TITLE AS THE WORLD’S BEST SHIRAZ.

AND THE WINNERS ARE… • FROM MORE THAN 4OO SHIRAZ/SYRAH & BLENDS TASTED THESE ARE TRULY THE CREAM OF THE CROP.

THE MIGHTY OAK • WHY THIS ONE SPECIES OF TREE IS SO VITAL IN WINEMAKING

CLASSIC OAK • - sorting facts from voodoo

melbourne grapevine

sydney grapevine

brisbane grapevine

adelaide grapevine

hong kong grapevine

wine words

WHAT’S IT WORTH? • WINESTATE’S AUCTION PRICE GUIDE

wine investment & collecting   Auction   reports

MAINFREIGHT WORLD’S GREATEST SYRAH & SHIRAZ CHALLENGE XIII • Always a pleasure! One of our biggest and best judgings of the year, shiraz has become the name that almost defines Australian wine and here we see many great examples, along with a scattering of mid-weight syrah (same varietal, different name) wines from New Zealand and France. And for further interest we throw in a few of the iconic Rhone wines of Chapoutier, Guigal, Paul Jaboulet and some of Australia’s most recognised names also.

PINOT NOIR • This variety is perhaps the most challenging for the winemaker yet some say most rewarding. The big challenge for winemakers here is to accept the colour and fruit they get without trying to create a bigger version that doesn’t quite work. As you can read between the lines here, the best version showed the winemakers awareness of the variety.

KANGAROO ISLAND

KANGAROO ISLAND • This largely unknown “new” wine region has great potential for cool climate table wines and even sparkling wines. This was a great example of an opportunity to taste what is possible in the future. Watch out for chardonnay and cabernet based wines at the present.

LIMESTONE COAST & SURROUNDS • A very nice tasting from this cool climate region. Previously focussed around Coonawarra, it also includes Padthaway and Robe and Mt Gambier regions. The regions are renowned for cabernet based wines and once again these were the stand outs. But also lots to like from the shiraz and shiraz based blends and some very fine regional rieslings.

NORTH-EAST VICTORIA

NORTH - EAST VICTORIA • A land of great fortifieds in the flats and exciting table wines in the hills, Victoria’s North-East has something for everyone. We start with prosecco which seems to be making a name in the King Valley, not surprisingly, given its Italian heritage. The same applies to pinot grigio, another to look forward to in the future. Lots to like with other red and white varietals and blends. For the fortifieds what can we say; just more world class examples that we continue to see from this region.

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING • A most interesting judging that left us all bubbly. Great to start with a prosecco face off between Australia and...