JUST like our Newcastle Knights, Brett Keeping and Adrian Sparks are revelling in a great spell of back-to-back victories.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
For Brett and Adrian the latest successes came at last Thursday night's 2019 Hunter Valley Wine Industry Awards. Brett, of Two Rivers Estate at Denman, won the Viticulturist of the Year and Adrian, chief winemaker-general manager of Mount Pleasant Wines at Pokolbin, was crowned Winemaker of the Year.
For Brett it was his second Hunter Viticulturist of the Year title, having previously won in 2010. Merriwa-born and a Charles Sturt University viticulture graduate, he planned and helped plant the 30-year-old Two Rivers vineyard, which in wine shows last year won 11 trophies and five top gold medals and 13 gold with wines made under contract at First Creek winery.
At 2018 Sydney Royal Wine Show Two Rivers won four trophies - with the $50 2013 Stone's Throw Museum Semillon judged the best mature white and the best single-vineyard wine and the $20 Stone's Throw Semillon winning the best young white wine and best-value white trophies.
Later in the year the Two Rivers 2017 Yarrawa Road Chardonnay was declared the 2018 NSW Wine Awards' best chardonnay.
Adrian Sparks and his Mount Pleasant team had a huge 2018 NSW Wine Awards triumph when the Mount Pleasant 2017 Old Paddock and Old Hill Shiraz won the NSW Wine of the Year title and trophies for the best dry red and the best shiraz. The $50 red was hailed by judges as "a magnificent wine of impeccable pedigree, purity and balance". At the 2018 Hunter Valley Wine Show the Mount Pleasant $135 2017 1880 Vines Old Hill Shiraz won best red wine of show, best shiraz and best named vineyard wine trophies.
Narrandera-born Griffith-schooled Adrian Sparks, 41, initially took on a chemistry degree, but uni holiday wine industry jobs switched him into a Charles Sturt winemaking degree and a 13-year stint at McWilliam's Griffith winery. In 2014 he moved to the Hunter, becoming only the fifth man to follow the legendary Maurice O'Shea into the chief winemaker post.
Angus Vinden doesn't have the long wine industry experience of Brett Keeping and Adrian Sparks, but his wines have made a big impact since 2015 when he took over Vinden Estate in Pokolbin, established by his parents in 1995. His achievements with the 2017 Hunter Valley Wine Show trophy-winning Vinden 2017 Verdelho and experimental Headcase label wines helped win him the Rising Star of the Year title last Thursday.
WINE REVIEWS
HARMONIOUS HEADCASE
ANGUS Vinden says The Vinden Headcase 2018 Semillon celebrates Vinden family eccentricity and individuality, but I found a delightful semillon shining green-tinted straw and with honey and toast aromas and elegant lemon front-palate flavour. The middle palate shows nashi pear, sherbet and flint characters and the finish slatey acid. PRICE: $30. DRINK WITH: bouillabaisse. AGEING: 10 years.
RATING: 5 stars (out of 6)
FOUNTAINHEAD FLOURISH
THIS fine, Howard vineyard-sourced Vinden Estate 2017 Fountainhead Shiraz has 14% alcohol, deep purple hues and enticing cassis scents. The front palate displays rich, ripe blood plum flavour and the middle palate rhubarb, mint chocolate, spice and vanillin oak. The finish marries dusty tannins and persistent berry fruit. PRICE: $60. DRINK WITH: Cajun-crusted rack of lamb. AGEING: 12 years.
RATING: 5 stars
VIVACIOUS CHARDONNAY
THIS The Vinden Headcase 2018 Single-Barrel Chardonnay and today's other wines are at the Gillards Rd cellar door and vindenestate.com.au. The chardonnay is brassy hued and has cumquat and marzipan aromas and mango front-palate flavour. Peach, lemon curd, mineral and cashew oak marry on the middle palate and the finish has flinty acid. PRICE: $50. DRINK WITH: calamari. AGEING: eight years.
RATING: 4.5 stars