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Winemaker of the Year Awards 2008

Winemaker of the Year heads into its second decade as Australia’s top winemaking award, and still the judges wrestle with many of the issues they’ve debated over the past 10 years. Acknowledging the crucial contributions of viticulturists and those who are involved in influencing wine style is a key concern.

In 2008, we salute the achievements of Houghton by including chief winemaker Rob Bowen and his offsider Ross Pamment among our finalists. It could be said that they are receiving the plaudits on behalf of a talented, dedicated group of viticulturists, cellar rats and winemakers. In the same way, the nomination of Andrew Wigan pays tribute also to his gallant, hard-working band in the Barossa.

At the same time, we acknowledge the singular talents of those we nominate. They are central to these stories – just look at the irrepressible Chester Osborn. Or Dr Rick McIntyre, who is balancing a medical career with making his mark as a vigneron, in one of many similar stories that are replicated throughout Australia. Of course, as ever, the key criterion that informs our discussions is the quality of the wines released by the finalists in the immediate past. 

While there is plenty that’s conventional about the way in which Allen Jenkins and Sue Hodder work together, the sheer scale of the investment in viticulture that Jenkins is responsible for goes beyond what we’ve seen before, while his work with Hodder has seen Wynns perform better than ever. There’s been little that is conventional, too, in anything that Phil Sexton has done either at Giant Steps or at Devil’s Lair beforehand. His collaboration with Steve Flamsteed has continued the innovation in the Yarra which saw Steve Webber crowned 2007 Winemaker of the Year.

David Bicknell has come through a tricky period in his career as Oakridge emerges from the financial ruins of Evans & Tate. His oenological daredevilry of recent vintages and the quality of his wines is remarkable given the financial difficulties of the group. Since her previous nomination, Louisa Rose is now Yalumba’s chief winemaker and has extended her work with the white wine portfolio into all reaches of the company’s activities.

The judges – Peter Forrestal (chairman), Peter Bourne, Nick Bulleid MW, Andrew Caillard MW, Huon Hooke and Sophie Otton  – will focus (as ever) on the pursuit of excellence in winemaking. Their key criteria remain the quality of the wines released by the finalists over the past 12 months or so.

Once again, Kemenys is sponsoring and presenting the Kemenys Medal to acknowledge an outstanding up-and-coming winemaker, and the Len Evans Award acknowledges, for the second time, the contribution to the Australian wine industry of an inspirational leader. We will unveil the winners in our October/November issue.

WORDS PETER FORRESTAL

This article appeared in the August/September 2008 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.