QHA_August-2021-Digital

LATEST & GREATEST
AUSSIE RED IN THE TOP
10 IN THE WORLD
QHA REVIEW | 12
An Australian red from the team at Wolf Blass has
made it into the Top 10 of the highest scoring wines
from around the world in the final judging of the
International Wine Challenge 2021.
When the results of this year’s competition, which
included entrants from 52 wine making regions
around the world, were released at an awards
dinner on June 30 in London, the 2019 Wolf Blass
Grey Label McLaren Vale Shiraz was awarded the
International Shiraz Trophy.
The Trophy had been held by Syrah of New Zealand
for the past five years and the Wolf Blass win marks
the first time in a decade an Australian winery had
taken the Shiraz title.
For the Wolf Blass team, the Shiraz win added strong
points to their overall tally for this year’s event, helping
winemakers Chris Hatcher and Steven Frost to win
the Red Winemaker of the Year for Wolf Blass for the
fourth time. The previous wins were in 2008, 2013
and 2016.
An IWC spokesperson said the Wolf Blass Grey Label
McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019 from Wolf Blass Wines
impressed the judges with its “ripe, fleshy, generous
and delicious fruit”.
The central courtyard at Wolf Blass
“This builds on the wider success of Australian
winemakers in this year’s awards in which South
Australia scooped multiple trophies including the
Australian White Trophy for Penfolds Reserve Bin
A Chardonnay 2019, the Australian Red Trophy for
Kilikanoon Wines Baudinet 2019, as well as the
Australian Riesling Trophy for Gatt High Eden Riesling
2016,” the spokesperson said.
“Further cementing its reputation as a globally
recognised producer of premium wines, Tasmania was
awarded the Australian Sparkling Trophy in this year’s
competition for Arras E.J Carr Late Disgorged Vintage
2005 from House of Arras.”
Wolf Blass Chief Winemaker Chris Hatcher said it was
an honour to win the awards.
“Being named Red Winemaker of the Year for the
fourth time is very humbling,” Chris said.
“We are very proud of with the continued recognition
we have received at one of the world’s most respected
and prestigious wine competitions and it is a great
triumph for Wolf Blass, reinforcing our reputation as
sone of Australia’s and the world’s leading winemakers
with a strong history of major global wins.
“The Wolf Blass philosophy of synergistic blending,
always maintaining quality, character and consistency
was embedded by our Founderm, Wolfgang Blass,
from the very beginning and is very much a philosophy
the winemaking team upholds today.
The Wolf Blass team