2022 Westpac Gippsland Wine Show and Awards

 

The 2022 Westpac Gippsland Wine Show

Wineries across Gippsland showcased their wines in the annual 2022 Westpac Gippsland Wine Show with 43 medals, including 11 gold, awarded at the annual celebration held for 110 guests at Cape Paterson last week.

For the third consecutive year, Rick Lacey from Rhyll-based Purple Hen Wines took home the Best Wine of Show, sponsored by Westpac, this time for the Purple Hen 2022 Off-Dry Riesling, which also won Best Aromatic White Wine (96 points).

The Exhibitor Tasting and Awards celebration was attended by 120 members, sponsors, regional stakeholders and wine enthusiasts on Thursday 8 December at the Cape Paterson Surf Lifesaving Club, overlooking Bass Strait. Wine Gippsland was delighted to have Westpac return as the major naming rights sponsor for the show and Best Wine of Show. Guests included representatives from Bass Coast Shire, South Gippsland Shire, Cardinia Shire, Baw Baw Shire, Wellington Shire, East Gippsland Shire, Destination Gippsland, Westpac, wine industry suppliers, and other groups involved in food and drink tourism.

The Judging was held on on 10 October at Cape Paterson Surf Lifesaving Club. Wine Gippsland again secured an independent and highly credentialled judging panel, led by Sarah Fagan of De Bortoli, as Chair of Judges, with Alister Timms (Shadowfax) and Matt Brooke (Crown) as judges, and Anthony Jones (formerly Montalto) and Kayleen Reynolds (City Wine Shop) as associate judges.

Major awards:

  • Best Wine of Show (sponsor Westpac) - Purple Hen 2022 Off Dry Riesling

  • Best Red Wine of Provenance (sponsor Mercurey Australia) - Dirty Three Wines “Dirt 2” Pinot Noir 2016, 2019, 2021

  • Best White Wine of Provenance (sponsor Cardinia Shire) - Dirty Three Wines “Dirty Rizza” Riesling 2015, 2018, 2022

  • Most Successful Exhibitor (sponsor Farmer’s Daughters) - Lightfoot Wines

Best in Class winners:

(Trophies were awarded to those who won their class with Gold/Top Gold, making them eligible to be judged for Best Wine of Show.)

Class 1: Best Sparkling: Cannibal Creek Vineyard, Cannibal Creek 2019 Blanc de Blancs

Sponsor: Phillipsons Accounting Services - TROPHY

Class 2: Best Sauvignon Blanc: Purple Hen Winery, Purple Hen 2022 Sauvignon Blanc

Sponsor: Baw Baw Shire

Class 3 (A, B, C) Best Aromatic White: Purple Hen Winery, Purple Hen 2022 Off-Dry Riesling

Sponsor: Bass Coast Shire - TROPHY

Class 4: Best Chardonnay: Dirty Three Wines, Dirty Three 2021 - All The Dirts Chardonnay

Sponsor: Glasdec - TROPHY

Class 5: Best Sweet White: Lightfoot Wines, NV Darkfoot

Sponsor: Monacellars

Class 6: Best Rosé: Bass River Winery, Bass River 2022 Single Vineyard Rosé

Sponsor: Destination Gippsland

Class 7: Best Pinot Noir: Purple Hen Winery, Purple Hen 2021 Pinot Noir

Sponsor: Wellington Shire - TROPHY

Class 8: Best Shiraz & Shiraz Dominant: Blue Gables Vineyard, 2021 Hanratty Hill Shiraz

Sponsor: Gippsland Funeral Services

Class 9: Best Cabernet Sauvignon Varieties & blends: Purple Hen Winery, Purple Hen

2021 Cabernet Sauvignon

Sponsor: South Gippsland Shire

Class 10: Best Other Red Varieties & blends: Lightfoot Wines, Lightfoot 2021 Pinot Shiraz

Sponsor: East Gippsland Shire - TROPHY

Gippsland wineries and winemakers competed in 10 varietal classes, the best of which was then considered for the major trophy awards, and the ultimate Best Wine of Show.

All trophy and awards sponsors are listed in the results booklet and available through links below.

- More details available in the 2022 results booklet.

The Awards Ceremony is a keenly anticipated annual event bringing winemakers, producers, sponsors and wine enthusiasts together. We thank Events at Cape Paterson Surf Lifesaving Club for a fantastic venue for both the judging and the awards night. Below, are some of the images from awards and the earlier judging. More in the booklet (link above)

Please contact us on exec@winegippsland.com.au if you have any questions or would like more information about the Gippsland Wine Show and Awards.

Rick Lacey of Purple Hen Wines with the hand-blown glass decanter trophy for Best Wine of Show, Rob Lightfoot (Lightfoot Wines) Most Successful Exhibitor, Marcus Satchell of Dirty Three Wines with Best White and Best Red Wines of Provenance trophies, and Alastair Butt (Lightfoot Wines).

Guests enjoying the 2022 Westpace Gippsland Wine Show Awards Dinner

Cr Nathan Hersey, Mayor, South Gippsland Shire Council, presents the Best Red Wine of Provenance trophy to Marcus Satchell of Dirty Three Wines. Cr Hersey presented on behalf of major sponsor, Nadege Carson from Tonnellerie de Mercurey, who was unable to attend on the evening.

Dan Sims, Wine Victoria board member, and MC for the 2022 Westpac Gippsland Wine Show Awards.

Frank Butera (Bass River Winery) accepting the Best Rose award from David Elder of Destination Gippsland.

Rick Lacey of Purple Hen accepts the Best Wine of Show award from Jack Peterson of Westpac, the major sponsors for the show.

Ken and Juliet Eckersley, the first recipients of a new perpetual award, The Eckersley Award, in recognition of outstanding contribution to the Gippsland wine industry.

At a wine judging, stewards pour each glass in the absence of the judges, according to the numbered sequence in each class. The judging panel does not see the wines being poured, as this is a true ‘blind judging’.

Medals are awarded according to whether they have met the standard for the award, not how they rate in comparison to the competition. This is how there can be more than one Bronze, Silver or Gold in a category.

Bronze = 85-89

Silver = 90-94

Gold = 95+