IN 1983 NSW had 76 wine producers and today it has almost 500, with more than 370 cellar doors, making it our second largest wine province after South Australia.
This growth was evinced in the recent 2022 NSW Wine Awards featuring the familiar semillon, shiraz, chardonnay, riesling, cabernet sauvignon, gewrztraminer and merlot entries and such exciting alternate varieties as montepulciano, nebbiolo, chenin blanc, graciano, vermentino, sangiovese, tempranillo and barbera.
The judging saw 18 trophies go to wines from Orange, Tumbarumba, Hilltops, Canberra District, Gundagai, Mudgee, Riverina and the Hunter, which claimed the NSW Governor's 2022 Best in Show award and the trophies for the best dry white and the best semillon with the Tyrrell's 2013 Vat 1 Semillon.
The wine won't be released until 2028 as part of Tyrrell's 200-year celebrations, but the $17 best red wine and best shiraz trophy-winning Nugan Estate 2020 Cookoothama Riverina Shiraz can be bought at the Kidman Way, Wilbriggie, winery, IGA Ritchies New Lambton, Lambton Fridge, Paul's Corner Salt Ash and some Vintage Cellars, Dan Murphy's and BWS stores.
It and the following 13 trophy wines are currently available: Best sparkling wine: Printhie 2011 Swift Orange Blanc de Blancs, $120, at printhiewines.com.au and the Yuranigh Road, Molong, cellar door. Best pinot noir trophy: Poachers Vineyard 2021 Canberra Pinot Noir, $30, at poacherspantry.com.au and the Nanima Road, Springrange, cellar door.
Best riesling trophy: Mount Majura 2022 Canberra Riesling, $34, at mountmajura.com.au and the Lime Kiln Road, Majura, cellar door. Best red blend and chair of judges best Mudgee wine: Skimstone 2021 Mudgee Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, $38, and best other red variety: Skimstone 2021 Mudgee Barbera, $38, at skimstone.com.au and Castlereagh Highway cellar.
Best organic wine award: See Saw 2022 INVERGO Orange Riesling, $40, at seesawwine.com. Best cabernet sauvignon: Corong Estate 2021 Hilltops Cabernet Sauvignon, $28, at corangestate.com.au and the Braidwood Road, Tarago, cellar door.
Best Sweet Wine trophy: De Bortoli 2019 Noble One Riverina Semillon, $35, and best fortified trophy: De Bortoli NV 10-Year-Old Black Noble Semillon, $45, at debortoli.com.au and cellar doors at Bilbul, Yarra Valley, Rutherglen and Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin.
Best light red/rosé trophy: First Creek 2022 Limited Release Hunter Rosé, $25, on sale soon at the McDonalds Road, Pokolbin, winery and firstcreekwines.com.au.
WINE REVIEWS
BARGAIN TROPHY RED
AS NSW Wine Awards' top red, the Nugan Estate 2020 Cookoothama Riverina Shiraz is great value. With 14% alcohol, it's deep purple and berry pastille-scented. The front palate shows intense blackcurrant flavour, the middle plum, Maraschino cherry, spice and savoury oak and a finish of dusty tannins. At nuganestate.com.au and cellar door. PRICE: $17. DRINK WITH: osso bucco. AGEING: six years.
LOIRE TO GUNDAGAI
THIS pale straw, jasmine-scented Tumblong Hills 2022 Gundagai Chenin Blanc is from a grape native to France's Loire Valley. The Wine Awards best other white winner has zingy kiwifruit on the front palate, middle-palate pear, quince, lime zest and mineral elements and a slatey acid finish. At Old Hume Highway, Tumblong, and tumblonghills.com. PRICE: $27. DRINK WITH: tapas. AGEING: two years.
TUMBARUMBA CHARMER
THE best chardonnay Nick O'Leary 2018 Tumbarumba Chardonnay is green-tinted straw and has crushed almond aromas and plush golden peach front-palate flavour. Fig, apricot, oatmeal and vanillin oak show on the middle and slatey acid plays at the finish. At nickolearywines.com.au and early next year at the new Canberra cellar and restaurant. PRICE: $40. DRINK WITH: paella. AGEING: seven years.
