After participating in the AUSTRADE Southern Cross Roadshow last year we have decided to join te Australian Pavillion at the 7th China International Fair in Guangzhou between September 15th and 18th.
After this we will join other wine producers/exporters on a roadshow taking in Hangzhou, Beijing and Yantai.
The Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival in Calgary(October) and Edmonton(November) will be major promotions for APW later this year.
This show offers a great opportunity to meet the public and reinforce the huge sucess we had earlier in the year at the WINEFEST promotion in Alberta. (Where we again won the public vote for Red Wine of the Show with the Sieber Rd. Shiraz)
APW Portfolio secures big plaudits from Halliday again!
The 2010 Australian Wine Companion by James Halliday has been released with APW portfolio members again securing high praise indeed. Highlights include:
Boston Bay Wines have been elevated to 4 **** status and secured two 90 plus ratings (for Chardonnay and Riesling)
Eppalock Ridge again secures a four star rating for the label and 4 and a half glasses and 90/100 for their stupendous 2005 Shiraz (16% alc) and 89 for Susans Selection.
Geddes Wines are well rated again with the 2006 blend of Shiraz and Grenache grabbing most attention with a 94/100 followed by a strong showing for Petit Verdot (90) and Shiraz (89).
Kopparossa Wines secured a 4 star rating and celebrate with 4 labels gaining 90 plus scores: the 2006 Cabernet Merlot and Merlot and the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc and 2004 Shiraz Viognier.
Narkoojee are rated excellent with 4 and a half stars and they secured 94/100 for their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and five other 90 plus scores for 2007 Isaac Shiraz (93), 2006 Merlot (92), 2008 Lily Grace Chardonnay (90), 2005 Myrtle Point Shiraz (90) and Reserve Chardonnay 2005 (90). Three other wines scored 88/100.
Murdoch Hill maintain a 4 and a half star depicting an excellent winery even though no new wines were assessed in time for the release of the edition. This is almost certainly a reflection of the 94 rating for 2006 shiraz and 90 plus ratings for all other current release wines.
Pfeiffer Wines have been elevated to 5 stars and thus the outstanding class with no fewer than 12 products rated 90 plus and another 6 scoring 87-90 wines of above. Five products secure 94-96/100 giving them the maximum 5/5 glasses ratings!
Shantell Wines have cracked 4 and a half status with a 94/100 rating for the 2006 Chardonnay and 90/100 for each of the 2004 Cabernet and 2005 Pinot Noir
Sieber Rd wines like Geddes retain their solid rating with the 2007 GSM securing 90 plus and the straight Shiraz and other blends also rating highly.
Will Taylor maintains his excellent rating even though Halliday did not actually evaluate any new wines from his stable. This reflects the fact that 4 current release wines are rated at 90 plus.
Thomas Wines are the big winners this year having their outstanding status of five stars confirmed and elevated to * * * * * in response to their excellence reaffirmed for three years in succession. Kiss Shiraz 2007 is rated at 95/100 and along with 2008 Braemore Semillon, Sweetwater Shiraz 07 and TBC Shiraz 2007 rounds out four 94/100 plus entries.
As many APW clients and supporters will know, our great mate and long term supplier Wayne Thomas died in April 2007.
"Thommo" had just supervised the harvest and crushing of the 2007 vintage and his talented son Andrew agreed to finish the job and make the last ever Wayne Thomas wines. APW is delighted and honoured to have secured the international agency for fewer than 1000 cases of what will be known as "The Final Edition" Wayne Thomas.
There is a 2007 Shiraz and 2007 Petit Verdot in the collection and they are absolutely fantastic.
Orders are being taken now and final allocations to our distributors in Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Singapore and Taiwan will be finalized shortly. After this, it will be first in best dressed.
Last year we advised you of the high regard our portfolio secured in James Halliday's 2008 edition of The Australian Wine Companion.
The highlights were...
Bidgebeebong Wines:
Five star rating for the winery and 95/100 for the Icon Chardonnay and Shiraz.
Eppalock Ridge:
Five Star rating and 94/100 for Shiraz
Colville Estate:
In for the first time with three stars and 4 glasses for the 2003 Shiraz (81/100)
Kopparossa Wines:
Four and half star rating and 93/100 for Olivia 2002 Cabernet
Narkoojee Wines:
Secures five stars as a winery and five individual wines score over 90/100.
Pfeiffer Wines and Wayne Thomas Wines:
Both maintain their four star ratings ad 90 plus scores.
Sieber Rd Wines:
Make their first appearance with a four and half star rating and three wines score 90 plus.
Thomas Wines:
Holds their five star rating not least because of a 96/100 score for Semillon
Will Taylor:
Has a four and half star rating with 94/100 for Semillon and 91/100 for Sauvignon blanc
The 2009 Edition is especially glowing in its praise and a summary follows:
Gods Hill secures a listing for the first time and is ranked 4 stars. The Menzel Shiraz scores 94/100 and all wines are rated at 88 or better.
Narkoojee continues to score fabulous ratings with Pinot Noir and Shiraz rated 93/100, Cabernet and Reserve Chardonnay 92/100 and two others at 90/100 or better.
Sieber Rd continues to collect 90 plus ratings with Viognier and GSM at 90/100 and the fabulous Special Release Shiraz at 92/100.
Thomas Wines ranking continues Andrew's five star status with four 90 plus rankings including a massive 95/100 for the 2006 Kiss and 94/100 for the 2007 Braemore Semillion.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ANDREW ON BEING NAMED HUNTER VALLEY WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR!!!
Sinclair Wines stormed back into 4.5 star rating with individual scores of 94/100 for the 2005 Cabernet Merlot, 92/100 for Ricardo 2005 Shiraz and 90/100 for the Giovanni Cabernet and Jeremy Cabernet Shiraz.
Will Taylor continues with glowing references, particularly the 2001 Hunter Valley Semillon with 94/100 and the 2005 Coonawarra Cabernet with 91/100.
Geddes Wines also make their first appearance and while Tim will be known for his part in previous high ratings for both Wayne Thomas and Sieber Rd, we are excited about his 4 star rating on debut. Two 2006 Seldom Inn reds secured 94/100 and 92/100 respectively and we anxiously await the scores on the 2007 vintages.
Murdoch Hill also burst out of the pack with a 4.5 star rating and three wines at 90 plus. The 2006 Shiraz scored 94/100, the 2007 Sauvignon blanc 91/100 and the 2004 Cabernet 90/100.