Lerida Estate Shiraz Viognier Scores London Trophy

The Lerida Estate 2013 Shiraz Viognier has been awarded a trophy at the 2015 International Wine Challenge (IWC) in London. The trophy follows the Gold medal that the wine was awarded last week at the same show.  The wine is now a contender for the Champion Trophy which will be presented at the lavish IWC Awards Dinner in London on Thursday 16 July 2015. The trophy winning wine has been described by the judges as a ‘benchmark wine’.

The IWC is accepted as the world's finest and most meticulously judged wine competition. Every wine is assessed blind and judged for its faithfulness to style, region and vintage. Throughout the rigorous judging process, each medal-winning wine is tasted on three separate occasions by at least 10 different judges.

The IWC trophy for this wine comes on top of the Gold medal and Chair of Judges Trophy the wine won at the 2014 Dan Murphy’s National Wine Show (Australia’s premier wine show) in November 2014.  This discretionary award is for what the Chair of Judges (in 2014, Jim Chatto) considers to be ‘an exceptional wine’.

The owner of Lerida Estate Jim Lumbers today described the wine’s success as “a win not only for Lerida Estate, but for the Canberra District wine region. What an international trophy confirms is that Canberra District fruit and its winemakers can make world-class wines. The trophy enhances the district’s already stellar reputation for making great wines.”

According to Anne Caine, co-owner of Lerida Estate, “While the Canberra District is known for Shiraz made from grapes grown in Murrumbateman, it is now clear that fruit grown on the slopes of the Cullerin Range overlooking Lake George can make not only make great Pinot Noir (Lerida Estate’s predominant variety) but in warmer years, like 2008, 2009 and 2013, also great Shiraz. Interestingly, Lerida Estate’s 2009 Shiraz Viognier also won a trophy at the 2012 IWC.”

Lerida Estate has been making wines since 2002 and in that time its wines have been awarded 12 Trophies and over 450 medals. 

 

Lerida Estate 2013 Shiraz Viognier – RRP $75.00 – cellar door and online only

The Lerida Estate range is available from the Lerida Estate Cellar Door or via the online store at www.leridaestate.com.au. Selected varieties are also stocked at Vintage Cellars, Dan Murphy’s, 1st Choice and good independent liquor stores and restaurants. The wines are distributed by Vino Bambino in Victoria, Terrific Boutique Wines in QLD and Lerida Estate in the ACT & NSW.

 

For samples and other information contact: Anne Caine, General Manager, Lerida Estate

P:  02 6295 6640 /0412 262 321 E: wine@leridaestate.com  W: www.leridaestate.com.au

 

For more info see www.leridaestate.com.au

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SHIRAZ VIOGNIER (INCLUDING TECHNICAL)

At 700 m above sea level, Lerida Estate’s Lake George vineyard is marginal for Shiraz.

Proprietor Jim Lumbers initially identified it as suitable for early maturing varieties like Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.  These have been reliable and successful, but in favorable years, overshadowed by Shiraz.

The Viognier component in the Shiraz Viognier is a key factor in allowing Lerida Estate to clear the boundary of the possible. Part tradition and part innovation, Shiraz Viognier’s original origins are found in the far northern areas of the Rhone Valley where, like Lake George, Shiraz ripening can be marginal. Growers found that by adding the white grape, Viognier, a stubbornly tight Shiraz could be persuaded to bloom, yielding delicious and unique combinations of fruit, spice and pepper in a light-bodied, but assertively flavored red wine. The style was pioneered in Australia by ex-CSIRO winemaker, Bailey Carrodus, who founded Yarra Yering near Melbourne in the early 1970s, and has been very successfully adapted and enhanced for the Canberra District by John and Tim Kirk who have been an inspiration to all Canberra District wine producers.

Lerida Estate stumbled on a telling innovation in cool climate Shiraz when, due to a shortage of Viognier fruit, they used pressed skins generously donated by Tim from nearby Clonakilla in the production of their Shiraz Viognier. The resulting wine, the 2006 vintage, became the Champion Wine of the 2007 Canberra Regional Wine Show. With their confidence bolstered by the insights of tannins expert Bob Dambergs of the Australian Wine Research Institute, Jim and Malcolm have continued to develop the technique for both Shiraz and other red wines, with great success.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR FOOD, WINE & MUSIC LOVERS

Lerida Estate, wine partner to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, runs a vibrant, and varied program of Sunday musical performances for visitors to their café (Café Lerida) at their winery at Lake George.

The cafe serves an array of enticing dishes using local produce including Poachers Pantry meats, local truffles during the truffle season, Lindsay & Edmunds chocolates, Cosmorex coffee and pies, cakes & biscuits sourced from local producers.

In the summer months, most of the action is in the courtyard where the view of the vineyard and Lake George provides a stunning backdrop to the music. 

Lerida Estate participates in a number of festivals throughout the year: the Summerside Festival in February; the Wine Harvest Festival in April; the Truffle Festival in June/July/August; the Fireside Festival in August, and Lerida Estate’s very own “Jazz & Shiraz” in November. 

For more information seewww.leridaestate.com.au/pages/Events.htmlor call  02 6295 6640.