Millbrook bigwine winner

Millbrook Winery dominated the 2018 Geographe and WA Alternative Varieties Wine Show on Friday night, with the 2017 Single Vineyard Chardonnay announced as the Wine of the Show in front of a sell-out audience.

Tourism Minister Paul Papalia presented the top honour to winemaker Damian Hutton, with the chardonnay also collecting Best Geographe White Wine and Best Geographe Chardonnay awards.

The Jarrahdale-based winery also found success with its 2017 Geographe Tempranillo, which was awarded the Best Geographe Red Wine, Best WA Alternative Variety and Best WA Tempranillo, while its 2018 Geographe Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre was named the Best Geographe Red Blend.

Mr Hutton has been making wines for Millbrook for the past 16 years and said it had “never quite had a year like this year”, having also won Best WA Exhibitor and a gold medal for its chardonnay at the Perth Royal Wine Show.

“The chardonnay that won, we were pretty happy with it – we expected it do well for sure,” Mr Hutton said.

“I think the cool thing about the wines currently coming out of Millbrook is that they are extremely modern.

“They are super bright, fresh, clean and balanced – they are approachable rather than being wines that seem to be overworked.

“They are just about the fruit and that is what people want to drink – that is definitely what show judges want to see.”

The grapes for the award-winning wines are both grown in the Ferguson Valley, from two sparsely different sites.

“The tempranillo is from a really hot, sandy vineyard near Dardanup and the chardonnay is from a really elevated, cool site which gets the sea breeze,” he said.

“It’s a team effort between the vineyard owners, grape grower, winemaker and obviously the people who own Millbrook, and the dedication to quality.”

Ferguson Valley’s Willow Bridge Estate took home two major awards, with winemakers Kim Horton and Dougal Herd presented the Nicholaus Baudin Trophy for Winemaking and the estate recognised as the Most Successful Geographe Producer.

The winery’s 2017 Gravel Pit Shiraz was also awarded the Best Geographe Shiraz and the 2018 Bookends Sauvignon Blanc Semillion was named the Best Geographe White Blend.

Were you photographed on the night? Pick up a copy of Thursday’s South Western Times for more coverage.

WINNERS:

Wine of Show

Millbrook Winery

2017 Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Liquor Barons Best Geographe Red Wine

Millbrook Winery

2017 Geographe Tempranillo

AHA Viticulture Best Geographe White Wine

Millbrook Winery

2017 Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Labelmakers Nicholaus Baudin Trophy for Winemaking

Willow Bridge Estate

Kim Horton and Dougal Herd

Cospak & Capel Storage Most Successful Geographe Producer

Willow Bridge Estate

Machinery West Best WA Alternative Variety

Millbrook Winery

2017 Geographe Tempranillo

Geographe Viticultural Consultants Best WA Tempranillo

Millbrook Winery

2017 Geographe Tempranillo

Landmark Best Geographe Shiraz

Willow Bridge Estate

2017 Gravel Pit Shiraz

Doral Best Geographe Fortified

St Aidan Wines

Zena Liqueur Muscat

Portavin Best Geographe Cabernet

bakkheia

2016 Priapus

Patersona Best Geographe Red Varietal

Talisman

2016 Merlot

RWK Accountancy Best Geographe Red Blend

Millbrook Winery

2018 Geographe Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre

Rose Hotel Best Geographe Chardonnay

Millbrook Winery

2017 Single Vineyard Chardonnay

GJ Freight Best WA Alternative Red

Talisman

2017 Zinfandel

WFI Best Geographe White Varietal

Talisman

2010 Reisling

City and Regional Fuels Best Geographe White Blend

Willow Bridge Estate

2018 Bookends Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

Wine Quip Best WA Alternative White

Higher Plane

2017 Fiano

Laser Electrical Best Geographe Sweet Table Wine

Vineyard 28

2018 Moscato Rosa

Benesse Best Sparkling

St Aidan Wines

2015 Sparkling Chardonnay

Quest Bunbury Best Geographe Rose

Kellivale Estate

2018 Nebbiolo Rose