Wine Shows Embracing Regionality: Jim Chatto

The wine show system is benefiting from a new breed of judges who are awarding medals to a more diverse array of wines than ever before, according to McWilliam’s Chief Winemaker, Jim Chatto.

Chatto was speaking following the launch of McWilliam’s new vintage Appellation and Flagship wines, which spearhead the brand’s renewed focus on New South Wales wine regions.

He said medium-bodied styles of shiraz, such as those from NSW, were now much more likely to win accolades at wine shows than under old judging regimes, which tended to favour bigger and bolder styles.

“When I first got into wine show judging 18 years ago, the judges were predominately big company South Australian winemakers,” Chatto told drinks bulletin.

“These days, I just chaired the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards, and our judges came from winemakers, from retailers, from sommeliers, from journalists, from marketers - a broad group of wine experts, each bringing something different to the table.

“I think that casts a much broader net to finding more of the better wines across regions and stylistic nuances, so I think the modern wine show is very different,” he said.

Chatto said the 2014 Shiraz class at the Melbourne show was a case in point.

“We had 20 gold medals which were shared across 12 regions of Australia, and NSW was in the mix, as was Victoria, as was WA, as was SA,” he said.

“I think it’s about great wine now, and we’re not pushing style. My brief to the judges was to judge quality across style and not get caught in the style rut.

“If the exhibits are coming from great producers from all over the country, the results should reflect that.

“It was only a few years ago that a Hilltops shiraz won the Jimmy Watson. That trophy’s been a bastion of South Australia for a very long time. Now you’re seeing it open up and this year it was a pinot noir from Tasmania,” Chatto said.

McWilliam’s new release flagship wines are the 2014 1877 Hilltops Shiraz and the 2013 842 Tumbarumba Chardonnay.

The Appellation series includes the 2015 Orange Sauvignon Blanc (available November 2015), 2014 Tumbarumba Chardonnay and 2014 Pinot Noir, 2014 Canberra Syrah, and 2014 Hilltops Shiraz and 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon.

While acknowledging there is work to do to raise the profile of some of these regions, Chatto believes consumers have already taken to others, such as Canberra syrah.

“You only have to look at a brand like Clonakilla - that’s considered a pretty iconic wine within the Australian and international landscape,” he said.

“I think NSW has a lot to offer - what we need is some heroes.”

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