Blue-Gold & Top 100 Awards at Sydney International Wine Competition

The SIWC is a food-oriented wine show now in its 34th year of offering wine-lovers a free web-based ‘wines for food’ information service. The wines go through a three-phase blind-judging process, culminating in finalists being grouped together in food-friendly categories. These finalists are judged beside dishes of similar palate weight and individual judges’ comments are published on the website.

2014 Clairault Margaret River Chardonnay
Blue—Gold Award, Top 100 Wines

Judges’ Comments:

“An elegant complex wine with quite tight acidity. A very crisp Chablis style. Lovely texture and it went very well with the food” – Kym Milne, Chairman of Judges

“An oak dominant nose with fruit coming through on the palate. A hint of creaminess. Great balance with a touch of yeasty breadiness on the palate. A great match with the salmon and the creaminess of the wine marrying in well” – Brent Marris

“A toasty nutty spicy nose leads to a well-balanced palate which exhibits notes of white fruit toasty oak spice and nut which is cut by a fresh line of citrus acidity” – Jo Burzynska

“An effusive nose with ripe fruit influences of pawpaw and apple. Hints of cinnamon also seen on the nose. The palate shows lovely length of flavour. A restrained savoury style which married well with the food” – Ken Dobler

“Lovely lemon cashew perfumed aromas with some peach and apricot kernel. Textured with riper peach and nectarine flavours and a touch of honey suggesting some age. A great match with the food. A lovely wine” – Meg Brodtmann

2013 Clairault Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Blue—Gold Award

Judges’ Comments:
“Fresh bright fruit. Medium concentration. Elegant good fruit and balanced sweet oak...” – Kym Milne, Chairman of Judges

“A slightly herbal nose with hints of leafiness. Hints of floral coming through with green cane and oak on the finish. A lovely richness on the mid palate with subtle hints of chocolate. Well matched with the lamb giving the wine a lovely cigar box finish” – Brent Marris

“An elegant wine with fresh cassis fruit and a savoury undercurrent of fine tannins. Notes of freshly ground coffee and a bright fresh acid. It's a concentrated and beautifully harmonious wine” – Jo Burzynska

“A medium brick red colour. A wonderfully spicy nose with aromas of cherry and red berry with leafy nuances. A lovely mouth feel with excellent persistence of flavour. Ripe fruit flavours and well integrated tannins” – Ken Dobler

“Dark dense Cabernet family notes on the nose with cassis and red fruit. Dense dark fruit on the palate. The tannins are firm. Lifted and pure with the Cabernet flavours matching the lamb dish” – Warren Gibson