Pete Schell of Spinifex was named the Young Gun of Wine in 2008. Since then, his winery has proven to be fertile ground for numerous new wine labels, and Schell seems to have some sort of Midas Touch, as the alumni reads like a who’s who of cutting edge winemakers and the awards: Abel Gibson…
While gearing up for the 2020 edition of the Young Gun of Wine Awards, we look back at one of the most controversial moments in the 13-year history of the showcase.Over the journey, there have been events of revelation, drama, upheaval, and massive celebration. Falling into the stand-alone category of ‘bombshell victories’ was the outcome of the Winemakers’ Choice award in 2015.
Wine labels usually don’t factor in wine competitions, where blind-tasting rules mean that wines are judged in a vacuum. YGOW is unique because it is not a blind tasting. The quality of the wines, of course, has primacy for the judges, but other factors are allowed into play, including creativity, leadership, the whole wine package….
South Australia has contributed more Young Gun winners than all the other states combined, and by a margin. There’s no question that South Australia has quality regions aplenty, from the cool of Basket Range in the Adelaide Hills to the more traditional stomping grounds of McLaren Vale and the Barossa, but what exactly is it that makes South Australia such a hotspot for young talent?
With some of Melbourne’s finest palates in attendance, Best’s winemaker Justin Purser was kind enough to guide us through five decades of their ‘Old Vine’ Pinot Meunier. This was a rare chance to see just how well it ages in ideal conditions.
In the Young Gun of Wine Awards, our Danger Zone trophy goes to the most adventurous wine. It’s an accolade that rewards deliciousness and the spirit of a maker not afraid to colour outside the lines. It’s somewhat fitting then that First Drop Wines have sponsored the award from the start, since 2017. First Drop’s Matt Gant was crowned the inaugural Young Gun, in 2007, with a paradigm-shifting montepulciano that set the scene for the boundless vinous creativity that has fuelled Young Gun of Wine.
It’s official. On Monday 28th October, the 2019 Wineslinger Awards were announced at Matilda, in South Yarra. In classic Young Gun of Wine style, the MCs, Nick Stock and Pat Nourse, revealed the winners of the nationwide search for the best wine haunts across Australia right now.
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