Cabernet in the Cabinet for Koonowla

(from left) President Clare Valley Winemakers Association, Governor of South Australia Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce (middle) and accepting the trophy, Andrew Michael from Koonowla Wines

It was a Cabernet from Clare which took out the Trophy for Best Dry Red at the Clare Valley Wine Show last Friday 28th October. The team at Koonowla couldn’t be happier to have had their 2008 Koonowla Cabernet Sauvignon (RRP $22) judged to be the top wine amongst some of the country’s most renowned Shiraz.

Andrew Michael from Koonowla Wines was enormously proud of this win particularly due to the extremely high caliber of exhibitors in the class and across the board at the show and the regions fame for producing top quality Shiraz. He says of Koonowla’s success “we were up against seriously high profile, expensive and top quality wines…for our Cabernet which you can pick up for just over $20 to receive this sort of accolade, it says a lot about the sort of value-for-money you can get in Australian wines from smaller Aussie producers”.

This value-for-money statement is nothing new for Koonowla Wines, as late last year the team picked up the trophy for Best Red Wine under $25 at the Great Australian Shiraz Challenge for their 2006 Koonowla Shiraz ($22), which is sitting proudly in the winery’s trophy cabinet!

The judging for the Clare Valley wine show went over two days, with 45 exhibitors and 352 entries in total, resulting in 144 medals awarded to those who stood out the most.

Koonowla Winemaking duo David O’Leary and Nick Walker are no strangers to success in the Clare Valley Wine Show, and this year was no exception as they picked up numerous medals for wines made under their own label O’Leary Walker Wines.

Koonowla Wines, set amongst the rolling broad acre hills of the Clare Valley, with 250 acres of vineyard and beautiful stone buildings is a truly iconic property consistently creating top quality Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling.

With the Summer of Riesling campaign about to kick off, timing couldn’t be better for Koonowla with the new addition to the Koonowla Ringmaster range with their 2011 Ringmaster Riesling (RRP $16). This wine brings the entire Koonowla portfolio to a rounded six wines, and is a true Clare Valley style Riesling with lemon lime flavours and a crisp dry finish.

Distributors:  Young  &  Rashleigh  Wine  Merchants,  P:  02  9967  5900,  
E:  wines@youngandrashleigh.com,  W:  www.youngandrashleigh.com