AFTER taking out the Ulladulla district’s first gold medal at the recent South Coast Wine Show, winemaker Rosie Cupitt is looking forward to producing more medal-winning wines, as 2014 shapes up to the be “the best year ever”.
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The Cupitt’s 2012 Semillon, grown at the Ulladulla vineyard, was awarded gold, while the locally grown 2012 Alphonse received a silver medal.
The winery’s unreleased 2013 sweet Riesling received a bronze and the Semillon took home the trophy for the best wine produced in a Shoalhaven Coast winery for its Semillon, topping off a great year for Rosie and her team.
“We are very excited to get the gold, particularly with fruit from Washburton Vineyard,” she said.
“It’s the first gold medal for the Ulladulla area,” she said.
Termeil’s Fern Gully Winery picked up two bronze medals for its vintage port and Shiraz at the annual show and public tasting held at the Mollymook Golf Club on Friday February 24.
Rosie said this year’s wine show showcased some fantastic wines and she was pleased to be up there with the best.
Medals were not awarded to first, second and third place getters, but were determined by a judging panel, chaired by David Morris of Morris Wines, Rutherglen, using a scoring system based on appearance, nose and flavour.
She described her 2012 Semillon, which was picked early to ensure a leaner style, as an all-round wine featuring “gorgeous citrus characters”.
“It’s fruity and zesty on the palate and a little herbaceous on the nose.”
Following a hot, dry summer, Rosie is hoping for medals in the near future, with 2014 shaping up to be “the best year we’ve had”.
She said the weather had been ideal for grape growing, with no sign of disease on the vines.
“We normally have to pick early, because it’s going to rain, but this year we have been able to let the fruit ripen.”
Rosie and her team are harvesting this year’s Sauvignon Blanc and are expected to start harvesting the Semillon grapes later in the week.