BALTHAZAR BAROSSA SHIRAZ JUDGED AUSTRALIA’S BEST
Balthazar of the Barossa’s newly released 2005 Barossa Valley Shiraz has been named Australia’s best shiraz at the 2008 Vintage Cellars National Wine Show of Australia awards announced in Canberra tonight (Thursday, November 20).
Honoured at a black-tie presentation dinner at Parliament House, Balthazar of the Barossa upstaged larger wineries from across Australia and New Zealand to be awarded the prestigious Shiraz Trophy for its multi-award-winning 2005 vintage.
“As an ultra-small wine producer it is an incredible honour to win this award and bring the exalted Shiraz Trophy back to South Australia and the Barossa Valley,” said Anita Bowen, Balthazar of the Barossa winemaker.
“The 2005 Barossa Valley Shiraz is our fifth shiraz release and arguably our best so far, epitomising my modern take on classic Barossa shiraz – a spicy, dense red containing rich berry fruits and a long-lasting finish.
“It is a full-bodied wine that you can enjoy now or in years to come with cellaring.”
Organised by the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society, the Vintage Cellars National Wine Show of Australia is an annual event recognising the success of the Australian and New Zealand wine industries. This year, judges tasted over 1,300 wines before selecting trophy winners across 24 categories.
Balthazar of the Barossa’s win is another feather in the cap for vigneronne Anita Bowen whose 2005 Barossa Valley Shiraz has already won seven gold medals at major wine shows [in Australia and London]including the 2007 Royal Adelaide Wine Show.
Ms Bowen said the accolades for her 2005 vintage endorse her winemaking ethos of only releasing wines to the public after sufficient oak and bottle ageing.
“The grapes were harvested in March 2005 and after fermentation were transferred to predominantly French oak barrels where they were left to mature for 20 months,” she explained.
“We bottled the wine in November 2006 to ensure another long maturation period of almost 2 years before finally releasing to the public October 2008.”
The limited release 2005 Barossa Valley Shiraz retails for around $59 a bottle and is expected to follow on from the winery’s previous shiraz vintages – 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 – which have all sold out within months of release.
Balthazar of the Barossa is a boutique South Australian winery located at Marananga in the world famous Barossa Valley winemaking region.
Since the first vines were planted in 1999, Balthazar of the Barossa has rapidly established a reputation for outstanding wines spearheaded by its annual shiraz vintage.
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