Local wines join nation’s elite

Symphony Hill Wines has firmly placed itself amongst the ranks of Australia’s wine elite by being nominated for two trophies at the 2011 Royal Melbourne Wine Show.
They achieved top gold in its class for their 2008 Reserve Shiraz, scoring the highest possible points.
Only the top scoring gold medal wines are eligible for being awarded the show’s trophies and Symphony Hill Wines Reserve Shiraz was a finalist for the Best Rhone Style or Shiraz Trophy and the prestigious Douglas Seabrook Single Vineyard Trophy.
Owner Ewen Macpherson said, “Shiraz is by far the variety with the highest number of entries from around Australia and to be one of the four finalists for the Best Shiraz trophy is a tremendous achievement for our young winery.
“The wine that pipped us for the Best Shiraz trophy was also awarded the Jimmy Watson trophy. I would love to see the Jimmy Watson trophy head to Queensland one day.”
To see his winery’s name up on the screen at the trophy presentation dinner was a thrill that is hard to describe. And to see it twice for two trophies was sublime.
“Top gold for a Shiraz at Royal Melbourne for a winery with one small block of Shiraz competing against fabulous large wineries selecting their fruit from a multitude of vineyards from across Australia is a monumental achievement.”
Winemaker Mike Hayes said, “It is the highlight of my career to be invited down to the trophy presentation dinner and for our fabulous Reserve Shiraz to be in the running for two trophies.
“Top gold in its class is an achievement that everyone aims for each year and seldom achieves,” Mr Hayes said.
“I firmly believe what the Australian wine industry is witnessing the birth of the next Iconic Shiraz in our Reserve Shiraz.
“We have currently released three vintages of Reserve Shiraz and every one of them has been awarded gold at Royal Sydney or Royal Melbourne wine shows.
“The first vintage was also top gold in its class at Sydney and these three successive vintages show a consistency of style and quality that will one day make us famous.
“The elegance and flavours of our Reserve Shiraz are like a unique fingerprint that identifies our vineyard in a way that only wine can.
“Our Reserve Shiraz is an elegant cool climate style of wine reminiscent of the great Shiraz wines from the South of France.
“It has enchanting aromas of raspberry, white pepper with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. There are lashings of rich bold juicy fruit characters in the mid-palate with a hint of liquorice. It is delightfully balanced on the finish.”
Symphony Hill Wines is owned by Ewen and Elissa Macpherson and Ewen’s parents Bob and Jill Macpherson. When the vines were planted in 1999, there were four generations of the Macpherson family living on the property.