WHILE the official launch of Goundrey’s new label, Offspring, isn’t until next Wednesday, the new brand is already bringing home awards.
The 2002 Offspring Chardonnay won the gold medal at the 11th annual Chardonnay-du-Monde international competition, held in Burgundy, France, earlier this year.
It has also won a coveted gold medal at the 2004 Challenge International du Vin, in Bordeaux, France.
The Challenge International du Vin is considered one of the world’s most prestigious competitions. The win was a coup for Goundrey, one of only two Australian wines presented with a gold at the awards.
Chief winemaker David Martin says the awards benchmark Goundrey against some of the world’s best chardonnays.
“It is very rewarding to be amongst the world’s best and demonstrate that Goundrey can also produce traditional style chardonnay that receives this level of recognition,” he says.
Topping off the purple patch for Goundrey is the news that Berlinda Conti has joined the team in a marketing and public relations role.
Ms Conti, daughter of winemaker Paul Conti, has most recently been contracted to Amberley Estate.
Statistics recently released by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation show that wineries across Australia have enjoyed a record crush for the 2004 vintage.
The total crush is estimated at 1.755 million tonnes, a 9 per cent increase on the previous record, which was achieved in 2002.
The record crush was the result of a return to normal seasonal conditions, a 25 per cent increase on the seasonally affected 2003 vintage.
Locally, Evans and Tate Group has released figures for its record 2004 grape crush, helping to consolidate the vineyard as a top-10 Australian wine producer.
Increased grape crushes at all of Evans &Tate’s vineyards, located in Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Mildura and Griffith, resulted in a 42 per cent increase on last season’s vintage.
Evans and Tate has produced 57,866 tonnes of fruit this vintage.
