Winewise Championship Tasting of 2016

Winewise is based in Canberra and invites all gold medal-winning wines from regional and national wine shows to enter the championship tasting. Wines are judged by a stellar panel of winemakers, media commentators, retail trade people and the Winewise crew to decide the best of the best.

2015 Clairault Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon - 4 STARS

“Powerful gooseberry aroma and flavour…”

2014 Clairault Margaret River Chardonnay - 4.5 STARS

“A Chardonnay of considerable intensity backed up by a dash of classy French oak. It delivers considerable drinking enjoyment.”

Clairault & Streicker Wines Well-Received by Wine Critics James Suckling and Nick Stock

James Suckling is one of today’s leading wine critics, whose views are read and respected by wine lovers, serious wine collectors, and the wine trade worldwide. Nick Stock is one of Australia’s most prolific wine commentators whose involvements in wine stretches will beyond writing, to radio and television broadcasting, wine show judging, public speaking, educating and winemaking. The Margaret River Tasting Report can be found on JamesSuckling.com

2012 Streicker Ironstone Block Old Vine Chardonnay – 94/100

"Here is a chardonnay that delivers lots of depth and intensity. Full-bodied, layered and gorgeous. Super wine. Great vintage."

2013 Clairault Cellar Release Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc – 94/100

"A very plush, ripe and dense wine with terrific freshness on the nose and palate; pure and juicy, full of sapid appeal. The dark cherry flavors are super pure; blue plums too. Attractive oak treatment and a long, rich finish. Great wine. Drinking well already and for 8+ years."

2013 Clairault Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot – 92/100

"Lots of earth, spice and meat aromas and flavors. Full body, velvety tannins and a savory finish. Drink now."

2013 Streicker Bridgeland Block Sauvignon Blanc Semillon – 91/100

"A white with plenty of sliced lemon and lime aromas and flavors. An earthy undertone. Full body, bright acidity and a long and intense finish. Lots of character."

2015 Clairault Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon – 91/100

"A white with sliced apple and pear aromas and flavors. Full body, bright acidity and a clean aftertaste. Tangy. Showing hints of grass and green apple skin on the finish."

Blue-Gold & Top 100 Awards at Sydney International Wine Competition

The SIWC is a food-oriented wine show now in its 34th year of offering wine-lovers a free web-based ‘wines for food’ information service. The wines go through a three-phase blind-judging process, culminating in finalists being grouped together in food-friendly categories. These finalists are judged beside dishes of similar palate weight and individual judges’ comments are published on the website.

2014 Clairault Margaret River Chardonnay
Blue—Gold Award, Top 100 Wines

Judges’ Comments:

“An elegant complex wine with quite tight acidity. A very crisp Chablis style. Lovely texture and it went very well with the food” – Kym Milne, Chairman of Judges

“An oak dominant nose with fruit coming through on the palate. A hint of creaminess. Great balance with a touch of yeasty breadiness on the palate. A great match with the salmon and the creaminess of the wine marrying in well” – Brent Marris

“A toasty nutty spicy nose leads to a well-balanced palate which exhibits notes of white fruit toasty oak spice and nut which is cut by a fresh line of citrus acidity” – Jo Burzynska

“An effusive nose with ripe fruit influences of pawpaw and apple. Hints of cinnamon also seen on the nose. The palate shows lovely length of flavour. A restrained savoury style which married well with the food” – Ken Dobler

“Lovely lemon cashew perfumed aromas with some peach and apricot kernel. Textured with riper peach and nectarine flavours and a touch of honey suggesting some age. A great match with the food. A lovely wine” – Meg Brodtmann

2013 Clairault Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Blue—Gold Award

Judges’ Comments:
“Fresh bright fruit. Medium concentration. Elegant good fruit and balanced sweet oak...” – Kym Milne, Chairman of Judges

“A slightly herbal nose with hints of leafiness. Hints of floral coming through with green cane and oak on the finish. A lovely richness on the mid palate with subtle hints of chocolate. Well matched with the lamb giving the wine a lovely cigar box finish” – Brent Marris

“An elegant wine with fresh cassis fruit and a savoury undercurrent of fine tannins. Notes of freshly ground coffee and a bright fresh acid. It's a concentrated and beautifully harmonious wine” – Jo Burzynska

“A medium brick red colour. A wonderfully spicy nose with aromas of cherry and red berry with leafy nuances. A lovely mouth feel with excellent persistence of flavour. Ripe fruit flavours and well integrated tannins” – Ken Dobler

“Dark dense Cabernet family notes on the nose with cassis and red fruit. Dense dark fruit on the palate. The tannins are firm. Lifted and pure with the Cabernet flavours matching the lamb dish” – Warren Gibson

Clairault Wines Reviewed by 'The Wine Front'

The Wine Front is Australia’s oldest and most active review site. It keeps consumers ahead of the game by reviewing wines as they are released. It’s run by Campbell Mattinson, Gary Walsh and Mike Bennie.

2013 Clairault Cellar Release Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc received a score of 94/100 from Campbell Mattinson. 

“This is both a highly polished wine and a high quality one. It reeks of oak, fruit and class. Resin, cedar, blackcurrant, superfine (but assertive) tannin, and a sizeable push of curranty fruit to close. There are cut grass and bay leaf/gumnut characters too, but mostly you would describe this wine, simply, as seamless.”

94 / 100  

Campbell Mattinson

Is the Editor/Publisher of The Wine Front and the Editor of James Halliday’s Wine Companion magazine. Until recently he was the SUNDAY Magazine wine columnist. He won the Best Australian Sports Writing Award in 1996, an Independent Young Writer of the Year Award in 1995, and the Wine Press Club Wine Communicator Award in both 2005 and 2007. He was the founding editor of Australian Sommelier Magazine.

In 2006 he released the book Wine Hunter: The Man Who Changed Australian Wine, a biography of the Hunter Valley winemaking legend Maurice O’Shea (published by Hachette Australia). The book won the NSW Wine Press Club Wine Communicator Award and was described by James Halliday as “one of the most remarkable wine books to ever come my way”. He’s also published Why the French Hate US: The Real Story of Australian Wine and The Big Red Wine Book (Hardie Grant, 2008, 2009, 2010).

Streicker Wines Reviewed by 'The Wine Front'

The Wine Front is Australia’s oldest and most active review site. It keeps consumers ahead of the game by reviewing wines as they are released. It’s run by Campbell Mattinson, Gary Walsh and Mike Bennie.

 

2012 Streicker Bridgeland Block Syrah received a score of 93/100 from 'The Wine Front'

“The back label text, which isn’t long, uses the phrase “yada yada” four times, which is a pretty decent effort. Suggests, heaven forbid, we have a winery with a sense of humour on our hands.

 

The wine is good. Light-ish, but good. Savoury and peppery as much as fruity, a touch smoky and herbal, tannic but in an integrated way. The mid palate is a succulent place to settle into, and while it’s mostly red berried there’s a (welcome) hint of liquorice. It’s a lovely wine to drink. Fragrant. Pretty. Yada yada”.

 

Campbell Mattinson

Is the Editor/Publisher of The Wine Front and the Editor of James Halliday’s Wine Companion magazine. Until recently he was the SUNDAY Magazine wine columnist. He won the Best Australian Sports Writing Award in 1996, an Independent Young Writer of the Year Award in 1995, and the Wine Press Club Wine Communicator Award in both 2005 and 2007. He was the founding editor of Australian Sommelier Magazine.

In 2006 he released the book Wine Hunter: The Man Who Changed Australian Wine, a biography of the Hunter Valley winemaking legend Maurice O’Shea (published by Hachette Australia). The book won the NSW Wine Press Club Wine Communicator Award and was described by James Halliday as “one of the most remarkable wine books to ever come my way”. He’s also published Why the French Hate US: The Real Story of Australian Wine and The Big Red Wine Book (Hardie Grant, 2008, 2009, 2010).