2010 Lodge Hill Riesling wins Best Riesling at Sydney Wine Show

Two old champions of Clare Valley riesling cross paths at the Royal Sydney Wine Show

Jim Barry Wines 2010 Lodge Hill Riesling last night (Monday 17 February) won the 2011 Douglas Lamb Perpetual Trophy, awarded annually at the Royal Sydney Wine Show for the best wine in Class 23 — dry-style riesling, vintage 2010 and older.

“It’s a very appropriate trophy for our Clare Valley family winery to win,” said managing director Peter Barry.

“My late father Jim and Douglas were contemporaries in the Australian wine industry and, especially during the 1950s, they both championed the cause of food-friendly, varietal table wines, rowing against a dominant tide of fortified sherries and ports — Jim as a recently graduated South Australian winemaker, Douglas as a Sydney lawyer-turned-wine-merchant.

“Douglas’s family recognised his special passion for riesling when they donated this trophy as a memorial and I know he had a soft spot for the Clare Valley, where Dad had hung up his shingle in 1947 after graduating as the 17th winemaker from Roseworthy College.”

Jim and his wife Nancy purchased the Lodge Hill property — one of the Clare Valley’s highest and coolest — in 1977. The warmer, sunnier side of the ridge was planted to shiraz, the leaner, cooler side to riesling. The rest was left for Jim’s other passion, thoroughbred racehorses.

At 480 metres altitude and with a distinctly slaty base to its soil profile, the vineyard is ideal for producing austere, minerally, long-living rieslings.

“Riesling was one of the highlights of the 2010 Clare Valley vintage,” said Peter.

“All of the selected Lodge Hill parcels came in at optimum ripeness and displayed the characteristics of fine Clare Valley riesling — high natural acidity, intense citrus flavours and floral notes, attributable to the region’s higher altitudes which provided cooler than average temperatures despite the odd heat spikes on some days.

“The wine has crystal-like clarity, with a straw colour and green hues. The aromas are rich and lifted, focusing on cumquat, pink grapefruit, nectarine and limes, showing its Lodge Hill vineyard heritage. The palate is supportive of these aromas and is enhanced by a zingy natural-acid backbone and flavours of mandarin, white peach and strawberry at the forefront. The wine has immense length and intensity of flavour, with a crisp, clean finish.”

The wine is currently available at a recommended retail of $19.95.

For information and comments, please contact Peter Barry or Tom Barry on 08 8842 2261.