Australia`s top tasters still spoilt

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Written by
Jancis Robinson
26 Nov 2007
Australia’s top tasters still spoilt
One of the many legacies of Australia's Mr Wine Len Evans (see articles below) is the annual Len
Evans Tutorial Scholarship, a wine tasting workshop for some of Australia's most promising
young(ish) wine tasters and potential wine judges to ensure that they are acquainted with the
great wines of the world as well as with Australian wine. Cynics might say it was just an excuse
for Len and fellow organisers Brian Croser, Iain Riggs and James Halliday to get their teeth into a
succession of great wines, but as Riggs of Brokenwood in Hunter Valley has just pointed out to
me, "the Len Evans Tutorial has already made a significant impact on the Australian wine show
circuit. For example, this year's 2007 Royal Sydney Wine Show included 21 judges from the Len
Evans Tutorial: 14 Associates, six Judges and one Panel Chairman." Some years, such as the one
described here, an overseas participant is recruited via Decanter magazine.
Len instituted the Tutorial in 2001 and this year's choice of wines suggests that the organisers
are determined to show that Len's demise will make no difference to the intensity and quality of
the experience offered to the lucky 12 participants, chosen via application to the current
trustees Croser, Halliday and Riggs. The following Scholars were chosen for this year's intensive
five-day wine-judging course earlier this month:
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Paul Henry, Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation, GM Market Development (British-born and
did very well, my spies tell me)
Bryan Currie, West End Estate, Chief Winemaker
Matt Steel, Domaine Chandon, Senior Winemaker
Stuart Watson, Woodlands Wines, Winemaker/Manager
Stephen Harris, Bacchus Wine Merchant, Partner
Louise Radman, Hyatt Regency Adelaide, Purchasing Manager
Tyson Stelzer, Wine Press, Wine writer/publisher (notably on screwcaps)
Mark O'Callaghan, Yarra Burn Winery, Senior Winemaker
Natalie Reymond, Jacques Reymond, Sommelier
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Susanne Bell, Stonehaven Winery, Senior Winemaker (eventual Qantas Dux taster – this thing
is competitive!)
Alex Wilcox, Prince Wine Store, General Manager
Usher Tinkler, Pooles Rock Winery, Winemaker
Just wait til you see the bottles opened and tasted blind 5-9 Nov at The Tower Lodge in the
Hunter Valley…. As Iain Riggs puts it, "all the judging sessions are done masked, as are the
evening 'fun' exercises. The four lots of 30 wines below are tasted under wine show conditions.
Unidentified, the oldest and youngest given. Every evening again blind in the brackets listed
plus the odd options wine. The three afternoon masterclasses are open book. The DRC tasting
has the vintage and order of vineyards for them to sort out."
See what you would make of this lot… and note that most evenings an additional three wines
were poured for a round of Options, the blind wine tasting game devised by Evans, just for a
little light recreation.
MONDAY
Wine judging - Chardonnay
1 2005 Au Bon Climat, Santa Barbara
2 2005 Shadowfax, Victorian blend
3 2005 Kistler, Les Noisetiers, Sonoma Coast
4 2005 Coldstream Hills Reserve, Yarra Valley
5 2005 Puligny-Montrachet Perrieres Premier Cru, Dom Carillon, Puligny-Montrachet
6 2005 Yalumba FDW (7c), Adelaide Hills
7 2005 Chablis Voulerent Premier Cru Jean Marc Brocard
8 2005 Chablis Clos Grand Cru Dom Raveneau
9 2004 Eileen Hardy, Tasmania/Yarra
10 2004 Kumeu River Mate's Vineyard
11 2004 Oakridge Chardonnay 864, Yarra Valley
12 2004 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeots Premier Cru Dom Blain-Gagnard
13 2004 Meursault-Charmes Premier Cru Dom Ballot-Millot
14 2003 Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River
15 2003 Montee de Tonnerre Premier Cru Dom Francois Raveneau, Chablis
16 2002 Cullens, Margaret River
17 2002 Villa Maria Waldron Vineyard. Marlborough
18 2002 Kongsgaard, Napa Valley
19 2002 Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River
20 2002 Tyrrell's Vat 47, Hunter Valley
21 2002 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Dom Bouchard Pere et Fils
22 2002 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Dom Blain-Gagnard
23 2002 Chablis Blanchots Grand Cru Dom Laroche
24 2001 Bannockburn SRH, Geelong
25 1999 Yarra Burn Bastard Hill, Yarra Valley
26 1999 St Aubin, Les Murgers Dents de Chien Premier Cru Dom Hubert Lamy
27 1998 Martinborough Vineyards
28 1998 Joseph Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche Montrachet
29 1996 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru Dom Raveneau
30 1995 Penfolds 95a, Adelaide Hills
Evening wines
Dry white
(All Hunter Valley)
1 2005 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
2 2005 Tower Estate Semillon
3 2005 McWilliam's Lovedale Semillon
4 2005 Capercaillie Semillon
5 1999 Tower Estate Semillon
6 1999 McWilliam's Lovedale Semillon
7 1999 Capercaillie Semillon
8 1999 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Aged red
1 1918 Château Siran
2 1926 Château Siran
3 1937 Château Siran
4 1947 Château Siran
5 1955 Château Siran
6 1966 Château Siran
Dry red
1 1983 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle
2 1984 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle
3 1985 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle
4 1988 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle
5 1990 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle
Fortified
1 1963 Croft
2 1970 Croft
3 1975 Fonseca
4 1977 Taylors
Options wines
1967 Penfold's 'Riesling' [in fact Semillon – JR], Hunter Valley
1970 Lindeman's 'Chablis' Bin 3875 [ditto], Hunter Valley
1937 Lupe Cholet, Nuits Saint Georges
TUESDAY
Wine judging - Shiraz
1 1985 Noel Verset, Cornas
2 1986 Henschke Hill of Grace, Eden Valley
3 1988 Alain Graillot, Crozes-Hermitage
4 1990 Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage
5 1996 Brokenwood HBA, Hunter Valley/McLaren Vale
6 1998 Seppelts Reserve, Great Western
7 1998 Peter Lehmann Stonewell, Barossa
8 2000 Courbis Les Eygats, Cornas
9 2000 Wendouree, Clare Valley
10 2001 T Allemand, Cornas
11 2001 E Guigal, La Mouline, Cote Rotie
12 2001 Torbreck, The Factor, Barossa Valley
13 2001 E Guigal, La Turque, Cote Rotie
14 2001 M Sorrel, Le Grea, Hermitage
15 2001 Penfolds Grange Barossa / Eden Valley
16 2001 E Guigal, La Landonne, Cote Rotie
17 2001 Rene Rostaing, Cote Rotie
18 2002 Geoff Merrill, McLaren Vale
19 2003 Meera Park, Hell Hole, Hunter Valley
20 2003 Delas Les Bessards, Hermitage
21 2003 Isole e Olena, Tuscany
22 2004 Auguste Clape, Cornas
23 2004 Castagna, Genesis, Beechworth
24 2004 Clonakilla, Canberra District
25 2004 Pax, Alder Springs Vineyard, The Terraces, Mendocino County
26 2004 Bilancia, La Collina, Hawkes Bay
27 2005 Te Mata, Bullnose Syrah, Hawkes Bay
28 2005 J Duval, The Entity, Barossa
29 2005 De Iuliis Show Reserve, Hunter Valley
30 2005 Yarra Yering No 2, Yarra Valley
Champagne masterclass
with Ian McKenzie
1996 Salon Cuvée 'S'
1998 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
1996 Ruinart, Dom Ruinart
1995 Krug Clos du Mesnil
1999 Dom Perignon
1996 Pol Roger, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
1996 Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint- Hilaire
1998 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame
1998 Perrier Jouet, Belle Époque
2000 Louis Roederer Cristal
1997 Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Francaises
1996 Krug
Evening wines
White
1 2003 Bests Riesling Great Western
2 2002 Helm Riesling Canberra District
3 2001 Frankland River Riesling Isolation Ridge
4 2001 Geoff Weaver Riesling Lenswood
5 1999 Yalumba Pewsey Vale Contours Riesling Eden Valley
6 1994 Crawford River Riesling Hentley
7 1992 Grosset Riesling Watervale
8 1975 Hardy's Riesling McLaren/Barossa
Dry red
1 1999 Angelo Gaja, Barbaresco Barbaresco
2 1999 Angelo Gaja, Sperss Barolo
3 1999 Angelo Gaja, Conteisa Barolo
4 1999 Angelo Gaja, Sori San Lorenzo Barbaresco
5 1999 Angelo Gaja, Sori Tildin Barbaresco
6 1999 Angelo Gaja, Costa Russi Barbaresco
Aged red
1 1954 Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
2 1958 Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
3 1959 Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
4 1962 Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
5 1964 Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
6 1966 Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
7 1970 Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
8 1986 Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
Sweet white
1 1975 Padouen (at one time owned by Evans and partners) Barsac
2 1975 Rieussec Sauternes
3 1975 d'Yquem Sauternes
Options wines
1991 Trimbach Clos St Hune
1983 Jaboulet – Isnard, Crozes Hermitage
1978 E Giugal, Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde
WEDNESDAY
Wine judging - Cabernets and blends
1 1970 Château Pichon- Longueville Lalande
2 1978 Château Lafite Rothchild
3 1979 Petaluma Coonawarra
4 1980 St Huberts Yarra Valley
5 1982 Penfolds Bin 707 Coonawarra
6 1983 Petrus Pomerol
7 1985 Château Lafite Rothchild
8 1986 Lindeman's St George Coonawarra
9 1987 Mondavi Reserve Napa Valley
10 1990 St Hubert's Yarra Valley
11 1990 Mount Mary Quintet Lilydale
12 1993 Petaluma Coonawarra
13 1994 Château Latour Pauillac
14 1995 Château La Mission-Haut-Brion Graves
15 1996 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac
16 1996 Dunn Howell Mountains Napa Valley
17 1996 Château Pichon Longueville Baron Pauillac
18 1999 Spottswoode Napa Valley
19 1999 Karl Lawence Napa Valley
20 2000 Hosanna Pomerol
21 2000 Château La Lagune Haut Medoc
22 2001 Majella Coonawarra
23 2001 Joseph Phelps Backus Oakville Napa Valley
24 2001 Cullen Diana Madeline Margaret River
25 2001 Moss Wood Margaret River
26 2001 Balnaves The Tally Reserve Coonawarra
27 2002 Te Awa The Boundary Hawkes Bay
28 2002 Geoff Merrill McLaren Vale
29 2003 Spottwoode Napa Valley
30 2003 Dominus Napa Valley
Burgundy masterclass
with Gary Steel
2004 White burgundy bracket
Chablis Valmur Grand Cru Dom Raveneau
Chassagne-Montachet Caillerets Premier Cru Dom Blain Gagnard
Puligny-Montrachet Les Champs Canet Premier Cru Dom Louis Carillon
Meursault Genevrieres Premier Cru Dom Ballot-Millot
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Dom Bouchard Pere Et Fils
Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Dom Louis Carillon
Criots-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Dom Blain-Gagnard
Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Dom Blain-Gagnard
Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Dom Bouchard Pere Et Fils
Le Montrachet Grand Cru Dom Blain Gagnard
2002 Red burgundy bracket
Volnay Taillepieds Premier Cru Dom De Montille
Pommard Clos Des Epeneaux Premier Cru Dom Comte Armand
Beaune-Greves Vigne L'enfant Jesus Premier Cru Dom Bouchard Pere Et Fils
Le Corton Grand Cru Dom Bouchard Pere Et Fils
Nuits-Saint-Georges Les St Georges Premier Cru Dom Henri Gouges
La Romanee Grand Cru Dom Liger-Belair
Echezeaux Grand Cru Dom Mongeard-Mugneret
Clos De Vougeot Grand Cru Dom Rene Engel
Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru Dom Comte De Vogue
Clos De La Roche Grand Cru Dom Armand Rousseau
Chambertin Grand Cru Dom Armand Rousseau
Evening wines
Dry white
1 2005 Penfolds Bin 05A Chardonnay Adelaide Hills
2 2005 William Fevre Les Clos Grand Cru Chablis
3 2005 Corton-Charlemagne Bonneau du Martray Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne
4 2005 Brokenwood Indigo Vineyard Chardonnay Beechworth
5 2005 Tapanappa Tiers Chardonnay Adelaide Hills
6 2005 Joseph Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru Puligny-Montrachet
Dry red
1 2004 Descendientes de J Palacios Moncerbal Bierzo
2 2004 Descendientes de J Palacios Fontelas Bierzo
3 2005 Cillar de Silos Torresilo Ribera Del Dureo
4 2004 Telmo Rodriguez Mantallana Ribera Del Dureo
5 2003 Bodegas Roda 1 Reserva Rioja
6 2005 Bodegas Roda Cirsion Rioja
Dry red
1 2005 Grands-Echezeaux Dom Mongeard Mugneret Flagey Echezeaux
2 2002 Grands-Echezeaux Dom Mongeard Mugneret Flagey Echezeaux
3 2000 Grands-Echezeaux Dom Mongeard Mugneret Flagey Echezeaux
4 1999 Grands-Echezeaux Dom Mongeard Mugneret Flagey Echezeaux
5 1996 Grands-Echezeaux Dom Mongeard Mugneret Flagey Echezeaux
6 1995 Grands-Echezeaux Dom Mongeard Mugneret Flagey Echezeaux
Dry red
1 1959 Hardy's Reserve Bin Cabinet Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz Bin 265 McLaren Vale/
Coonawarra/Hunter
2 1962 Penfolds Bin 60A Kalimna/Coonawarra
3 1961 Penfolds Bin 58 Kalimna Cabernet/Shiraz Barossa Valley
4 1964 Seppelt Great Western Reserve Bin Claret Shiraz Great Western
5 1964 Rouge Homme Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra
6 1965 Château Tahbilk Shiraz Goulburn Valley
7 1966 Orlando BV Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa Valley
Sweet wine
1 2004 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Beerenauslese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
2 2001 Domane Wachau Beerenauslese Wachau Austria
3 2000 Albert Mann, Tokay Pinot Gris - SGN, Altenbourg le Tri Alsace
THURSDAY
Wine judging - Pinot Noir
1 2005 Dom Bouchard Pere et Fils Marconnets Premier Cru Beaune
2 2005 Coldstream Hills Reserve Yarra Valley
3 2005 Clyde Park Geelong
4 2005 The Beaux Freres Vineyard Willamette Valley
5 2005 Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough
6 2004 Bannockburn Vineyards Geelong
7 2004 Schubert Wines Block B Martinborough
8 2003 Paringa Mornington
9 2003 Quartz Reef Central Otago
10 2002 Dom Armand Rousseau Mazy Chambertin Grand Cru Gevrey Chambertin
11 2002 Dom Liger Belair Aux Reignots Premier Cru Vosne Romanée
12 2002 Dom Confuron-Cotetidot Nuit St Georges Premier Cru Nuits St Georges
13 2002 Ata Rangi Martinborough
14 2001 Dom Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux Grand Cru Flagey Echezeaux
15 2001 Dom de la Vougeraie Les Cras- Premier Cru Vougeots
16 2001 Dom Comte Armand Clos des Epeneaux Premier Cru Pommard
17 2000 Dom Mongeard-Mugneret Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru Flagey-Echezeaux
18 2000 Wellington Tasmania
19 1999 Dom Bouchard Chambertin Grand Cru Gevrey Chambertin
20 1999 Dom Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Gevrey Chambertin
21 1999 Faiveley Clos de la Marechale Premier Cru Nuits St Georges
22 1999 Dom Armand Rousseau Ruchottes Grand Cru Chambertin
23 1999 Mount Mary Lilydale
24 1999 Giaconda Beechworth
25 1999 Dom Serene Mark Bradford Vineyard Willamette Valley
26 1998 Bass Phillip East Gippsland
27 1998 Gibbston Valley Reserve Central Otago
28 1996 La Strada Clayvin Marlborough
29 1995 Dom de la Romanée Conti, La Tache Grand Cru Vosne Romanée
30 1964 Arthur Barolet Chambolle Musigny
Riesling masterclass
with Brian Croser
1999 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Fuder 60 Kabinett
1997 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Auslese
2001 Pauly-Bergweiler Erdener Pralat Auslese
2004 Dr Loosen Erdener Treppchen Trocken Alte Reben
2002 Pauly Bergweiler Urziger Wurzgarten Kabinett
2004 Dr Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Trocken Alte Reben
2001 J J Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
2001 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
1995 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese
1999 Trimbach Clos St Hune
1999 Weinbach Schlossberg
2001 Marcel Deiss Grasberg
1998 Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Auslese
1989 Georg Muller Stiftung Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Auslese
1989 Reichsgraf von Kesselstat Scharzhofberger Beerenauslese
Bordeaux masterclass
with Iain Riggs
1982 Château Latour
1985 Château Latour
1988 Château Latour
1989 Château Latour
1990 Château Latour
1995 Château Latour
1999 Château Latour
2000 Château Latour
2002 Château Latour
2004 Château Latour
Evening wines
Dry white
1 1976 Deinhard Rudesheimer Berg Rottland Auslese Rheingau
2 1976 Deinhard Geisenheimer Rothenberg Auslese Rheingau
3 1976 Deinhard Johannisberger Holle Auslese Rheingau
4 1976 Deinhard Bernkasteler Graben Auslese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
5 1976 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenhur Auslese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
6 1976 JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Dry red
1 1990 Savigny Lavieres Tollot Beaune Premier Cru Savigny Les Beaune
2 1992 Coldstream Hills Reserve Pinot Noir Yarra Valley
3 1996 Domaine de l'Arlot – Les Suchots Premier Cru Vosne Romanée
4 1997 Yarra Burn Bastard Hill Pinot Noir Yarra Valley
5 1997 Gibbston Valley Reserve Pinot Noir Central Otago
6 1997 Freycinet Vineyard Pinot Noir Tasmania
Dry red
1 1964 Tulloch PB Pokolbin DR Shiraz Hunter Valley
2 1965 Lindeman's HR Burgundy 3110 Shiraz Hunter Valley
3 1966 Penfolds Dalwood Burgundy HV Reserve Hunter Valley
4 1967 Penfolds Dalwood Hunter Claret Hunter Valley
5 1968 Lindeman's HR Burgundy 3710 Shiraz Hunter Valley
6 1973 Lindeman's HR Burgundy 4810 Shiraz Hunter Valley
Fortified
1 2007 Seppelt GR 134 Muscat Rutherglen
2 Seppelt DP 33 Muscat Rutherglen
3 Seppelt GR 069 Classic Muscat Rutherglen
4 Seppelt DP 63 Grand Muscat Rutherglen
5 Seppelt GR 113 Rare Muscat Rutherglen
6 Seppelt DP 62 Museum Muscat Rutherglen
Options wines
1924 Château Montrose
1950 Rioja (whose, I wonder? - JR)
1978 Château Latour, POURERS OPTION!
FRIDAY
DRC masterclass
with James Halliday
2004 Grands Echezeaux
2004 Romanée St Vivant
2004 Echezeaux
2004 La Tache
2004 Romanée-Conti
2004 Richebourg
Alka Seltzer for all