THE highly-anticipated judging for the Dookie Wine Show took place last week, with three judges tasting and assessing 75 standout entries.
The three judges charged with the delicate task of ranking 75 wines included head judge Jen Pfeiffer, chief winemaker at Pfeiffer Wines; winemaker Amy Smith of Warrabilla Wines; and Tegan Clydesdale, assistant wine maker at Fowles Wine.
Jen Pfeiffer has been judging wines for over 15 years.
“The important part of wine shows is the continuous improvement it encourages for the local wine industry as a whole. It gives winemakers a chance to have their wines assessed independently by a panel of three judges with technical expertise, to critically assess the wines in a blind setting,” she said.
“We are able to provide feedback to all exhibitors, it gives local winemakers a chance to present their wines and get an idea of what they’re doing wonderfully and what they can change.
“There’s some real crackers amongst what we’re judging today, a really lovely arneis, a newly emerging variety. Our region has prime soils and a great climate for grape growing, and it shines through in these wines.”
Established with the aim of promoting local wines, the annual wine exhibition is held in conjunction with the Dookie A&P Society, Phillips Cellars and Regional Wine Centre, The Adviser, the Greater Shepparton City Council, and Goulburn River Valley Tourism.
Now in its 18th year, the Dookie Wine Show is open to wineries across Northern Victoria.
2021 Dookie Wine Show winners thus far are:
Class 1. Shiraz: Magyar’s Hill 2018 Shiraz
Class 2. Cabernet Sauvignon: Magyar’s Hill 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Class 3. Other Red Varieties: John Gehrig 2017 R.G. Durif
Class 4. Chardonnay: Star Dust and Muscle 2020 Chardonnay
Class 5. Other White Varieties: Whistle and Hope 2019 Riesling
Class 6. Sparkling Red and White: Stone Dwellers N. V. Pinot Noir
Wine of the Show will be announced at the Dookie Wine Show Dinner by major sponsor, The Adviser’s managing director, Geoff Adams. The date and location of the dinner will be finalised shortly and announced in The Adviser and online.
