Geoff Merrill Wines triumphant in the 2006 Visy Great Australian Shiraz Challenge

Leading Australian winemaker and winner of the 2005 Jimmy Watson Trophy, Geoff Merrill, has won Australia’s most prestigious wine award, the 2006 Visy Great Australian Shiraz Challenge Trophy. This has capped off a fine year for Merrill having also won this year’s Dan Murphy and Wine Society Trophies.

Winners were announced at a Gala Black Tie Dinner at Melbourne’s Park Hyatt on Friday 27th October. A record number of 370 wines competed in the 12th Challenge with vintages ranging from 1999 – 2006.

The 2006 Visy Great Australian Shiraz Challenge Trophy was won by the Geoff Merrill 2002 Reserve Shiraz.

“This stunning 2002 vintage is comparable to the 1990 and 1998 due to being one of the coolest summers on record for South Australia. Flavour ripeness with optimum natural acidity levels allowed us to produce a wine of great intensity and balance,” a jubilant Merrill said.

The 2006 judging panel consisted of James Halliday (Chairman), John Duval, Stephen Henschke and Geoff Merrill.

The panel agreed the 2004 vintage was a brilliant year. John Duval said, “With 2004 being a slightly cooler year, this produced fruit with immense purity resulting in wines of great elegance.”

Second place was awarded to Clayfield Wines’ 2004 Clayfield Grampians Shiraz and third place went to Howard Park Wines’ 2004 “Scotsdale” Shiraz.

The ASA Cork Trophy for Best Shiraz Under $25.00 was awarded to Matthew Rechner from McLaren Wines for the 2004 Linchpin Shiraz. A delighted Rechner said, “In 2002, my uncle, Tony Rechner, won the same trophy for his wine at Western Range winery.”

“I’m proud to continue this family custom, as the Great Australian Shiraz Challenge has played a major role in raising awareness of the iconic Shiraz grape variety both nationally and overseas.”

In 1995 the winemakers of the Nagambie Lakes laid down a challenge to determine Australia’s best Shiraz producers.

They were well qualified to do this. Shiraz was first planted at Chateau Tahbilk (now Tahbilk Estate) in the Nagambie Lakes area of the Goulburn Valley in 1860 – 145 years ago – and some of the original 1860s vines are still producing today.

Alister Purbrick, Director of the Great Australian Shiraz Challenge is delighted to have seen more than a decade of Challenges, and is looking forward to the growing success of the awards in the future. “Shiraz is our most important red wine category for export, but we can’t sit back and rely on our priceless plantings of old vine Shiraz. It is awards such as the Shiraz Challenge that encourage us keep our competitive edge,” he said.

Entry criteria require that all wine must be commercially available, labelled and on sale in at least one retail, cellar door or mail order “outlet”. The wines must be labelled Shiraz and no vintage restrictions apply.

The Visy 2006 Great Australian Shiraz Challenge is proudly supported by ASA Cork, Labelhouse, Precious Metals Garry Holloway Diamonds, Star Track Express, Seguin Moreau, Schott Zwiesel, Map Coffee, Yarra Valley Spring Water, Winetitles, Michael Major Media, Park Hyatt Melbourne, Sisley Paris and Meredith Diary.