THE annual Limestone Coast Wine Show was held again recently with a bumper crop of wines put to the test.
A panel of judges tasted wines from across the region from places including Wrattonbully, Penola, Padthaway, Coonawarra and Mount Gambier and handed out over 300 awards at the ceremony.
International guest judge Sam Kim travelled from New Zealand for the events, spending time in each of the areas across the South East and learning about what each one has to offer.
“It’s really fascinating because we look at the Limestone Coast as one big region,” he said.
“But really there’s these little sub-regions within it that produce great variations of wines.
“Padthaway is really strong with its shiraz, Coonawarra is obviously well-known for its cabernet and has a rich history with that and Wrattonbully is the new kid on the block, but with already 20 years on the vines it is becoming one of the rising stars.
“You also cannot forget Robe and Mount Gambier as their wines have some really big personalities.”
Although it was his first year judging the event, Mr Kim has previously spent time in the region and loves what it has to offer.
“I was here in the early 2000s but things have definitely changed since then,” he said.
“There seems to be a renewed vigor – a lot of vineyards are replanting vines, investing in new materials and putting a focus on new technology.
“Although the region is not huge, the quality is right up there and I think it is getting great traction across the country and the world.”
Judging the provenance category, Mr Kim was able to sample three vintages of the same drop from each exhibitor, which he believes shows the wine’s true colours.
“It shows the true progression of the wines,” he said.
“It’s great too see how they mature and progress over the years.
“I have been impressed with what each producer had on offer.”
Mr Kim said he enjoyed spending time in the region and looked forward to his next trip.
“It has been great getting to know the producers and getting a good look at the wines,” he said.
“Judging has been a really invaluable experience and I hope I was able to give a little bit of a different perspective on each of the wines I judged.
“The Limestone Coast is an important region to visit and I’m sure I’ll be back.”
