Australia, September 1st 2008
France beats Australia at its own game
by Sally Easton MW
Guigal’s Château d’Ampuis Côte Rôtie 2004 has won Australian magazine Winestate’s third ‘World’s Greatest Shiraz’ challenge in a line up of nearly 800 wines from all over the world.
Guigal’s ‘Brune et Blonde Côte Rôtie 2003 snapped up third place, sandwiching Australian icon Henschke’s Hill of Grace 2004 in second place.
Calling the result the ‘Judgement of Adelaide’, Winestate’s editor, Peter Simic said: “This is the first time that the French have won the competition.
Usually the Australians dominate, but this year we have three Rhône Valley wines in the top five. It is truly revenge for the French!”
But big name wines are rarely entered into competitions so, said Simic, “we went out and purchased them just the same. We wanted to include the top yardstick wines around the world like Paul Jaboulet [Hermitage] La Chapelle, Guigal and Chapoutier from France, Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace and other icon wines from Australia and top Parker favourites, Clarendon Hills Astralis and Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road. Our view is it is not just about the biggest number of shiraz/syrah wines tasted but also about the quality of the competition.”
Philippe Guigal, general manager and winemaker at E. Guigal, and grandson of founder Etienne said they were very happy to have won. Of the classical 2004 vintage he said: “I love it because it is subtle, with delicate tannins; a charming vintage” adding about the hot 2003 “I personally love it though it was a very difficult vintage to handle.”