A PENFOLDS Shiraz unashamedly unlike its iconic stable mate Grange has been named Australia's best export wine for 2005-06.
The PENFOLDS 2003 RWT Shiraz received the prestigious George Mackey Memorial Trophy at today's annual general meeting of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation in Adelaide. The Corporation presents the award each year to the most outstanding export wine as judged by an expert panel in a blind tasting.
RWT stands for "red winemaking trial" and, according to winemaker Steve Lienert, represents a conscious effort by PENFOLDS to produce wines that are different to the internationally famous Grange.
"The RWT Shiraz is not as traditional in style as the other PENFOLDS reds," he said. "It's sourced from 100% Barossa grapes and is matured in 100% French oak, unlike Grange which is a multi-region blend matured in 100% American oak."
"The RWT hasn't got the fruit concentration of Grange - its fruit characters are more lifted and aromatic, not big and chocolatey like Grange, but with great texture and opulence."
PENFOLDS RWT Shiraz was introduced in 1997, and is exported to the UK, Europe the USA, Canada, the Middle East and Asia.
The Corporation's chief executive Sam Tolley said the George Mackey Memorial Trophy for Australia's most outstanding export wine was one of the world's biggest wine competitions - and one of the toughest to win. No other wine competition has over 16,000 potential entrants and, unlike other competitions, only one award is given.
A record 16,629 wines were submitted for export approval in 2005-06.
Mr Lienert, a 28-year PENFOLDS veteran, said the 2003 vintage was "particularly interesting" and had produced excellent fruit characters with tannins not as prominent. "For the RWT style, that really suited our wine," he said. "The 2004 vintage wines, for example, are bigger and richer."
The 2003 vintage of PENFOLDS RWT Shiraz is available in limited quantities from specialty wine outlets.
The 2004 vintage of PENFOLDS RWT Shiraz will be released globally on May 1st 2007.
