One trophy at a wine show is a big feat. for any winemaker, but not nearly enough for Wangolina owner and winemaker Anita Goode who walked away with three from the 2022 Limestone Coast Wine Show. A huge success for the small family-owned boutique winery, and still Anita is one of the humblest winemakers out there. Winning the Peter Wehl Trophy for Best Single Variety (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish Heritage) for the 2021 A-Series Tempranillo, and the Small Batch Experimental Award and International Judges Award for the 2021 Wangolina Originals Syrah. This swag of awards goes hand in hand with Anita’s recent nomination for the 2022 Young Gun of Wine Awards.
Anita’s philosophy when it comes to winemaking is “to try to champion the wines of these regions and provide them with an opportunity to be what they deserve to be, to show their true regional identity. But I also see us experimenting more in our own winemaking facility and using the knowledge gained to evolve our wines.” The Peter Wehl Trophy is named after the late great Peter ‘Pete’ Wehl who was a passionate ambassador for the region and worked tirelessly to promote and advocate for the success of Mt Benson, a commonality shared with Anita. The 2021 A Series Tempranillo winning wine is reminiscent of black cherry and juicy fig, with a beautiful undertone of tobacco red fruit highlights and a satisfying chalky tannin. 2021 has been lauded as a unicorn vintage, a vintage where both yields and quality were excellent. There was amazing fruit quality in all varieties and the Tempranillo is no exception.
This year’s awards marked the 21st anniversary of the Limestone Coast Wine Show. With a focus on diversity, collaboration, and creativity the awards still honour the main theme of celebrating exceptional wines of the region. Anita’s continuous passion for experimentation and evolution rather than sticking with the same old style was well received by judges. For the International Judge’s Award, New Zealand judge Jane Skilton MW described the 2021 Wangolina Originals Syrah as a modern take on a traditional style that was true to its origins. “I was looking for deliciousness above all else, but it was also a fresher
wine with slightly lighter tannins – something that I think would enthuse people to come back into the category,” she said. “The Limestone Coast’s reputation is built on wines that age which is brilliant, but if you’re going to get some of the newer consumers who want to drink wines of provenance and place but maybe don’t have the appetite for long aging and want more of an immediate style, this is a terrific wine.” Cementing the regions reputation for exceptional Shiraz. The Originals Syrah was handpicked and 50% whole bunch fermented and then hand plunged for colour and tannin extraction. Gentle pressing to encourage elegance and aromatics before time in seasoned oak. A youthful and vibrant small batch Syrah full of fresh summer mulberries, violet florals & a fine thread of white pepper. The palate is bright, textural, and primary of summer berry coulis, with some driving, salivating acidity thanks to the whole bunch, finishing with fine dusty tannins and even a note of chalky limestone and coastal minerality.
“The Limestone Coast Wine Show celebrates the best of what is happening in our zone. We are always so excited to pick up awards at this show and this year is no exception. We have a good track record with our Tempranillo at this show, but this doesn’t make this year’s trophy any less exciting. I was however truly surprised to win the Small Batch Experimental Award and the International Judges Award for our 2021 Originals Syrah. We have been moving into a more vibrant cool climate style over a few years, the 2021 is a beautiful expression of this and is the wine we have been aiming to achieve. It is wonderful to be recognised for the wine and the changes we have made to the way we express this variety from our cool maritime region.”
Gold medal wines don’t mean gold price tags, you can purchase the 2021 A-Series Tempranillo (RRP $25.00) and the 2021 Wangolina Originals Syrah (RRP $32.00) from Wangolina’s cellar door in Mount Benson and on their website.
