TOP DROP: Pepper Tree Wines winemaker Jim Chatto says the trophy winning 2011 Chardonnay represents five years of hard work.
PEPPER Tree Wines winemaker Jim Chatto says he was thrilled to learn his 2011 chardonnay was awarded a trophy at the NSW Wine Awards in Sydney on Monday night.
Mr Chatto told the Central Western Daily the trophy win represented five years of hard work “to get that Chardonnay to where it is now”.
“It’s an endorsement of the region as much as one for our wine,” Mr Chatto said.
Mr Chatto said he’s pleased a wine that’s only been in Pepper Tree Wines’ range for a short period of time has performed so well.
“It’s a fantastic third party endorsement of all the hard work we’ve done,” he said.
Mr Chatto said Orange, where the grapes for the award-winning wine were grown, is continuing to build a reputation as a producer of good chardonnay.
“It’s Orange’s leading white varietal and I think there are a lot of good ones in Orange.”
Pepper Tree Wines makes its wines in the Hunter Valley but operates a vineyard in Boree Lane, Orange.
President of the NSW Wine Industry Association, David Lowe said the trophy winning wines showed the dynamic nature of wine in the state.
“We have an industry that is dedicated to evolving, whether it’s through new varietals or applying different techniques across all our 14 different regions in NSW that offer climatic diversity,” Mr Lowe said.
Other winners on the award night included Hungerford Hill which won the 2012 Citibank wine of the year with its 2007 Hungerford Hill Epic Shiraz.
Of the trophy winning wines, four were from the Hunter Valley and two were from the Riverina area with Tumbarumba, the Canberra district, Orange, Mudgee and the Southern Highlands all picking up a trophy each.
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