Corkers of 2009!

Written by Ian Robertson on 27th January 2010

We at Wine Without Wank are like any other journal/magazine/web site that pontificates about a certain topic in that we of course must have annual Awards!

And so, without further ado, I present to you the Wine Without Wank Corkers Of The Year for 2009! (sorry, a little late this year...)

By way of conveying some understanding to you, let me make the rules quite clear.

1. The Awards cover the year of 2009 – any wine tasted and reviewed in that time qualifies despite the vintage. Given that I don’t manage to taste everything from everyone released in any set year (let alone back vintages) this is not the be all and end all of wine awards – it is one individual experience of his wine life in a set period.

2. Some of the wines might have been released at the start of the year, making them now either unavailable or difficult to get – try the auction sites!

3. Value awards are based on the Wine Without Wank Value Rating system

4. Quality Awards – well, it makes sense that of the wines rated Outstanding for Quality over the year, the ones that stood out above the others are selected!

So, onto the winners!

Value White 2009 –

Torzi Matthews Schist Rock Riesling 2008

Head and shoulders winner this year, this Riesling may well have been close to the best one I tasted this year - and at the price it is, that is simply amazing. I am embarrassed to say this was my first Schist Rock - it will most certainly not be my last. Click here for the Review!

Value Red 2009 –

Kirrihill Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Yet another wine from a producer that is not exactly a secret, yet this is my first taste of their wines. And what a first taste! This cabernet is certainly built for early drinking pleasure, no doubt about it - it is soft and round, supple and with gentle fruit tones. But hang on - there is a complex little core to it and some nice chewy tannins as well. Well more serious than the first fruity gupl suggests, and a marvel at the price. Click here for the Review!

Best Quality Red 2009 –

Mount Mary Pinot Noir 2006

A profound wine. And I don't like to use words like profound, just in case I use them in the wonrg context. But - picture it - New Year's Eve, lots going on, and I choose to drink a wine that requires more thought than the usual. No, not requires - it just makes you think. And admire. Light, yet not as light as it can be, this is a remarkable tribute to the John Middleton legacy. Click here for the Review!

Best Quality White 2009 –

Howard Park Chardonnay 2007

Some will smile at this award, and think "Well, no Giaconda Chardonnay this vintage, so the award goes elsewhere! Well, true to a point, but the likes of Grosset Polish Hill and some good sparklers gave this wine a real nudge for this award this year. But you know what? I just kept remembering how much this wine had taken me. So fresh, so complex, great length - everything really good Margaret River Chardonnay should be, and from a producer that has made solid, good Chardonnay in my mind before...but not earth-shattering. And I honestly found this wine that good. Take a look at the prie tag and rejoice. Click here for the Review!

Congratulations to all our worthy winners – a genuine invisible trophy is on its way to you!

And so, onto 2010 and more fermented grape to come!

Slainte!