The Oatley family are delighted to have been awarded the 2017 Great Australian Shiraz Challenge, Best Shiraz Of Show and Best South Australian Shiraz for the 2015 Four In Hand Barossa Shiraz; a wine produced in tribute to Robert Oatley Vineyards’ founder, the late Robert (Bob) Oatley’s personal love of Four In Hand carriage driving and modern Australian shiraz.
Crafted by Robert Oatley Vineyards Deputy Executive Chairman, winemaker Chris Hancock, the 2015 Four in Hand Barossa Shiraz is a blend of grapes from the Eden and Barossa Valleys. This modern Australian shiraz, displays vibrant fruit supported by supple, unobtrusive oak, in a style that drinks well upon release yet will reward cellaring for up to a decade.
Winemaker Chris Hancock has been involved with the Oatley family for four decades. He agrees with the sentiment of his late friend, Bob Oatley, that above all, wine must be a ‘good drink’. Having honed his winemaking skills with the Penfold family in the late 1960’s-early 1970’s, Hancock joined the Oatley’s Rosemount Estate in 1976. He has been integral to the formation of the new Robert Oatley Vineyards wine business from its inception in 2006.
First released in 2012, the Four in Hand Shiraz has won numerous awards, however the Oatley family consider this award, Best Shiraz of Show, to be the pinnacle, reflecting their belief in producing a mid-weight style that shows definitive regional typicity. The wine enjoys a very moderate oak regime, with only a small portion of new oak over an average of just 6 months.
“My father would be especially proud of this award” says Bob Oatley’s eldest son, Executive Chairman Andrew (Sandy) Oatley, “as it is a great value wine, that reflects modern wine drinkers’ tastes, and is made by his great friend Chris Hancock.
“We are continually looking to evolve our own and hence Australia’s wine styles – and this is a great example. To do so at well under $30 makes great wine available to the broader wine loving public, which can only be a good thing.”
The 2017 Saint Martin Oak Great Australian Shiraz Challenge, now in its 23rd year, is one of Australia’s most prestigious and valuable wine awards, attracting 386 entries from 55 regions judged by a panel chaired by Gary Baldwin. Organisers noted the high standard of this year’s entries, with over 70% of wines awarded a medal.
Further information on the competition may be found at www.shirazchallenge.com.au
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