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Wine excellence recognised in New England

29th of Jan, 2008 08:00 am

THE New England region has just become the latest officially recognised Australian wine region after a long registration process that was started three years ago.

Doug Hume of Walden Woods Vineyard in Armidale, Mark Kirby of Toppers Mountain Vineyard in Tingha have been instrumental in the process supported by the Department of State and Regional Development.

The new region, one of Australia’s largest at 27,000 square kilometres, is home to 42 vineyards ranging in size from a few acres to over 100.

While growers struggled last season to produce a crop, it produced some outstanding wines with the 2007 New England Wine Show displaying record numbers of Gold and Silver medal for wines on show.

There is no other region which has come on stream with so much to offer as New England. Variations in altitude, aspect, degree of slope, and soil type give vignerons a wide choice of variety and wine style”, said James Halliday, Chairman of Judges at the 2007 New England Wine Show.

The 2008 grape harvest will commence around Tamworth in early February and continue well in to April for vineyards around Uralla and Tenterfield.

“Early season growth particularly in dry grown vineyards has set the vines up for a good cropping load with some vineyards bunch thinning. Cool nights have slowed the ripening process and this will increase the fruits flavour profile” Kootingal, grape grower Norm Maher said while commenting on the 2008 harvest which is estimated to be over 1000 tonnes.

Local wine historian Susan Moore has traced the New England Industry back to the 1850s “ The Wyndham family established vineyards near Inverell to provide red wine for their Hunter valley cellar. By 1880 the region was producing world class wines. It’s great to see that the Regions largest vineyard, Thomas New England Estate is operating at Delungra near Inverell, carrying on this historic heritage ” Mrs Moore said.

Local industry associations are planning an official Regional launch in Armidale on February 15 and at a gala event at Parliament House in Sydney later in the year.