Food Drink

2019 Bushing Monarchs Named In McLaren Vale

There were some really strong candidates for the Bushing King or Queen this year, but a pair of brothers took out the title.

McLaren Vale’s Best Wine of Show and prestigious ‘Bushing King’ title was awarded at the 55th annual MGA Insurance McLaren Vale Winemakers Bushing Luncheon held at S.C. Pannell Wines.

Brothers, Malcolm and Richard Leask of Hither & Yon were crowned the 2019 Bushing Monarchs.

From over 788 exhibits, the 2018 Hither & Yon Nero D’Avola was the highest scoring wine of the 2019 McLaren Vale Wine Show as judged by an impressive panel of international and Australian judges including Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective, Andrew Thomas – Thomas Wines, Julian Langworthy – Deep Woods and Kate Laurie – Deviation Road.

Chair of Judges, David LeMire MW notes the evolution of McLaren Vale’s diverse winemaking style and credits good grape growing as a hallmark indication of the stand out entries.

“There were some really strong candidates for the Bushing King or Queen, in very diverse styles. What the wines had in common was plenty of character, fruit intensity, and great purity, and the winning wine had all those qualities. Good grape growing shone through in the best wines,” said Mr LeMire.

“Throughout the judging, we tasted some terrific wines, and we saw a snapshot of the way the region is evolving.  Innovative blends, emerging varieties, and more balance and freshness in tradition McLaren Vale varieties – these are trends that are standing the test of time. Grenache continues to show how well it performs in the region.”

McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association General Manager, Jennifer Lynch is thrilled the Best Wine in Show highlights the region’s varietal diversity.

“McLaren Vale’s climatic and geological diversity has encouraged our region’s producers to successfully embrace Mediterranean varieties. This keenness to challenge the status quo using viticulture and winemaking techniques that are authentic to the region has become one of our most interesting stories to share,” said Ms Lynch.

“It’s an incredible result for Hither & Yon and in turn, a great result for our region.” 

The ‘McLaren Vale meets Leigh Street’ medal and trophy tasting event will be held on Friday, November 8 in Adelaide, tickets can be purchased here.

Full results here.

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