What could be better than this – Clare Valley and Southern Flinders wines going back to back to win SA Wine of the Year and the consumer’s choice?

The Clare Valley has shown again that it is the home of exceptional Riesling, with Kilikanoon’s 2008 Mort’s Reserve Riesling named the winner, by the professional judging team, of the Hyatt/Advertiser SA Wine of the Year 2008.

At the same time, relative newcomer Bundaleer Wines’ Sparkling Shiraz was chosen by the public as the consumer’s choice – they had 16 wines to try, all of which had been selected as best in their class.

More than 900 entries in the competition attracted the best the State had to offer.

The winners list contained only one wine from the Clare Valley and one from the Southern Flinders wine regions, making them standouts from these two boutique districts in the north of the state.

Kilikanoon founder and winemaker Kevin Mitchell was returning from overseas when he heard the news of his wine’s win and has been “pretty happy” ever since.

Despite doomsayers declaring the 2008 vintage to have been a disaster, Mr Mitchell said it had been a good year for Riesling.

“We have always known, as a valley, that this year is a Riesling year - we had lovely conditions for harvest,” he said.

This year’s vintage got no special treatment and was made with the same attention to detail as it always has, but the cooler weather meant a minimalist approach.

“The less you have to do, the more pure and pristine your wine and the better it is,” Mr Mitchell said.

“All Riesling made this year will have a very long life.”

For Mr Mitchell, it’s all about having fruit purity and high natural acidity, which allows the wines to age so well. His SA Wine of the Year is only a baby – imagine how it will be when it matures.

Bundaleer Wines Sparkling Shiraz is also a star – a wine which pretty much wins a medal every time it goes on a wine show outing, but it was the consumer’s choice accolade which brought tears to the eyes of those involved in its creation.

The sparkling is the winery’s biggest seller, despite not having a dedicated cellar door outlet - it’s sold by mail order, at hotels from Jamestown to the Flinders Ranges, or can be picked up by prior arrangement from winemaker Ang Meaney.

Ms Meaney said Bundaleer Wines had been thrilled when the shiraz took home a gold medal at the Singapore Wine Show last year, but last week’s award took her breath away.

“Everyone was very excited - we had no idea we would win both the judge’s category (sparkling red) and the consumers’ choice - we are over the moon.”