Skip to main content

Member News July 2017 #2

Dr John Gladstones accepts the 2017 Cullen Award for Excellence

Saturday July 22nd saw a crowd of close to 100 guests turn out at Cullen Wines to celebrate this year’s Award dinner and presentation.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of this year’s recipient, Dr John Gladstones, who humbly accepted the honour to a standing ovation from the room. Dr Gladstones is credited with being the first to recognise the potential of Margaret River as an ideal wine growing region, with similar soil and climactic conditions to Bordeaux.

On July 21st 1966 Dr Kevin Cullen organised a town meeting, inviting Bill Jamieson of the Department of Agriculture in Perth to attend, and Dr Gladstones to speak about his findings to a group of farmers and interested locals, with the idea of garnering interest in developing test plots of vines.

Read more

Gold for The Grove Distillery

Congratulations to The Grove Distillery who picked up Gold for their Margaret River Honey Corn Mash Whiskey at the Melbourne International Spirits Competition 2017. Head Distiller James Reed used local bee keeper honey to make the smooth 40%abv Whiskey.

They were also awarded Bronze for The Grove Caribbean Rum. “A hearty drop for all ye pirates.”

The competition is open to all commercially produced spirits from around the world and is also held in New York, Berlin and Asia.  2017 is the fourth year it has been held in Melbourne and the second year
The Grove Distillery entered and won Gold.

MRWA seeks Prize Donations

MRWA seeks donations from MRBTA members who are able to provide accommodation, spa packages, restaurant vouchers or other experiences. They wish to attract local artists to submit artworks into a competition, whereby the winning artwork will appear on the label of a 2017 commemorative Cabernet Sauvignon, in connection with the wine region’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The winning artist will receive a prize consisting of wine contributed by MRWA and donated experiences. Businesses that donate towards the prize will be recognised as part of a sponsorship package, and will be supporting the local wine community and artists.

If you can help donate to the prize package please contact Liz Mencel at [email protected].