Sarah Crowe, who developed her exceptional wine skills over 11 years working in Hunter Valley wineries, has been declared the Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine 2021 Australian Winemaker of the Year.
It was the second triumph in three months for Crowe, the winemaker-general manager of the Victorian Yarra Yering vineyard and winery. Last August her Yarra Yering wines won the 2022 HallidayWine Companion Awards winery of the year and the wine of the year, red wine of the year and cabernet and family wine of the year with the $120-a-bottle Yarra Yering 2019 Dry Red No.1.
To top that off the $275 Yarra Yering 2019 Carrodus Cabernet Sauvignon took the cabernet sauvignon of the year title.
In 2017 she was judged Wine Companion winemaker of the year - an award then not previously won by a woman.
The Gourmet Traveller WINE judges said Crowe's relentless pursuit of quality and her discerning palate allowed her to make mesmerising, modern wines across various styles.
Her Gourmet Traveller WINE title was won from a field of eight finalists including Matt Burton, of the Hunter-based Gundog Estate brand; Samantha Connew, previously of Brokenwood and Tower Estate and now proprietor of Tasmanias Stargazer Wines; and Matt Harrop, previously of Brokenwood and now of Macedon Ranges Curly Flat brand.
The daughter of a BHP steelworker, born and schooled in Wollongong, Crowe became a TAFE-trained horticulturist working on the South Coast.
Touring great French wine regions on a 1999 overseas trip with her sister triggered dreams of a wine career which she activated on her return home with casual vine management work at Brokenwood.
She embarked on a Charles Sturt University viticulture degree, studying part-time while working in the vines.
She then spent six weeks in the Brokenwood winery during the 2002 vintage - an experience that lured her into winemaking and in 2004 to the post of Brokenwood assistant winemaker.
In 2009 she won the Hunter Wine Awards Rising Star of the Year title and moved to Swish Wines as chief winemaker, then in 2010 joined Bimbadgen.
In addition she honed her talents doing vintages overseas in Oregon, USA, and the Rhone Valley, France, and in 2013 she took up the Yarra Valley winemaking job at Yarra Yering, founded in 1969 by Dr Bailey Carrodus.
In 2018 she was appointed the first female chair of judges at the Hunter Valley Wine Show.
WINE REVIEWS by JOHN LEWIS
FRISKY PEMBERTON RED
THISPemberton Silkwood Estate 2021 The Bowers Pinot Noir is one of today's good-buy trio from the West. It has 14%-alcohol, ruby hues, rose petal scents and frisky raspberry front-palate flavour. The middle shows cherry, quince jelly, spice and mocha oak and a dusty tannins finish.At silkwoodwines.com.au and singlevineyardsellecs.com.au. PRICE: $20. DRINK WITH: lasagne. AGEING: six years. RATING: 4 STARS
PORONGURUP PLEASURE
FROM Western Australia's Porongurup area, the Castle Rock Estate 2021 Skywalk Riesling is green-tinted straw and has honeysuckle scents, crisp grapefruit front-palate flavour and lime, apple, and musk characters on the middle. Steely acid refreshes at the finish. At castlerockestate.com.au, the Porongurup winery and bottle shops. PRICE: $21. DRINK WITH: seafood wontons. AGEING: seven years. RATING: 4.5 STARS
JUICY WA TWO-WAY MIX
A 14%-ALCOHOL, bright crimson Margaret River-Great Southern blend, the Madfish 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot shows forest floor aromas and juicy blackberry front-palate flavour. The middle palate has mulberry, herb and savoury oak and a finish of minty tannins. At Miamup Rd, Cowaramup, winery and burchfamilywines.com.au. PRICE: $18. DRINK WITH: barbecued kangaroo fillet. AGEING: six years. RATING: 4 STARS
