Announcing the winners of the prestigious “Best Home Barrel Blend” for the 2018 competition. Judging took place in September with three expert judges deliberating samples of Tawny and white fortified wines sent in from our customer base.
Wines were very high standard with very little to pick on in terms of faults. All entries were worthy of medals. The winning wines showed complex flavours, great depth and balance. Entrants gained Ron?s specialist advice on how to improve their blend, which we believe is the most important outcome of this event.
Thanks to everyone who entered and helps support our business. We are only too happy to help you with our complete range of fortifieds to achieve the best results for your barrels.
Congratulations to all winners!
First Place: John Ridenour
Second Place: Martin Kennedy
Third Place: Filippo Pizzino
Ron Liebich’s winemaking comments:
Smaller barrels need to be “worked” to achieve best results. It is ok to have great rancio characters, the high ratio of wood in small barrels to wine means adding younger wine at times, preferably with minimum wood age (such as Ruby Fortified) as a portion of the addition. Youthful fortifieds are perfect for blending out excess wood tannin and maintaining fruit wood balance. The gold winners had the best balance of fruit and oak integration, indicating good management and? patience.
We’re absolutely thrilled with results from the Barossa Wine Show 2018. Ron has outdone himself picking up a Trophy for Museum Fortified for the second year in a row. Rare Tawny was crowned Best Museum Red Fortified. Last year saw Rare Semillon get a similar honour in the Best Museum White Fortified Class.
All entries from around the Barossa region were such high calibre, we’re proud to be among the same company. Congratulations to all other medal and trophy winners.
Other Liebichwein medal winners:
Rare Frontignac = SILVER (yet to be released)
2018 Vintage Fortified Petit Verdot (baby VP – yet to be released) = BRONZE
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The Liebich family have been passionate about wine in the Barossa Valley for almost 100 years. This is a brief look at what was happening around Australia and the Barossa region when Ron and Janet first established the Liebichwein label 25 years ago. Ron is the third generation winemaker to be based in Rowland Flat, South Australia and he’s preparing for his 49th Barossa vintage at age 71.
1992
What happened in Australia in 1992?
Artists in the Top 10 Australian music charts included Billy Ray Cyrus, Guns ?n Roses and Whitney Houston
Average petrol price was 68 c/L
The cost of a postage stamp was increased from 43 cents to 45 cents
The Australian 1 and 2 cent coins were withdrawn from circulation
The Prime minister was Paul Keating
The first WOMADelaide music festival?was held at Botanic Park as part of the Adelaide Festival of Arts
The Cricket World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand where Pakistan?defeated England?in the final at the MCG by 22 runs
The AFL grand final was won by West Coast Eagles, the first non-Victorian team to win
There were about 700 wineries in Australia, now there are well over 2500 (over 150 in the Barossa region)
What happened in Barossa Valley in 1992?
The estimated population of the Barossa Valley council area was 18,000 (now 24,500)
A mixed vintage for wine quality since the warmer regions like the Barossa didn?t receive the heat normally required to deliver the typically concentrated and rich reds wines.
The?Barossa Valley railway line?past Penrice junction was officially declared closed, 18 year later the track between Angaston and Nuriootpa was lifted and a shared path for bikes and pedestrians was put in place
The winery shed was built in Rowland Flat where Liebichwein cellar door still is today
Liebichwein Cellar Door opened in December 1992 operating on weekends only
Steingarten Road in Rowland Flat was known as Narrow Road
Ron was reigning grape treading champion of the Barossa Vintage Festival
The first range of Liebich table wines: 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1993 Shiraz, 1992 Riesling of the Valleys (Barossa fruit grown by Ron blended with some Clare Valley Riesling grapes)
The first Liebich fortified wines: Classic Old Barossa Tawny, Benno Port, Ron’s Blend, Keg Blend
Tending the fruit for Ron’s first Riesling Traminer blend dedicated to his dear mother Lorna as it was her favourite style to drink (trophy winner in 1993 for best sweet white at the Barossa Wine Show)
Ron started planting Merlot, Grenache and Semillon vineyards to complement the older Shiraz and Cabernet in the?40 acre block inherited from older generations
Ron Liebich has always supported the local wine show. Each year he diligently prepares samples and enters to get feedback from experienced judges from the wine industry.
The Barossa Wine Show judges were delighted in Liebichwein fortifieds. The 2017 competition awarded the following awards:
Gold medal and overall Trophy for Best Museum White Fortified – Liebich Rare Semillon
We’re absolutely thrilled with results from the Barossa Wine Show 2018. Ron has outdone himself picking up a Trophy for Museum Fortified for the second year in a row. 
