Tasmanian sparkling wine producer House of Arras has secured the coveted Chairman’s Trophy at the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC).
Its E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2006 wine is the first Australian sparkling to win the trophy in the competition’s history. The wine is a blend of 67% chardonnay mainly from the East Coast and Derwent Valley vineyard sites, coupled with 33% pinot noir to add balance and complexity from the Upper Derwent Valley.
The trophy was selected from the entire suite of competition entries, totalling over 1000, and was chosen by the award show’s chairman, noted sparkling wine expert Tom Stevenson.
House of Arras also received two Best In Class medals for the House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2006 as well as the
House of Arras Museum Release Blanc de Blancs 2006.
This follows a significant year for House of Arras’s Chief Winemaker Ed Carr who, in July, received the honour of Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London, making him the first Australian winemaker, and only the second winemaker outside of the Champagne region, to receive this recognition.
Carr said: “It’s incredibly humbling to have our wines recognised yet again at the CSWWC, particularly for an award as
distinguished as the Chairman’s Trophy.
“It’s incredibly exciting for the team to have our wines recognised among the very best at the world’s most prestigious sparkling wine competition. This wine features all the hallmarks of House of Arras winemaking – extended time on lees, ageability and finesse, and a showcase of Tasmania’s pristine climate.
“Even at 18 years old, this wine still exudes tremendous energy and elegance that is unlike most wines aged for this long.”
The CSWWC is noted as the world’s most competitive and prestigious sparkling wine competition, respected worldwide for the rigorous judging process and the unique sparkling wine expertise of the three-person-strong judging panel. Of the seven gold medals given to Australian sparkling wines, House of Arras claimed six of them.
The House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2006 is available exclusively from the House of Arras website and Tasmanian cellar door for RRP $277.