For the second consecutive year, Fox Creek has taken out a major award at the Hyatt/Advertiser South Australian Wine of the Year Awards, winning the Consumer Trophy for the 2002 semillon/sauvignon blanc.

Last year the 2001 vintage of this wine won the Judge’s Trophy. The competition, which is in its 17th year, is a nationally recognised event with over 500 wines tasted and 13 different classes awarded.

“We are delighted with such recognition for our wines and believe it shows our strength as producers of excellent wines – both red and white,” says Fox Creek owner Jim Watts. “It’s great that the same wine has outstanding appeal to both a consumer and professional palate.”

Winemaker Dan Hills reckons the ideal growing conditions contributed to the wine’s greatness: “The summer was cool with moderate temperatures during the day and cooling breezes in the evening. In fact, it was near perfect for grape growing.” Hills made the wine with fellow Fox Creek winemaker, Tony Walker.

To add mouth feel and complexity to the wine, each year a small percentage of semillon is fermented in new oak, this year both French and American, for about six weeks.

The wine has a strong bouquet of lemon with hints of vanilla from the oak used in barrel fermentation. The palate has flavours of lemon and grapefruit zest with a hint of vanilla from the oak and a very long finish.

The 2002 semillon/sauvignon blanc also picked up silver at both the 2003 Hong Kong International Wine Challenge and the 2002 Royal Hobart Wine Show.