November 2009

Dear Wine Club Member,

I am absolutely ecstatic to advise the 2008 Sandalford Margaret River Range Shiraz (RRP$19.99) was tonight awarded in Canberra not one but THREE trophies at the 2009 Australian National Wine Show. These were as follows:

• The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society Trophy. "Best Dry Red Table Wine - 2008 Vintage"
• The Fujitsu Australia Pty Ltd Trophy. "Best Dry Red Table Wine - Shiraz, Premium Classes"
• The Vintage Cellars Trophy. "Best Dry Red Table Wine"

This accolade and others recently awarded to various Shiraz wines in the Sandalford portfolio certainly provides great endorsement to our view that Margaret River is fast achieving its great potential to become one one of the GREAT shiraz producing regions in Australia, just as it is already recognised for wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blends the world over!

Sandalford Wines Chief Winemaker Paul Boulden who was in Canberra tonight to collect these accolades for and on behalf of the Sandalford Wines team had this to say about the results:

"The making of this wine in particular was a super effort from the vineyard to my team in the winery. Each individual contributed to the final result that we see today and if ever there was a case of the planets lining up to bring this amazing result, this is it! All our wines are special, some just happen to be a little bit more special than others, and that, every now and then, makes it all the more worthwhile. Enjoy".

A British wine judge has praised the Australian National Wine Show in Canberra as the best in the world. More than 20 judges spent four days comparing the best vintages from around Australia and New Zealand. More than 1,280 wines from 185 wineries entered the prestigious competition.

Visiting judge Matthew Jukes said:

"The standard of the wines is absolutely epic - it's the best show in Australia and therefore the best wine show in the world," he said.

"The wines more often than not have to win a medal in order to be even considered here, so we start with a great group of wines in the first place.

"We've just finished doing the trophy judging and the wines that have got up are absolutely outstanding, truly, truly world class."

Mr Jukes also emphasised the importance of such shows:

"The point of the show system is to highlight the most exceptional wines that are being made," he said.

The wonderful accolades awarded at this show for the 2008 Sandalford Margaret River Range Shiraz follow on from the three gold medals awarded on the Australian show circuit in the last 2 months, in addition to the 93 point score by James Halliday in his 2010 Wine Companion:

“Crimson-red; a high quality Shiraz with bright spicy notes to its plum and blackberry fruit, sustained by fine, but positive tannins and integrated oak. Value. Drink to 2016”

In September leading Western Australian wine expert John Jens declared at a masterclass attended by forty of Perth’s leading industry figures this wine was one of the best value red wines he had ever tasted in his 40 odd years of wine evaluation. He estimated he had tried over 250,000 wines or more in this time!

These three trophies from The Vintage Cellars National Wine Show of Australia effectively means that our 2008 Margaret River Range Shiraz is the best Australian red wine currently in the Australian marketplace!

Please join me in congratulating Sandalford's winemaking and viticulture teams on yet another outstanding achievement

Warm Regards,

Grant Brinklow
Chief Executive Officer

SANDALFORD WINES
3210 West Swan Road, Caversham
Perth, Western Australia, 6055
Phone: +618 9374 9374
Fax: +618 9274 2154
Mobile: +61 410 581 463
Email: grantb@sandalford.com
Web: www.sandalford.com