Young winemakers in the awards mix

Four local winemakers are in the running for this year’s Young Gun of Wine award, to be unveiled later in 2019.

Celebrated winemaker and Halliday Wine Companion award-winner Julian Langworthy and his partner John Fogarty lead the local field, which includes eight West Australians in a total national field of 50.

Newcomers Liv Maiorana and Mijan Patterson from South by South West will also vie for the honour, while 2018 Young Gun finalist Remi Guise is the fourth local nomination.

South by South West bottled its first vintage in 2017 and has since increased its presence on the national wine scene with several show appearances.

Ms Patterson told the Times she and her partner were thrilled to get the notice they were finalists. “We’re super-pumped and humbled to have made it into this year’s YGOW Top 50 with such an impressive list of winemakers and wine labels,” she said.

“YGOW is a great opportunity to see what’s happening with emerging wine producers all across Australia who are doing exciting and innovative things, and we’re really proud to be a part of it.”

Ms Patterson said the new label was “all about being free and adventurous (and tasty) and it’s lovely to be recognised”.

M r Langworthy was honoured by wine guru James Halliday last year in the winemaker’s role at Yallingup’s Deep Woods Estate.

South African native Mr Guise also made waves last year representing his label tripe.Iscariot.

Young Gun founder Rory Kent said the contest grew harder to judge each year.

“There’s a diversity of people, places and paths to wine, which makes the list so compelling and creatively igniting for the direction of Aussie wine,” he said in a media statement.

Judges included local maven Josephine Perry from Dormilona Wines, who won the award in 2016, and last year’s top young gun Rob Mack from Aphelion Wine.

The winner will be announced in Adelaide in June.