The Gauntlet is Thrown: SAWOL Round 1 Recap

The first round of the South Australian Wine Options League (SAWOL) kicked off at Septimus on Monday night. It was a proper test of technical skill and regional knowledge, with some of Adelaide’s best palates facing down a diverse six-wine flight.

For those looking to join us or brush up on the scoring, you can find the full link below:

SAWOL Rules & Regulations

The Flight in Review

It was a great opportunity to see some new and different wines that really pushed people out of their comfort zones. We started with the “black bottle” classic, Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut. This Cava forced everyone to look past the usual Chardonnay or Pinot Noir and think about those Spanish varieties like Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada.

The whites were a strong point for the room, with a number of competitors walking away with a perfect 10/10 for both the 2017 Tyrrell’s Hunter Semillon and the 2024 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. Even at nine years old, the Semillon’s development was picked up beautifully, while the crisp, Alpine acidity of the Valdadige Pinot Grigio was identified by many.

However, the red flight proved to be the real challenge of the night. The 2018 Wendouree Malbec was a massive hurdle, with every single competitor identifying it as either a Shiraz or a Cabernet. Its structural grip and “ironstone” profile are so synonymous with those other varieties in Clare that the Malbec identity stayed hidden.

The 2023 Zuccardi Q from the Uco Valley provided a fascinating contrast, but the room was already reeling from the Wendouree curveball. We finished with the Barbadillo Amontillado Medium Sherry, an oxidative, nutty wine that acted as a final separator on the leaderboard.

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Community and Competition

One of the best parts of the night happened after the scores were in. Everyone stuck around to re-taste the flight, assessing the Wendouree Malbec and comparing notes or sharing another bottle and a cheeseboard. This is exactly what we wanted when we opened the wine bar. Our aim has always been to build a real community between wine lovers and professionals, and tonight felt like that vision coming to life.

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The Round 1 Flight

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Round 1 Results

The scores were tight at the top. A big shout out to Will Schmidt for taking the win in our opening round.