Red drop on top: Granite Belt winemaker wins up north

RIDGEMILL Estate’s Peter McGlashan knows how to make a great-tasting shiraz and now he’s got the award to prove it.

RED WIN: Ridgemill Estate's winemaker Peter McGlashan and vineyard hand Dawn Walker enjoy a glass of their award-winning Lincoln shiraz that collected a prize at the Cairns Wine Show. Picture: Contributed

RIDGEMILL Estate's Peter McGlashan knows how to make a great-tasting shiraz and now he's got the award to prove it.

The Granite Belt winemaker and his team have picked up several prizes at the Cairns Wine Show, including the Best Queensland Red in Show trophy for the 2017 Lincoln shiraz.

Ridgemill Estate also bagged a silver medal for its 2017 merlot.

Mr McGlashan said the winning wine was named after one of the owners' family members.

"Ridgemill Estate honours the youngest members of the owners' family by naming special wines created in their namesake," he said.

"Each wine named after a grandchild has a unique label which represents their personality."

The winning Lincoln shiraz wine is named after their second-eldest grandson Lincoln.

"The Lincoln is co-fermented with whole bunches of three per cent viognier and 20 per cent shiraz grapes, creating an elegant medium bodied wine with firm structure suitable for longevity," Mr McGlashan said.

Ridgemill owner Martin Cooper praised the team for its win in Cairns.

The winery was named as one of six to visit across Australia by German glassware company Riedel.

Originally published as Red drop on top: Granite Belt winemaker wins up north