Wine Industry Loses A Legend
Illawarra Mercury
Wednesday August 23, 2006
The death last week of Len Evans robbed the Australian wine industry of one of its most colourful characters.
Evans was a larger than life personality who once worked as a dingo fencer, a writer for The Mavis Bramston Show, an author and a wine importer and producer.His knowledge of wine and his drive to promote the Australian industry was unsurpassed.Evans founded Rothbury Estate in the Hunter Valley and with Brian Croser and Peter Fox established Petaluma, based in the Adelaide Hills.He was an astute wine judge, newspaper and magazine columnist and author, producing many publications. His Cellarmaster Guide and Complete Book of Australian Wine series were bestsellers. He was awarded an OBE in 1982 and then an AO in 1999 for services to the wine industry.McLaren Vale winery Shingleback has won the prestigious Jimmy Watson Trophy for the best one-year-old red wine at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show.Shingleback won with its 2005 D Block Reserve cabernet sauvignon which will be released in 2008.Managing director Kym Davey called it "a win for the little guy".
© 2006 Illawarra Mercury