Thanks for that Trader.....very interesting potted history. Like jpb, I would have gone for 1982 as the year it won its first big one but stand corrected.
Anyway, its up there as an Aussie icon amongst the great wines and the equally great thing (more so than with many of our great reds) it is very affordable.
I was once given a presentation pack of 4 of the early 80's Nobles as a present for a small kindness I extended to an old navy man who turned out to be a well-loved former employee of De Bortoli........it has been a favourite of ours ever since.
