Bushing Monarch

The Bushing Monarch is an annual title awarded in the Australian state of South Australia to the winemaker of highest scoring individual wine at the McLaren Vale Wine Show. Established in 1973, the winner is crowned the "Bushing King" or "Bushing Queen" until they are disrobed when the next winner is announced.[1]

Controversy

Greg Trott was crowned Bushing King in 1984 following the abdication of Geoff Merrill after the winning wine was found to be outside the parameters for entry.[2]

Wassail

Part of the "coronation" tradition has been the local singing of a Wassail:

'Tis for love of wine we sing,
Glory to the Bushing King,
'Tis for love of wine we sing,
Glory to the Bushing King,
On your feet now, to the beat now
Off your arses, charge your glasses,
Let us make the rafters ring -
Glory to the Bushing King!
ALL HAIL! WASSAIL!

— "Can You Wassail?"[3]

Multiple Coronations

The following have been crowned on multiple occasions:

Times	Name	Years
4	Stephen Pannell	2011, 2015, 2016, 2018
3	Sparky Marquis	1996, 1998, 2002
3	Sarah Marquis	1996, 1998, 2002
3	Brian Light	1989, 1995, 2008
3	Michael Fragos	1997, 1999, 2010
3	Fiona Lindquist	2015, 2016, 2018
2	Ken Maxwell	1978, 1980
2	Margaret Maxwell	1978, 1980
2	Geoff Merrill	1981, 1984
2	Janet Merrill	1981, 1984
2	Graham Stevens	1975, 1985
2	Marie Stevens	1975, 1985
2	Kay Light	1989, 1995
2	Ben Riggs	2000, 2005
2	Annie Riggs	2000, 2005
2	Wayne Thomas	2004, 2006
2	Bev Thomas	2004, 2006
2	Maria Maglieri	1992, 2007
2	Matt Koch	2012, 2013

List of Bushing Monarchs

[1]

Year	Bushing King	Bushing Queen	Producer	Wine
2019	Malcolm & Richard Leask		Hither & Yon	Hither & Yon 2018 Nero D’Avola
2018	Stephen Pannell	Fiona Lindquist	S.C. Pannell Wines	2016 S.C. Cabernet Malbec
2017	Duncan Kennedy	Elspeth Kay	Kay Brothers	2016 Kay Brothers Griffon's Key Grenache
2016	Stephen Pannell	Fiona Lindquist	S.C. Pannell Wines	2015 S.C. Pannell Touriga Cabernet Mataro
2015[4]	Stephen Pannell	Fiona Lindquist	S.C. Pannell Wines	2014 S.C. Pannell Grenache Shiraz Touriga
2014[5][6]	Matt Caldersmith and Nic Bowen		Chateau Reynella	2012 Chateau Reynella Basket Press Shiraz
2013[7]	Matt Koch & Randall Cummins		Rosemount Estate	2012 Rosemount Estate District Release McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon
2012[8]	Matt Koch & Andrew Locke		Rosemount Estate	2011 Rosemount Estate Nursery Project Mataro
2011[9]	Stephen Pannell	Fiona Lindquist	S.C. Pannell Wines	2010 S.C. Pannell Tempranillo Touriga
2010[10]	Michael Fragos & Bryn Richards		Chapel Hill	2008 Chapel Hill Vicar Shiraz
2009[11]	Paul Carpenter	Alix Hardy	Hardy's Tintara	2004 Eileen Hardy Shiraz
2008[12]	Brian Light	Rose Kentish	Ulithorne Wines	2008 Ulithorne Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz
2007[13]	Scott Rawlinson	Maria Maglieri	Serafino Wines	2006 Serafino Cabernet Sauvignon
2006	Wayne Thomas	Bev Thomas	Wayne Thomas Wines	2005 Wayne Thomas Shiraz
2005[14]	Ben Riggs	Annie Riggs	Penny's Hill	Penny's Hill Shiraz 2004
2004	Wayne Thomas	Bev Thomas	Wayne Thomas Wines	2003 Wayne Thomas Petit Verdot
2003[15][16]	Dan Hills & Tony Walker		Fox Creek Wines	2002 Fox Creek Short Row Shiraz
2002	Sparky Marquis	Sarah Marquis	Shirvington	2001 Shirvington Shiraz
2001[17]	Grant Harrison & Mark Lloyd		Coriole Vineyards	1999 Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz
2000	Ben Riggs	Annie Riggs	Wirra Wirra Vineyards	1998 Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz
1999	Michael Fragos & Justin McNamee		Tatachilla Winery
1998[15]	Sparky Marquis	Sarah Marquis	Fox Creek Wines	1997 Fox Creek JSM Shiraz-Cabernet Franc
1997	Michael Fragos		Tatachilla Winery
1996[15]	Sparky Marquis	Sarah Marquis	Fox Creek Wines	1994 Fox Creek Shiraz
1995	Brian Light	Kay Light	Merrivale Wines
1994[18]	Mike Farmilo	Diane Murphy	Seaview Winery	1992 Edwards and Chaffey Shiraz
1993[19]	Nick Haselgrove		James Haselgrove Wines	1992 Haselgrove Futures Shiraz
1992	John Loxton	Maria Maglieri	Maglieri Wines
1991		Pam Dunsford	Chapel Hill
1990[20]	Chester Osborn	Julie McEwen	d'Arenberg Wines	1987 d'Arenberg Noble Riesling
1989	Brian Light	Kay Light	Normans Wines
1988	Bill Hardy	Merrilyn Hardy	Thomas Hardy & Sons
1987[21]	Walter (Bill) Clappis	Kerry Clappis	Ingoldby Wines	Ingoldby Cabernet Sauvignon
1986[22]	Scott Collett	Anne Tully	Woodstock Winery	1985 Woodstock Chardonnay
1985[23]	Graham Stevens	Marie Stevens	Stevens Cambrai Wines	1984 McLaren Heights Hermitage
1984[24]	Geoff Merrill abdicated[2] Greg Trott (replacement)	Janet Merrill	Chateau Reynella	1977 Chateau Reynella Vintage Port
1983[25]	Peter Dennis	Marg Dennis	Daringa Cellars	1980 Daringa Cabernet Sauvignon
1982[26][27]	Iain Riggs	Janice Riggs	Hazelmere Estate
1981[28]	Geoff Merrill	Janet Merrill	Chateau Reynella
1980[29]	Ken Maxwell	Margaret Maxwell	Maxwell Wines	Maxwell Shiraz
1979[30]	Steve Maglieri	Letizia Maglieri	Maglieri Wines	1979 Maglieri Shiraz
1978	Ken Maxwell	Margaret Maxwell	Daringa Cellars
1977	Ian Wilson	Joylene Thorpe	Southern Australian Vintners
1976	Graham Beenham	Jenny Beenham	Southern Vales Co-Op Winery
1975	Graham Stevens	Marie Stevens	Coriole Vineyards
1974	Hugh Lloyd	Molly Lloyd	Coriole Vineyards
1973	David Hardy	Helen Hardy	Thomas Hardy & Sons

References

1. "History of the McLaren Vale Bushing King and Queen". McLarenVale.info. McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
2. Foster, Michael (19 December 1985). "Bushing King comes to town". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
3. "Can You Wassail?". Victor Harbour Times. 14 October 1981. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
4. "Bushing King crowned for 2015 reign of McLaren Vale". McLarenVale.info. McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
5. "McLaren Vale Wine Show 2014". Fairfax Media. Victor Harbor Times. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
6. Barclay, Peta. "All hail the Kings of the Vale – Chateau Reynella crowned as Bushing Monarch in 2014". Accolade Wines. Accolade Wines. Archived from the original on 3 March 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
7. Milnes, Michael (1 November 2013). "winemakers crowned McLaren Vale's 2013 Bushing Kings for top cabernet drop". News Corporation. News.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
8. "McLaren Vale Wine Show Bushing Kings 2012". VisitVineyards.com. Visit Vineyards Pty Ltd. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
9. "Shiraz No Longer King of the Vale" (PDF). Cellarhand. CellarHand. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
10. "Come & see our newly refurbished Gallery at Chapel Hill Cellar Door & taste our 2010 Bushing King winner 2008 Vicar Shiraz". Chapel Hill Wine. Chapel Hill Wine. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
11. "Paul Carpenter crowned McLaren Vale Bushing King". Winetitles Media. DailyWineNews. 3 November 2009. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
12. Lewis, John (3 July 2013). "WINE: Queen of the vines". Fairfax Media. Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
13. "Bushing King and Queen announced". Winetitles Media. DailyWineNews. 31 October 2007. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
14. "Penny's Worth" (PDF). Penny's Hill. Penny's Hill. December 2005. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
15. Love, Tony (27 August 2006). "Fox on a run". News Corporation. The Advertiser. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
16. "Bushing Trophy Trifecta for Fox Creek Wines". Fox Creek Wines. Fox Creek Wines. 4 November 2003. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
17. "Bushing Crown to Coriole". WineGenius. Wine Preference Systems Pty Ltd. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
18. "New Bushing King Takes the Throne". The Times (Victor Harbor). 1 November 1994. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
19. "Bushing Brilliance". The Times (Victor Harbor). 2 November 1993. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
20. "Bushing Royals Crowned". The Times (Victor Harbor). 24 October 1990. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
21. "King Bill crowned at luncheon". The Times (Victor Harbor). 28 October 1987. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
22. "Bushing King Queen crowned at McLaren Vale". Victor Harbour Times. 17 October 1986. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
23. "Bushing King named as festival nears". Victor Harbour Times. 25 October 1985. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
24. "McLaren Vale crowns it's Bushing King". Victor Harbour Times. 31 October 1984. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
25. "Bushing King". Victor Harbour Times. 26 October 1983. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
26. "Merry-Making at Bushing Fair". Victor Harbour Times. 3 November 1982. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
27. "New Winery Comes Top". Victor Harbour Times. 3 November 1982. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
28. "Fairy-tail Bushing Fair". Victor Harbour Times. 28 October 1981. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
29. "Bushing Brings 20,000 to Vale". Victor Harbor Times. 29 October 1980. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
30. "Family Wines". Victor Harbour Times. 14 October 1981. Retrieved 3 December 2015.