Pooley Wines 2024 Syrah from Tasmania has won the Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy for Best Wine of Show at the 2026 Sydney Royal Wine Show.
It also won Best Red and Best Shiraz – a first for a Tasmanian wine.
The show – the 200th – will always be remembered for the sudden passing of international guest judge Matthew Jukes just a week after the judging.
Matthew had returned to the judging panel twenty years after his first Sydney Royal judging appearance.
The renamed Matthew Jukes Memorial International Judges Trophy was won by Oakridge 864 Yarra Valley 2024 Close Planted Block Syrah.
Matthew had said the wine stood out as an “exemplary style of a single vineyard site” expressing all of its elemental powers into the bottle.
“I absolutely adored this wine,” he said.
Matthew also noted about the overall quality of entries, “There has been more of a sense of place than ever before.
“The progress that Australia makes year on year is astonishing.”
Sydney Royal judges praising the medium-bodied Pooley 2024 Syrah for its balance and savoury fruit flavours.
Chair of judges Mike De Iuliis said cool climate Shiraz wines like the Pooley Syrah were the highlight of this year’s show with an impressive range of regions and producers represented.
“Shiraz is such a versatile variety – it was wonderful to see such fine examples across so many growing regions, from South Australia and Victoria to WA and Tasmania,” Mike said.
“It really demonstrates that these amazing wines can come from anywhere in this country.
“It was particularly exciting to see the best Shiraz of the show come from the Coal River Valley in Tasmania – a great reminder that cooler-climate sites are producing some exciting Shiraz in Australia right now.”
The Sydney Royal Wine Show presented 105 gold medals to winemakers from across Australia.
About 58.5 percent of all 1,537 wines entered were recognised with a gold, silver or bronze medal.
Trophy winners
Douglas Lamb Perpetual Trophy for Best Riesling
Donated by the family and friends of the late Douglas Lamb
Aldi Stores – Freya and Jules 2026 Riesling
McCarthy Perpetual Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc
Donated by J McCarthy and Co Pty Ltd
Passel Estate 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
David Clarke Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Semillon
Donated by Jane, Timothy and Angus Clark and Maxine Cooley
First Creek 2017 Single Vineyard Oakey Creek Semillon
RAS of NSW Annual Prize for Best Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio
Tar & Roses 2025 Pinot Grigio
AP John Coopers Perennial Trophy for Best Chardonnay
Donated by AP John Coopers
Medhurst Estate 2024 Chardonnay
The Bert Bear Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Other White Varietal
Donated by The First Thursday Luncheon Club of which Mr Bear was an original member
First Creek 2025 Limited Release Vermentino
Liquorland Perpetual Trophy for Best White Blend
Donated by Liquorland
Brown Hill Estate 2026 Lakeview Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
Hanaminno Perpetual Trophy for Best Sweet White
Donated by Mr Michael Arnott and Family
De Bortoli 2022 Deen De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon
RAS of NSW Annual Prize for Best Current Vintage White
Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2026 HVD Semillon
Dr Henry John Lindeman Memorial Perpetual Prize for Best Mature White
Donated by Lindeman (Holdings) Limited
First Creek 2017 Single Vineyard Oakey Creek Semillon
Leslie Kemeny Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Rosé
Donated by Kemeny’s Food and Liquor
Jacob’s Creek 2026 Le Petit Rosé
Geoffrey Crundall Perpetual Trophy for Best Pinot Noir
Donated by Geoffrey Crundall Cellars
Bream Creek Vineyard 2025 Pinot Noir
George Mackey Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Grenache
Donated by Wine Australia
Willunga 100 2025 Blind Spot Vineyard Blewitt Springs Grenache
Drinks Association Perennial Trophy for Best Shiraz
Donated by the Liquor Merchants Association of Australia
Pooley Wines 2024 Syrah
Arthur Kelman Perpetual Trophy for Best Shiraz Dominant Blend
Donated by the Daughters of the late Arthur Kelman
Hamelin Bay 2025 Rampant Red
Dan Murphy’s Perennial Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Donated by Dan Murphy’s
Deep Woods Estate 2024 Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon
Jones, Steains and Waller Perpetual Trophy for Best Cabernet Dominant Blend
Donated by AW & A Pardey
Yarra Yering 2024 Agincourt Cabernet Malbec
Wine Communicators of Australia Perpetual Trophy for Best Other Red Varietal
Donated by the Wine Press Club of NSW
The Lane Vineyard 2025 Gathering Gamay
John Swann Perpetual Trophy for Best Other Red Blend
Donated by the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation
AG Oatley Wines 2025 Whipbird McLaren Vale GSM
Rudy Komon Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Mature Red
Donated by Mrs Ruth Komon
Serafino Wines 2023 Vineyard Selection Shiraz
Thorp Annual Trophy for Best Sparkling White or Rosé
Pinnacle Drinks – Josef Chromy 2020 Brut Finesse
JCM Fornachon Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Fortified
Donated by the late Rudy Komon
Morris Wines Old Premium Rare Topaque
Dan Murphy’s Value Perennial Trophy for Best Value Wine (White, Rosé or Red)
Donated by the First Estate Wine Merchants
AG Oatley Wines 2025 Whipbird McLaren Vale GSM
Matthew Jukes Memorial International Judge’s Trophy supported by the RAS of NSW
Oakridge Wines 2024 864 Close Planted Block Syrah
NSW Department of Primary Industries James Busby Perpetual Trophy for Best NSW Wine
Donated by the NSW Department of Primary Industries
De Bortoli 2022 Deen De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon
Restaurant and Catering Industry Association Perpetual Trophy for Best Small Producer Wine
Donated by the Restaurant and Catering Association of NSW
Willunga 100 2025 Blind Spot Vineyard Blewitt Springs Grenache
Len Evans Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Wine
Donated by the Wine Committee of the RAS of NSW and the family and friends of the late Len Evans AO
First Creek 2017 Single Vineyard Oakey Creek Semillon
Albert Chan Memorial Prize for Best White
Donated by friends of the late Albert Chan
Medhurst Wines 2024 Estate Chardonnay
Dr Gilbert Phillips Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Red
Donated by the Wine Society
Pooley Wines 2024 Syrah
Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy for Best Wine of Show
Pooley Wines 2024 Syrah
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