Sweetwater Wines 2023 Shiraz won The Doug Seabrook Memorial Trophy for Best Red Wine of Show at the Hunter Valley Wine Show.
It was also awarded the Len Evans Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Red and the Hector Tulloch Memorial Trophy for Best Shiraz.
De Iuliis Wines 2014 Talga Road Shiraz was awarded the John Lewis Trophy for Best Museum Red.
Best One-Year-Old and Three-Year-Old Shiraz was awarded to Thomas Wines 2024 Sweetwater Ridge Shiraz and Thomas Wines 2021 Kiss Shiraz.
International judge Dr Edward Ragg MW said, “Hunter Valley Shiraz is truly a unique style with its range of darker fruits, spice and black pepper – they are predominantly medium bodied with a restrained use of new oak and lower alcohols.
“What excites me most is that winemakers want to express different styles, characteristic of their specific sites.
“The 2023 vintage is clearly very strong, but the experienced winemakers crafted some very compelling wines in the more challenging 2024 vintage too.”
Chair of judges Toni Paterson MW said, “The 2023 Shiraz was a highlight.
“These are a modern style of Shiraz that is very relevant for today’s market with fragrance, energy and some lovely intensity.
“It was an absolute treat to judge and there were some stunning wines in the mix.”
Toni said that across all classes there was great diversity in the Hunter Valley and beyond with “great vineyards and winemaking talent”.
“Wines that have integrity, personality, harmony and length are the hallmarks of good wines and there are many wines in this region that have these hallmarks,” she said.
“There is an enormous number of quality wines and the Hunter Valley should be incredibly proud of that.
“We saw beauty in the wines everywhere we looked.”
The Petrie-Drinan Trophy for Best White Wine of Show was awarded to Tinklers Wines 2017 Reserve Semillon, which also won the Drayton Family Trophy for Best Semillon of Show and the Kaloudah Trophy for Best Table Wine from a Small Producer.
The Best Current Semillon was awarded to Brokenwood 2025 Oakey Creek Vineyard #2 Semillon and Best One-Year-Old Semillon to Bimbadgen for its 2024 Palmers Lane Single Vineyard Semillon.
Toni said, “The 2025 Semillon Class was incredibly strong, and the strength of the vintage was on display.
“The Hunter Valley produces a range of relevant and contrasting styles of Semillon which show how the region has matured and that winemakers are very comfortable working with the style their vineyard produces naturally.
“The 2024 Semillon class was a surprise.
“I was thrilled with the quality given the year had its challenges which just shows, despite the vintage, there is always the potential for some fantastic wines.’’
The Len Evans Trophy for Best Single Vineyard White was awarded to Colvin Wines 2013 Semillon.
The Tyrrell Family Trophy for Best Museum White Wine was awarded to Tyrrell’s 2006 Vat 1 Semillon.
The judges noted, “One of the highlights of the show are the older Semillons.
“These classes were simply magnificent.”
Audrey Wilkinson was awarded the Iain Riggs Wine of Provenance Trophy for its 2017, 2014 and 2006 vintages of The Ridge Semillon.
“The Provenance class was a highlight and to see the strength in the span of vintages was exciting,” Toni said.
“The class showed that Hunter Valley wines can be beautiful when they are young, in their mid-years and when they are older – and not all regions can do that.”
The 2025 Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year, Liz Silkman of First Creek Wines and Silkman Wines, cemented her reputation as ‘Chardonnay Queen’ winning the George Wyndham Memorial Trophy for Silkman Wines 2024 SILK Chardonnay.
Silkman Wines 2023 Reserve Chardonnay won the Murray Tyrrell Trophy for Best Chardonnay and the Henry John Lindeman Memorial Trophy for the Best Two-Year-Old and Older Chardonnay.
Toni said, “Hunter Valley Chardonnay is amongst the best in the country and people are really experimenting with their winemaking giving us a lot of different styles.”
Commenting on the breadth of quality on show, Edward said, “What was notable was the alternate varieties for which the Hunter Valley is not necessarily renown, but the development of these varieties showed, with winemakers making fantastic wines which speaks to the pedigree of their skills.”
The Hunter Valley Wine Show was judged at the Lone Pine Barracks at the Singleton Army Base.
The presentation luncheon was held at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort with Johanna Griggs AM as MC.
The show attracted 68 exhibitors and 679 entries. Close to 4,000 bottles were assessed with 80 gold medals.
Trophy Winners
Marshall-Flannery Trophy
Best Current Semillon
Sponsor: Winequip
Brokenwood 2025 Oakey Creek Vineyard #2 Semillon
Karl Stockhausen Memorial Trophy
Best One-Year-Old Semillon
Sponsor: Hunter Wine Forum
Bimbadgen 2024 Palmers Lane Single Vineyard Semillon
McGuigan Family Trophy
Best Two-Year–Old and Older Semillon
Tinklers Wine 2017 Reserve Semillon
George Wyndham Memorial Trophy
Best Current and One-Year-Old Chardonnay (trophy sponsor – Laffort)
Silkman Wines 2024 SILK Chardonnay
Henry John Lindeman Memorial Trophy
Best Two-Year-Old and Older Chardonnay (sponsor – Jurds Real Estate)
Silkman Wines 2023 Reserve Chardonnay
Graham Gregory Memorial Trophy
Best Other White Varietals and White Blends
First Creek Wines 2025 Limited Release Vermentino
J.Y. (Jay) Tulloch Trophy
Best Verdelho
Pepper Tree 2025 Limited Release Home Block Verdelho
Elliott Family Trophy
Best Rose of Show
John Wallace Wines 2025 Tilba Rose
Maurice O’Shea Memorial Trophy
Best Other Red Varietals and Red Blends
Mercer Wines 2024 Limited Release Shiraz Pinot Noir
Alexander Munro Memorial Trophy
Best Current Vintage and One Year Old Shiraz
Sponsor: Singleton Hospitality Group
Thomas Wines 2024 Sweetwater Ridge Shiraz
Stibbard-Hulin Trophy
Best Two-Year-Old Shiraz
Sponsor: Hahn Corporation
Sweetwater Estate 2023 Shiraz
James Busby Memorial Trophy
Best Mature Three-Year-Old and Older Shiraz
Sponsor: Jenkins Legal Services
Thomas Wines 2021 Kiss Shiraz
Lone Pine Barracks Officers Mess Silver Bullet
Gunpowder Wines 2024 Fiano
Drayton Family Trophy
Best Semillon
Tinklers Wine 2017 Reserve Semillon
Murray Tyrrell Chardonnay Trophy
Best Chardonnay
Sponsor: MCC Premium Label Solutions
Silkman Wines 2023 Reserve Chardonnay
Hector Tulloch Memorial Trophy
Best Shiraz
Sweetwater Estate 2023 Shiraz
Tyrrell Family Trophy
Best Museum White Wine
Sponsor: Riedel (RSN Australia)
Tyrrell’s 2006 Vat 1 Semillon
John Lewis Trophy
Best Museum Red Wine
Sponsor: Mercurey Australia
De Iuliis Wines 2014 Talga Road Shiraz
Kaloudah Trophy
Best Table Wine from a Small Producer
Sponsor: Wine Tech Services
Tinklers Wine 2017 Reserve Semillon
Len Evans Trophy
Best Single Vineyard White Wine
Sponsor: Insight Wealth Planning
Colvin Wines 2013 Semillon
Len Evans Trophy
Best Single Vineyard Red Wine
Sponsor: Insight Wealth Planning
Sweetwater Estate 2023 Shiraz
Iain Riggs Wine of Provenance
Sponsor: CCL
Audrey Wilkinson The Ridge Semillon 2017, 2014, 2006
Petrie-Drinan Trophy
Best White Wine of the Show
Sponsor: PKF
Tinklers Wines 2017 Reserve Semillon
Doug Seabrook Memorial Trophy
Best Red Wine of the Show
Sponsor: PKF
Sweetwater Estate 2023 Shiraz
Three industry scholarships were also presented. The 2025 Tyrrell Family Advanced Viticulture Scholarship was awarded to Nicholas Looby of Margan Wines, the Brokenwood Wines Advanced Wine Technology Scholarship to Giacomo Soldani of Margan Wines and the 2025 Alasdair Sutherland Scholarship to Brett Woodward of Saddler’s Creek Wines.
“These scholarships are about supporting talent who will shape the Hunter Valley’s future,” said Jennie Curran, CEO of the Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association.
“They not only recognise talent, but also bring fresh thinking to our vineyard practices, our winemaking, and the next generation of wine show judges.”
Chair of judges
Toni Paterson MW, Wine Writer
Panel chairs
Sue Bell, winemaker, Bellwether Wines
Peter Leske, winemaker, La Linea + Revenir Winemaking
Rob Mack, winemaker, Aphelion Wine
International judge
Dr Edward Ragg MW, international wine consultant
Visiting judges
Natalie Cleghorn, winemaker, Pinnacle Drinks
Nadja Wallington, winemaker, ChaLou Wines
Hunter judges
Kim Bickley, sommelier/wine consultant
Xanthe Hatcher, chief winemaker, Agnew Wines
Annabel Holland, winemaker, First Creek Wines
Hunter associate judges
Brendan Kaczorowski, winemaker, Keith Tulloch Wine
Valentina Moresco, winemaker, Krinklewood
Hayden Tinkler, winemaker, Brokenwood
Michael Wells, winemaker, Usher Tinkler Wines + Tinkler Wines
Visiting associate judges
Alex Jacques, head sommelier, Bennelong
Charlie Shaw, beverage manager, Icebergs Crown
Trainee judges
Cordelia Jones, Agnew Wines
Harrison Medley, Gunpowder Wines + Horner Wines
Photo: Chris Elfes.
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