Yabby Lake Vineyard has been awarded the highest honour at the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW 2019 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show, with its 2017 Heathcote Estate Single Vineyard Shiraz winning the coveted KPMG Perpetual Trophy for Best Wine of Show and the Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy for Best State Show Wine.
This marks four years since an Australian Shiraz has taken out the top prize at the prestigious Show, with the 2017 Heathcote Estate Single Vineyard Shiraz from Central Victoria surviving six rounds of judging from a capped pool of 2,145 entries to claim the trophy.
Sydney Royal chair of judges, PJ Charteris said this wine shows the level of purity and distinction Shiraz can achieve in Australia.
“Perfectly poised fruit showing a sense of place while flavour and structure show the generosity of this variety with complementary elegance,” Mr Charteris said.
“I was extremely impressed by the high standard of entries from across Australia, indicating the Australian wine industry is in great shape.
“In this year’s medal tally we see not only strength of the mainstay varieties in Shiraz, Riesling, Semillon and Chardonnay, but the continued emergence of non-traditional red and white varieties such as Tempranillo, Grenache, Fiano and Arneis.
“While the wine industry faces headwinds in both domestic and export markets for geopolitical reasons, consumers globally can take an extremely positive view based purely on quality and this is reflected in the results from this year’s show.”
Also celebrated was the 2017 Shottesbrooke Single Vineyard Series Chardonnay which took home The Albert Chan Memorial Prize for Best White Wine, while Best NSW Wine went to McGuigan Hunter for its 2013 McGuigan BIN 9000 Semillon. Chateau Yaldara was awarded Best Sparkling for its 2015 Chateau Yaldara Vintage Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir.
The growing popularity of Grenache was reflected in its inclusion this year as a stand-alone class. The elegance of a well-balanced Grenache was certainly appreciated by judges, with Hentley Farm’s 2018 Villian & Vixen Grenache from the Barossa claiming the International Guest Judge Annual Prize as well as The Stewards’ Annual Prize.
Wine consultant and Sydney Royal International guest judge Rod Smith MW said Hentley Farm’s 2018 Villian & Vixen was a standout for a Grenache style.
“I chose this wine because of its elegance and sense of space – not easy things to achieve with Grenache. It fully and wholly achieved the two most important criteria of all for me: balance and deliciousness,” Mr Smith said.
2019 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show – key statistics:
| Entries | 2,145 |
| Trophies | 31 |
| Classes | 67 |
| Sydney Royal Judges | 31 |
| Exhibitors | 344 |
| Wine Glasses poured | 15,000 |
| Riedel glasses used in Judging | 5,000 |
| Years of Judging | 193 |
Trophy winners…
NEW SOUTH WALES
| Trophy | Winner |
| The Douglas Lamb Perpetual Trophy for Best Riesling
|
Robert Stein Winery for its 2016 Robert Stein Riesling
|
| The A P John Coopers Perennial Trophy for Best Semillon | McGuigan Hunter for its 2013 McGuigan BIN 9000 Semillon |
| The Dan Murphy’s Value Perennial Trophy for Best Value White
|
Two Rivers Wines for its 2019 Stones Throw Semillon
*This is the second year Two Rivers Stone Throw has claimed the Best Value White |
| The Dr Henry John Lindeman Memorial Perpetual Prize for Best Mature White
|
McGuigan Hunter for its 2013 McGuigan BIN 9000 Semillon |
| The Hanaminno Perpetual Trophy for Best Sweet White
|
Nugan Estate for its 2016 Cookoothama Botrytis Semillon |
| The NSW Department of Primary Industries James Busby Perpetual Trophy for Best NSW Wine
|
McGuigan Hunter for its 2013 McGuigan BIN 9000 Semillon
|
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
| Trophy | Winner |
| The A P John Coopers Perennial Trophy for Best Chardonnay
|
Shottesbrooke Vineyards for its 2017 Shootesbrooke Vineyard Singe Vineyard Series Chardonnay |
| The RAS of NSW Annual Prize for Best Young White
|
Jacob’s Creek Wines for its 2019 Jacob’s Creek Classic Riesling |
| The McCarthy Perpetual Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc
|
Simon Tolley Wines for its 2019 Simon Tolley Sauvignon Blanc |
| The Bert Bear Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Other White Varietal
|
Art Wines Pty Ltd for its 2019 Wicked Stepmother, Fiano |
| The Leslie Kemeny Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Rosé
|
Jacob’s Creek Wines for its 2018 Jacob’s Creek Le Petite Rosé |
| The George Mackey Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Value Red | Kirrihills Wines for its 2019 Regional Selection Series Shiraz |
| The Thorpe Annual Trophy for Best Sparkling White or Rosé
|
Chateau Yaldara for its 2015 Chateau Yaldara Vintage Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir |
| The John Swann Perpetual Trophy for Best Other Red Blend
|
Hardys Tintara for its 2018 Hardys Tintara Grenache Shiraz Mataro
|
| The JJ McWilliam Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Sparkling Red
|
St Agnes Distillery for its NV ST Agnes XO
|
| The RAS of NSW Annual Versatility Prize The highest scoring exhibit that demonstrated versatility when judged both with and without complementary food |
Nepenthe for its 2017 Winemakers Select Arneis
|
| The International Guest Judge Annual Prize
|
Hentley Farm for its 2018 Villain & Vixen Grenache
|
| The Albert Chan Memorial Prize for Best White Wine
|
Shottesbrooke Vineyards for its 2017 Shootesbrooke Vineyard Singe Vineyard Series Chardonnay
|
| The Stewards’ Annual Prize
|
Hentley Farm for its 2018 Villain & Vixen Grenache |
| The Wine Communicators of Australia Perpetual Trophy for Best Other Varietal | Stephen Pannell Wines Pty LTD for its 2018 S.C. Pannell Diavola Nero D’Avola |
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
| Trophy | Winner |
| The Dan Murphy’s Perennial Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon
|
Deep Woods Estate for its 2017 Deep Woods Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
|
| The Jones, Steins and Waller Perpetual Trophy for Best Cabernet Dominant Blend or Shiraz Dominant Blend
|
Deep Woods Estate for its 2017 Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec
|
| The Rudy Komon Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Mature Red
|
Forester Estate for its 2014 Forester Estate Yelverton Reserve Cabernet
|
| The Restaurant and Catering Industry Association Perpetual Trophy for Small Producer Wine
|
WINDANCE Estate for its 2018 Shiraz
(second year running)
|
VICTORIA
| Trophy | Winner |
| The J C M Fornachon Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Fortified | Morris Wines for its NV Morris Premium Rare Muscut |
| The Len Evans Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Wine | Yabby Lake for its 2017 Heathcote Estate Single Vineyard Shiraz |
| The Drinks Association Perennial Trophy for Best Shiraz | Yabby Lake for its 2017 Heathcote Estate Single Vineyard Shiraz |
| The Dr Gilbert Phillips Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Red Wine | Yabby Lake for its 2017 Heathcote Estate Single Vineyard Shiraz |
| The KPMG Perpetual Trophy for Best Wine of Show | Yabby Lake for its 2017 Heathcote Estate Single Vineyard Shiraz |
| The Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy for Best State Show Wine
Awarded to the Exhibitor of the Best State Wine Show exhibited at major State Wine Shows within the twelve months preceding judging. |
Yabby Lake for its 2017 Heathcote Estate Single Vineyard Shiraz |
TASMANIA
| Trophy | Winner |
| The Geoffrey Crundall Perpetual Trophy for Best Pinot Noir | Josef Chromy Wines for its 2017 Josef Chromy Pinot Noir |