A young Tasmanian Pinot Noir has won the Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy for Best Wine of Show at the 2024 Sydney Royal Wine Show Awards.
The 2023 Bream Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir is the youngest red to win the title for more than 24 years and is the first Pinot Noir to claim Best Wine of Show since 2015.
It is also the first Tasmanian wine to win since 2016.
Sydney Royal Wine Show chair of judges, Sarah Crowe, says the young red was a real standout.
“The young Pinot class was a real highlight for our judges this year, and this standard of quality can be reflected in our 2024 Wine of Show winner, the 2023 Bream Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir,” Sarah says.
“For a young red to stand out amongst over 1,700 entries is impressive, and if that wasn’t remarkable enough, it is also the youngest red to win Wine of Show in Sydney in the last two decades, if not longer.
“It is quite the achievement.
“In addition to the high-scoring young Pinot Noir class, Chardonnay was an absolute delight to assess.
“Chardonnay is at the top of its game and Australian producers are consistently delivering a world-class wine that rivals any international competitor.
“From the larger producers like Evans & Tate, who took home Best White and Best Chardonnay with the 2022 Evans & Tate Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay, to smaller producers such as Silkman Wines, who claimed Best Small Producer with the 2023 Silkman Wines Silk Chardonnay, the quality of Chardonnay Australians are getting is exceptional.”
Across the 52 classes judged during the Sydney Royal Wine Show, the 2024 and 2023 Chardonnay class claimed the highest medal count with 118 medals awarded, nine of which were gold.
All wine producing states from across Australia secured a trophy, however it was New South Wales that proved it was the state to beat, claiming the highest gold medal count and representing 10 out of the 23 wines awarded a trophy.
Australia’s largest producing state, South Australia, received the highest overall medal count.
Cooler NSW regions like Orange and Mudgee also made their mark at this year’s show, winning trophies with non-traditional varietals for their regions such as Best Grenache, Best Shiraz and Best Riesling.
These coveted titles went to Mudgee’s Huntington Estate and Robert Stein winery for the 2023 Huntington Estate Special Reserve Grenache and 2017 Robert Stein Riseling, while Orange’s Mercer Wines won Best Shiraz in the region for the first time since 2011 with the 2022 Mercer Wines Limited Release Shiraz.
Robert Stein Winery also won Best Current Vintage for the 2024 Robert Stein Dry Riesling and Best NSW Wine for the 2023 Robert Stein Reserve Riesling.
“New South Wales did exceptionally well at this year’s show and what really stood out for me was the range of renowned producers who have won trophies with wine varietals that are not traditional to their area,” Sarah says.
“For a Mudgee Grenache to not only claim Best Grenache but also be a strong contender for best red is outstanding.”
Brokenwood’s 2019 Brokenwood Tallawanta Vineyard Semillon was another NSW standout this year winning not one but three trophies, including Best Semillon, Best Mature White and Best Single Vineyard Wine.
Twenty-seven trophies were awarded at the Sydney Royal Wine Show Awards, with winners ranging from Best Sparkling to Best Value wine.
Out of the 1,754 wines judged, five percent of entries received a gold medal.
“I congratulate all of our producers, and especially our trophy winners, on such a fantastic competition,” Sarah says.
“It has been a challenging time for the Australian wine industry but if I know anything, it is that we are a resilient bunch, and we should all be incredibly proud of the world-class wines we are producing.
“I also want to thank our judges. When we are in that room, we all have a common goal and that is to help Australian wine get better and stronger in the future. Tonight’s awards are a celebration of that goal and of the wineries leading the charge.”
Following three years guiding the Sydney Royal Wine Show, the 2024 competition will be Sarah’s last year as chair of judges.
“I feel very proud to have been the chair of judges at Sydney Royal,” Sarah says.
“It is a great honour, not only due to importance of the show to our exhibitors but also because of the way in which it brings our community together.
“Judging allows producers to get a deeper understanding and independent review on what they are producing, which is important for development.
“What we are trying to achieve through shows like Sydney Royal is the improvement of the industry together, as winemakers, sommeliers and growers.”
Sarah Crowe will hand the baton to Hunter Valley Winemaker and owner of De Iuliis Wines, Michael De Iuliis.
As the producer of many trophy winning wines himself, De Iuliis has a long history of judging at some of Australia’s most prestigious wine shows and, like Crowe, will bring a wealth of knowledge to the role.
De Iuliis will hold the role as chair of judges for the next three years including the 200th Anniversary of the first Sydney Royal Wine Show in 2026.
2024 Sydney Royal Wine Show Award Winners
Douglas Lamb Perpetual Trophy
Best Riesling
2017 Robert Stein Riesling
McCarthy Perpetual Trophy
Best Sauvignon Blanc
2024 Howard Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
David Clarke Memorial Perpetual Trophy
Best Semillion
2019 Brokenwood Tallawanta Vineyard Semillon
RAS of NSW Annual Prize for Best Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio
2024 Hahndorf Hill Pinot Grigio
A P John Coopers Perennial Trophy
Best Chardonnay
2022 Evans & Tate Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay
Bert Bear Memorial Perpetual Trophy
Best Other White Varietal
2017 1927 Vines Marsanne
Liquorland Perpetual Trophy
Best White Blend
Not Awarded
Hanaminno Perpetual Trophy
Best Sweet White
2020 Deen De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon
RAS of NSW Annual Prize
Best Current Vintage White
2024 Robert Stein Dry Riesling
Dr Henry John Lindeman Memorial Perpetual Prize
Best Mature White
2019 Brokenwood Tallawanta Vineyard Semillon
Leslie Kemeny Memorial Perpetual Trophy
Best Rosé
2024 De Iuliis Rose
Geoffrey Crundall Perpetual Trophy
Best Pinot Noir
2023 Bream Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir
George Mackey Memorial Perpetual Trophy
Best Grenache
2023 Huntington Estate Special Reserve Grenache
Drinks Association Perennial Trophy
Best Shiraz
2022 Mercer Wines Limited Release Shiraz
Arthur Kelman Perpetual Trophy
Best Shiraz Dominant Blend
2022 Calabria St Petri Shiraz Carignan
Dan Murphy’s Perennial Trophy
Best Cabernet Sauvignon
2021 Yalumba Sanctum Cabernet Sauvignon
Jones, Steains and Waller Perpetual Trophy
Best Cabernet Dominant Blend
2021 Evans & Tate Redbrook Estate Cabernet Merlot
Wine Communicators of Australia Perpetual Trophy
Best Other Red Varietal
2023 Heirloom Vineyards McLaren Vale Touriga
John Swann Perpetual Trophy
Best Other Red Blend
2023 St Hugo Barossa Grenache Shiraz Mataro
Rudy Komon Memorial Perpetual Trophy
Best Mature Red
Not Awarded
Thorp Annual Trophy
Best Sparkling White or Rosé
2015 House of Arras Grand Vintage
Intercontact Perpetual Trophy
Best Sparkling Red
Not awarded
JCM Fornachon Memorial Perpetual Trophy
Best Fortified
Morris Old Premium Rare Muscat
RAS of NSW Annual Prize
Best Alcohol-Free Wine
Not Awarded
Dan Murphy’s Value Perennial Trophy
Best Value Wine (White, Rosé or Red)
2023 Kirrihill Regional Series Clare Riesling
NSW Department of Primary Industries James Busby Perpetual Trophy
Best NSW Wine
2023 Robert Stein Reserve Riesling
Restaurant and Catering Industry Association Perpetual Trophy
Best Small Producer Wine
2023 Silkman Wines Silk Chardonnay
Len Evans Memorial Perpetual Trophy
Best Single Vineyard Wine
2019 Brokenwood Tallawanta Vineyard Semillon
Albert Chan Memorial Prize
Best White
2022 Evans & Tate Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay
Dr Gilbert Phillips Memorial Perpetual Trophy
Best Red
2023 Bream Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir
Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy
Best Wine of Show
2023 Bream Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir
Related content
Recent Comments