The winners of the annual Hunter Valley Wine Show have been announced after three days of judging.
The panel tasted over 700 wines, with 49 gold, 77 silver, 210 bronze and 20 trophies awarded to winemakers.
The 2017 vintage Shiraz was singled out by the judges, who awarded the variety with the most medals and praised it for its fragrant and elegant profile.
“Pristine fruit with flavour intensity has been handled with respect in the winery, and the many beautiful examples meant it was a delight to judge,” says Chair of Judges Sarah Crowe.
“These wines are youthful and have a very strong future and I expect they will perform well in future shows, too.”
Young 2018 Semillons were also acknowledged along with 2013 museum vintage Semillon, Chardonnay, Verdelho and Fiano, which is a new variety to the Hunter region.
Full results below.
Marshall – Flannery Trophy
Best Current – Semillon (Classes 1, 23 & 34)
Winner: Tyrrell’s Vineyard 2018 Stevens Semillon (Entry 23-7)
George Wyndham Memorial Trophy
Best Current and One-Year-Old Chardonnay (Classes 2 9, 25, 26 & 34)
Winner: First Creek Wines 2017 Winemakers Reserve Chardonnay
J.Y. (Jay) Tulloch Trophy
Best Verdelho (Classes 3, 10, 27 & 34)
Tamburlaine Hunter Valley Reserve 2018 Verdelho
Henry John Lindeman Memorial Trophy
Best Two–Year-Old and Older Chardonnay (Classes 14, 26 & 34)
First Creek Wines 2015 Reserve Chardonnay
Alexander Munro Memorial Trophy
Best Current and One-Year-Old Shiraz (Classes 6, 11, 29 & 35)
Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard
Ed Jouault Memorial Trophy
Best One-Year-Old Dry Semillon (Classes 8, 24 & 34)
Agnew Wines Audrey Wilkinson 2017 Winemakers Selection Semillon
Best Other Red Trophy
Classes 7, 12, 17, 31, & 35
De Iuliis Wines 2017 LDR Vineyard Shiraz Touriga Nacional
McGuigan Family Trophy
Best Mature Two-Year–Old and older Semillon (Classes 13,24 & 34)
Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2013 Belford Semillon
Trevor Drayton Memorial Trophy
Best Fortified Wine (Class 20)
Drayton’s Family Wines NV Heritage Vines Liqueur Verdelho
John Lewis Newcastle Herald Trophy
Best Museum Red Wine (Class 22)
Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2007 Stevens Shiraz
Graham Gregory Memorial Trophy
Best Museum White (Class 21)
Mount Pleasant 2009 Lovedale Semillon
Hector Tulloch Memorial Trophy
Best Shiraz
Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard
Maurice O’Shea Memorial Trophy
Best Semillon
Tyrrell’s Vineyard 2013 Belford Semillon
Murray Tyrrell Chardonnay Trophy
Best Chardonnay
First Creek Wines 2017 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay
Drayton Family Trophy
Best Named Vineyard Red Wine (Classes 29, 30 & 31)
Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard (Entry 29-26)
Tyrrell Family Trophy
Best Named Vineyard White Wine (Classes 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28)
Tyrrell’s Vineyard 2013 Belford Semillon
Len Evans Trophy
Best Named Vineyard Wine
Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard
Petrie-Drinan Trophy
Best White Wine of the Show
Tyrrell’s Vineyard Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon
Doug Seabrook Memorial Trophy
Best Red Wine of the Show
Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard
Iain Riggs Wine of Provenance
Classes 32 & 33
Tyrrell’s Vineyard Stevens Semillon
The Alasdair Sutherland Scholarship
Brendan Kaczorowski
The Royal Australian Infantry Corps Officer Mess Silver Bullet
Tyrrell’s Vineyards Stevens Shiraz – 2007, 2014, 2017
Image credit: Chris Elfes Photography for Tyrrell’s Wines