Hunter Valley Wine Show winners revealed

The results of the 2015 Hunter Valley Wine Show are in with the judges unanimously agreeing that the 2014 Hunter Shiraz vintage is one of the region’s best.

Over half of the 2014 Hunter Shiraz entered into this year’s show were awarded medals, with show president Tim Murray stating the 2014 vintage lived up to the hype.

“The 2014 vintage promised a great deal – and it did not disappoint,” said Murray.

“The current 2015 Semillon was hotly contested by many of the region’s great winemakers while the longevity and quality of the variety was validated again with the ‘White of Show’ being awarded to a 2006 vintage which is out of this world.”

The judging panel comprised 21 international, national, local and trainee judges along with chair of judges PJ Charteris.

Over 730 locally grown and made wines went through a complex judging system with 69 gold, 120 silver and 208 bronze medals as well as 23 Trophies were awarded in total.

Charteris said that the wines were in line with expectations around good quality harvests in 2013/14 for reds and then 2015 for whites.

"Lots of brightness, fine acidity, fruit lift that has produced classic Hunter white styles. The Shiraz classes of entry were tremendous and have set new levels of benchmark for the Hunter," he said.

Wine judge Peter Nixon said that the Hunter, as one of the country’s oldest and most advanced winemaking regions, has long produced unique and outstanding regional wines with the 2014 vintage being no exception.

“… The show was a great opportunity for brand Hunter Valley. A region that is not only worthy of its place in Australian wine history, but is confidently forging a place in its future,”  Nixon said. 

2015 Clear Image Hunter Valley Wine Show Trophy Winners

Marshall – Flannery Trophy – Best Current Semillon:

• First Creek Wines 2015 Premium Semillon

George Wyndham Memorial Trophy – Best Current and One-Year-Old Chardonnay. Sponsor – Singleton Council

• First Creek Wines 2014 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay

J.Y. (Jay) Tulloch Trophy – Best Verdelho

• Briar Ridge Vineyard 2015 The Dam Verdelho

Best Other White Trophy

• Bimbadgen Estate 2015 Vermentino

Henry John Lindeman Memorial Trophy – Best Two Year-Old and Older Chardonnay. Sponsor – Spicers Vineyard Estate

• Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2013 Belford Chardonnay

Alexander Munro Memorial Trophy – Best Current and One-Year-Old Shiraz. Roll of Honour Sponsor – Meerea Park Wines

• Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz

Ed Jouault Memorial Trophy – Best One-Year-Old Dry Semillon. Classes 8, 24 & 34. Sponsor – Vinocor Worldwide Direct

• Brokenwood Wines 2014 Trevena Vineyard Semillon (Entry 24-18)

Elliott Family Trophy – Best Two-Year-Old Shiraz. Roll of Honour Sponsor – Elliott Family

• Briar Ridge Vineyard 2013 Dairy Hill Single Vineyard Shiraz

Best Other Red Trophy

• Agnew Wines Audrey Wilkinson 2014 Winemaker’s Tempranillo

James Busby Memorial Trophy – Best Mature Three-Year-Old and Older Shiraz. Sponsor – Adhesif Labels

• Pepper Tree Wines 2011 Tallawanta Single Vineyard Shiraz

McGuigan Family Trophy -Best Mature Two-Year–Old and older Semillon. Roll of Honour Sponsor – McGuigan Family

• Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2006 Vat 1 Semillon

John Lewis Newcastle Herald Trophy – Best Museum Red. Sponsor – Newcastle Herald

• Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2007 Stevens Shiraz

Graham Gregory Memorial Trophy – Best Museum White. Sponsor – Pokolbin General Store

Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2005 Belford Semillon (Entry 21-25)

Hector Tulloch Memorial Trophy – Best Shiraz. Sponsor – Tulloch Wines

• Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz (Entry 29-27)

Innovative Red Wine Trophy

• Margan Family Wines 2014 Breaking Ground Shiraz Mourvedre

Maurice O’Shea Memorial Trophy – Best Semillon

• Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2006 Vat 1 Semillon

Murray Tyrrell Chardonnay Trophy – Best Chardonnay. Roll of Honour Sponsor – Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd & Trophy Sponsor – Collotype Labels

• First Creek Wines 2014 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay (Entry 9-6)

Drayton Family Trophy – Best Named Vineyard Red Wine. Roll of Honour Sponsor – Drayton’s Family Wines

• Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz

Tyrrell Family Trophy – Best Named Vineyard White Wine. Roll of Honour Sponsor – Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd

• McLeish Estate 2007 Semillon

Len Evans Trophy – Best Named Vineyard Wine

• Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz

Petrie-Drinan Trophy – Best White Wine of the Show. Sponsor – Clear Image

Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2006 Vat 1 Semillon (Entry 13-52)

Doug Seabrook Memorial Trophy – Best Red Wine of the Show. Sponsor – Clear Image, Puncheon supplied by Mercurey Australia

• Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz (Entry 29-27)

Iain Riggs Wine of Provenance

• Tyrrell’s Vineyards Johnno’s Shiraz – 2004, 2009, 2013