Winemakers across the country are celebrating after the trophy winning wines at the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards (RMWA) were announced at a presentation dinner on Thursday 18 October.
The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for Best Young Red Wine, recognised as Australia’s most coveted wine trophy, was awarded to Margaret River winery Xanadu Wines for its 2016 Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon.
The white wine equivalent, the Francois De Castella trophy for Best Young White Wine, went to Tasmanian winery Tolpuddle Vineyard for its 2017 Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay.
Tolpuddle Vineyard’s 2017 Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay also took home the Douglas Seabrook Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Wine with vineyard manager Carlos Souris awarded the Kym Ludvigsen Trophy for Viticultural Excellence.
Other top honours included the James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir which was awarded to Tasmanian winery Bay of Fires Wines for its 2017 Bay of Fires Pinot Noir, and the Trevor Mast Trophy for Best Shiraz, presented to Yarra Valley winery Tokar Estate for its 2017 Tokar Estate Shiraz.
Rutherglen vineyard Morris Wines was awarded The Bill Chambers Trophy for Best Fortified Wine for the second year running, this year for its Morris Cellar Reserve Grand Topaque NV Muscadelle.
The Victorian Wines of Provenance trophy recognises outstanding consistency in Victorian winemaking across three vintages over 10 years of wine production. This year’s Victorian White Wines of Provenance trophy was awarded to Coldstream Hills Winery, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, for its2017, 2011 and 2006 Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay with the red equivalent awarded to Sanguine Estate, of Heathcote, also in Victoria, for its 2017, 2012 and 2008 Shiraz.
In a testament to the truly national nature of the awards, of the 24 trophies awarded across the country, seven went to Tasmanian wineries, five to New South Wales, and four each to South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.
Eight wineries also received Consistency of Excellence Medals, which are presented to any wine of the same label that has been awarded a gold medal over three consecutive years since 2015.
More than 3200 wines were tasted over five days last week at the Melbourne Showgrounds by a judging panel of 35 industry experts led by head judge and winemaker Matt Harrop, of Curly Flat.
The full list of this year’s trophy winners can be viewed at winningtastes.com.au.
2018 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards
Major Trophy Winners
The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for Best Young Red Wine
Xanadu 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Xanadu Wines Pty Ltd, Margaret River, Western Australia
The François de Castella Trophy for Best Young White Wine
Tolpuddle Vineyard 2017 Chardonnay, Tolpuddle Vineyard, Tasmania
The James Halliday Trophy for the Best Pinot Noir
Bay of Fires 2017 Pinot Noir, Bay of Fires, Tasmania
The Trevor Mast Trophy for Best Shiraz
Tokar Estate 2017 Shiraz, Tokar Estate, Yarra Valley, Victoria
The Victorian Trophy for White Wines of Provenance
Coldstream Hills 2017, 2011 And 2006 Reserve Chardonnay, Coldstream Hills, Yarra Valley, Victoria
The Victorian Trophy for Red Wines of Provenance
Sanguine Estate Progeny 2017, 2012 And 2008 Shiraz, Sanguine Estate, Heathcote, Victoria
The Douglas Seabrook Single Vineyard Trophy
Tolpuddle Vineyard 2017 Chardonnay, Tolpuddle Vineyard, Tasmania
The Kym Ludvigsen Trophy for Viticultural Excellence
Carols Souris, Tolpuddle Vineyard, Tasmania
The Bill Chambers Trophy for Best Fortified
Cellar Reserve Grand Topaque NV Muscadelle, Morris Wines Pty Ltd, Rutherglen, Victoria
Best in Class Trophy Winners
Best Sparkling
House of Arras Grand Vintage 2008 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir, House of Arras, Tasmania
Best Riesling
Eddystone Point 2008 Riesling, Eddystone Point, Tasmania
Best Chardonnay presented by Plumm
Tolpuddle Vineyard 2017 Chardonnay, Tolpuddle Vineyard, Tasmania
Best Semillon
Tyrrell’s Belford 2013 Semillon, Hunter, New South Wales
Best Sauvignon Blanc or Blend of Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc
presented by Portavin Integrated Wine Services
Suckfizzle 2016 Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon, Stella Bella Wines, Margaret River, Western Australia
Best Single Varietal White
Haselgrove Alternative Series 2018 Fiano, Haselgrove Wines Pty Ltd, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Best Sweet White Wine
Michel Marie 2015 Semillon, M & M Nehme Botrytis Yenda Pty Ltd, Riverina, New South Wales
Best Rose
Hedonist Rose 2018 Sangiovese, Hedonist Wines, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Best Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Blend of Associated Varieties
Xanadu 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Xanadu Wines Pty Ltd, Margaret River, Western Australia
Best Single Varietal Red presented by Husky
Tamburlaine Orange Reserve 2017 Malbec, Tamburlaine Organic Wines, Orange, New South Wales
Best Grenache, GSM or Blend of Associated Varieties
Jacob’s Creek our Limited Release Barossa 2017 Grenache, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Best Shiraz/Cabernet Blend
Majella The Musician 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz, Coonawarra, South Australia
Best Red Blend presented by Kubota Tractors Australia
Hamelin Bay Rampant Red 2017 Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot
Hamelin Bay Wines, Margaret River, Western Australia
Best Mature Wine
Tyrrell’s Belford 2013 Semillon, Tyrrell’s Vineyards, Hunter, New South Wales
Best Organic or Biodynamic Wine
Tamburlaine Orange Reserve 2017 Malbec, Tamburlaine Organic Wines, Orange, New South Wales
Consistency of Excellence Winners
Flametree SRS Wallcliffe, 2015, 2016, 2017 Chardonnay, Flametree Wines, Western Australia
Houghton The Bandit, 2014, 2015 Shiraz, Houghton Wines, Western Australia
Jim Barry Lodge Hill, 2014, 2015, 2016 Shiraz, Jim Barry Wines, South Australia
Mandoon Estate 2015, 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mandoon Estate, Western Australia
Morris Cellar Reserve Grand Topaque, Nv Muscadelle, Morris Wines, Victoria
Morris Old Premium Rare Muscat, Nv Muscat, Morris Wines, Victoria
Morris Old Premium Rare Topaque, Nv Muscadelle, Morris Wines, Victoria
Robert Oatley Signature Series Mclaren Vale 2015, 2016 Grenache, Shiraz,
Mataro, Robert Oatley Vineyards, South Australia
Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon, 2005, 2009, 2013 Semillon, Tyrrell’s Vineyards, New South Wales
Peter Lehmann Wigan, 2015 Riesling, Peter Lehmann Wines, South Australia