In late November 2018, Daily Wine News published two articles on Winestate magazine’s Wine of the Year Awards: Artwine winning best alternative white wine of the year for its 2018 Fiano, and the naming of Wines by Geoff Hardy’s winemaker Shane Harris as Australian Winemaker of the Year.
The winners of Winestate magazine’s 2018 Wine of the Year Awards were determined from tastings of around 10,000 wines judged throughout the year. Pitting the best of Australian wines against the best of New Zealand, the awards have been dubbed the ‘Bledisloe Cup of Wine’.
Other winners included:
Wine of the Year
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2015
New Zealand Winemaker of the Year
Nick Picone, Villa Maria
New Zealand Wine Company of the Year
Villa Maria
Australian Wine Company of the Year
Wolf Blass Wines
Riesling of the Year
Reillys Museum Release Clare Valley Watervale Riesling 2011
Semillon of the Year
Coolangatta Estate Estate Grown Shoalhaven Coast Semillon 2009
Chardonnay of the Year
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2017
Sauvignon Blanc of the Year
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Pinot Gris/Grigio of the Year
Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Gris 2016
Sparkling Wine of the Year
Singlefile Wines Limited Release Denmark Pinot Chardonnay 2011
Sweet White of the Year
De Beaurepaire Coeur d’Or Mudgee Botrytis Semillon 2016
Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2015
Pinot Noir of the Year
Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Pinot Noir 2016
Shiraz of the Year
Mr Riggs Scarce Earth McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015
Merlot of the Year
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2015
Alternative Red of the Year
Angas & Bremer Langhorne Creek Malbec 2016
Fortified of the Year
Morris of Rutherglen Cellar Reserve Grand Muscat NV
Best Value Australian Wine Under $20
Story Bay Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Australian Wine of the Year & Runner-Up Wine of the Year
De Beaurepaire Coeur d’Or Mudgee Botrytis Semillon 2016
