Winestate’s Wine of the Year for 2019 is Villa Maria Reserve Chardonnay 2018 from Hawke’s Bay, and the Australian Wine of the Year 2019 is Z Wine Poole Old Vine Shiraz 2016 from the Barossa Valley.
Each year Winestate evaluates around 10,000 wines in 12 categories from all regions in Australia and New Zealand using an audited and independent judging process.
Winestate Australian Winemaker of the Year, Peter Hall
Janelle and Kristen Zerk, from Z Wine in the Barossa Valley, which won Australian Wine of the Year for its Poole Old Vine Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016 as well as the trophy for Top Alternative Red for its Roman Old Vine Barossa Valley GSM 2018.
“As a finalist from over 10,000 wines judged this year, where less than 5% of wines entered reached the finalist stage, and with the toughest peer reviewed blind judging in Australia or NZ, a Winestate Medal is truly deserved,” said Winestate publisher Peter Simic.
“To be the overall winner the wine has to be head and shoulders above its peers in that category compared with the winning wines in all other categories. In this case the Villa Maria Reserve Chardonnay stood above all others”.
$5.50 rosé best value wine in the country
A rosé, priced at less than $6 a bottle, was awarded the Best Value Wine 2019 award at the Winestate Wine of the Year Awards.
The Fresh & Fruity Rosé 2018 was announced the winner from a field of finalists chosen over 12 months of blind tastings.
At just $5.50 a bottle, the winning drop is available exclusively at Liquorland, First Choice and Vintage Cellars stores Australia-wide.
The Shiraz and Grenache blend rosé was described by the judging panel as a delicate, dry and elegant pink wine with floral fruit fragrances and an appealing zippy fresh palate.
Winestate chief executive officer, Peter Simic, said that it is uncommon for such a reasonably priced rosé to receive results of this calibre.
“A rosé that achieves a four-star result should be considered a very good wine! The panel of three winemaker judges selected this wine as the Winestate Best Value Buy Wine of the Year, and it is definitely a worthy recipient,” said Simic.
Special Awards
Australian Winemaker of the Year 2019 – Peter Hall, chief winemaker, Australian Vintage McGuigan Wines, Peter Hall (awarded to the winemaker who produces the largest number of high-ranking wines over the year.
New Zealand Winemaker of the Year 2019 – Nick Picone, chief winemaker, Villa Maria (awarded to the winemaker who produces the largest number of high-ranking wines over the year)
New Zealand Wine of the Year 2019 – Villa Maria Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 (and overall Wine of the Year Australia & New Zealand)
Australian Wine of the Year 2019 – Z Wine Poole Old Vine Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016
Best Value Wine of the Year 2019 – Fresh & Fruity Eastern Rose 2018
Official winners of a final taste-off between the top 5 wines in each class. With RRP $ values:
Top Sparkling
1st, Brown Brothers, Patricia, King Valley, Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay, 2012, $56.00
2nd, Chateau Yaldara, Adelaide Hills, Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, 2015, $50.00
3rd, Centennial Vineyards, Limited Bowral, Blanc de Blancs, NV, $39.00
4th, Centennial Vineyards, Brut Traditionelle Southern Highlands, Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Meunier, NV, $35.00
5th, Centennial Vineyards, Southern Highlands, Brut Rosé, NV, $35.00
Top Alternative Whites
1st, Artwine, In the Groove Single Vineyard Adelaide Hills, Gruner Veltliner, 2019
2nd, Eccentric Wines, Adelaide Hills, Gruner Veltliner, 2017, $25.00
3rd, Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy, Adelaide Hills, Fiano, 2019, $25.00
4th, Symphony Hill Wines, Granite Belt, Vermentino, 2019, $30.00
5th, Tahbilk, Museum Nagambie Lakes, Marsanne, 2013, $23.95
Top Riesling
1st, Reillys, Watervale Clare Valley, Riesling, 2018, $25.00
2nd, Patrick of Coonawarra, Coonawarra Wrattonbully, Aged Riesling, 2014, $39.00
3rd, Jim Barry, Lodge Hill Clare Valley, Riesling, 2019, $25.00
4th, Eldredge Vineyards, Spring Gully Clare Valley, Riesling, 2019, $20.00
5th, Taylors, St Andrews Clare Valley, Riesling, 2018, $40.00
Top Sauvignon Blanc
1st, Yealands Estate, Single Block L5 Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc, 2019, $27.95
2nd, Yealands Estate, Single Vineyard Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc, 2019, $21.99
3rd, Vavasour, Marlborough Awatere Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, 2018, $23.00
4th, Mount Riley, Limited Release Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc, 2019, $17.00
5th, Lobethal Road, Adelaide Hills, Sauvignon Blanc, 2019, $22.00
Top Pinot Gris/Grigio
1st, Cockfighters Ghost, Single Vineyard Adelaide Hills, Pinot Gris, 2017, $25.00
2nd, Ceres, Swansong Central Otago Bannockburn, Pinot Gris, 2018, $28.00
3rd, Esk Valley, Hawke’s Bay, Pinot Gris, 2019, $20.00
4th, Amadio, Single Vineyard Adelaide Hills, Pinot Grigio, 2018, $25.00
5th, Te Henga, Marlborough, Pinot Gris, 2017, $17.00
Top Semillon
1st, Coolangatta Estate, Shoalhaven Coast, Semillon, 2009, $50.00
2nd, Coolangatta Estate, Wollstonecraft Shoalhaven Coast, Semillon, 2011, $35.00
3rd, McGuigan, Bin 9000 Hunter Valley, Semillon, 2013, $25.00
4th, Coolangatta Estate, Wollstonecraft Shoalhaven Coast, Semillon, 2009, $50.00
5th, Pokolbin Estate, Phill Swannell Hunter Valley, Semillon, 2009, $50.00
Top Chardonnay
1st, Villa Maria, Reserve Hawke’s Bay, Chardonnay, 2018, $32.00
2nd, Robert Stein, Reserve Mudgee, Chardonnay, 2017, $40.00
3rd, Villa Maria, Reserve Hawke’s Bay, Chardonnay, 2017, $32.00
4th, McGuigan, Personal Reserve Hunter Valley, Chardonnay, 2018, $80.00
5th, Tempus Two, Pewter Poppy’s Block Hunter Valley, Chardonnay, 2017, $40.00
Top Rosé
1st, Allandale Wines, Classic Dry Hilltops, Grenache Shiraz Rosé, 2018, $30.00
2nd, Koonara Wines, Emily May Limestone Coast, Sangiovese Rosé, 2019, $19.95
3rd, Murray Street, White Label Barossa Valley, Rosé, 2018, $25.00
4th, Nepenthe, Winemakers Select Adelaide Hills, Tempranillo Rosé, 2018, $25.00
5th, Pete’s Pure, Euston, Rosé, 2018, $14.99
Top Alternative Red
1st, Z Wine, Roman Old Vine Barossa Valley, G.S.M., 2018, $38.00
2nd, Kalleske, Buckboard Barossa Valley, Durif, 2018, $26.00
3rd, Cirami Estate, Riverland, Saperavi, 2018, $20.00
4th, Z Wine, Rustica Barossa Valley, Grenache, 2019, $20.00
5th, Vinos For Chinos, Clare Valley, Malbec, 2018, $19.00
Top Pinot Noir
1st, Rob Dolan, Signature Series Yarra Valley, Pinot Noir, 2017,
2nd, Ballewindi, Mornington Peninsula, Pinot Noir, 2018, $28.00
3rd, Home Hill, Estate Huon Valley Tasmania, Pinot Noir, 2018, $45.00
4th, Home Hill, Kelly’s Reserve Huon Valley Tasmania, Pinot Noir, 2018, $75.00
5th, Cooks Lot, Iconique Barrique Orange, Pinot Noir, 2016, $50.00
Top Merlot
1st, Mount Avoca, Estate Pyrenees, Merlot, 2018, $37.95
2nd, Bird in Hand, Adelaide Hills, Merlot, 2017, $45.00
3rd, Leconfield, Coonawarra, Merlot, 2018, $26.00
4th, Taylors, Clare Valley, Merlot, 2018, $19.00
Top Cabernet
1st, Angas & Bremer, Langhorne Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2016, $20.00
2nd, d’Arenberg, The High Trellis McLaren Vale, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2016, $20.00
3rd, Grounded Cru, Inc McLaren Vale, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2016, $38.00
4th, Reillys Clare Valley, The Dancer Clare Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2016, $70.00
5th, Artwine, The Good Life Single Vineyard Clare Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2017, $40.00
Top Shiraz
1st, Z Wine, Poole Old Vine Barossa Valley, Shiraz, 2016, $120.00
2nd, Tenafeate Creek, Judgement One Tree Hill, Shiraz, 2016, $100.00
3rd, Mount Avoca, Estate Old Vine Pyrenees, Shiraz, 2017, $37.95
4th, Krondorf, Symmetry Barossa Valley, Shiraz, 2016, $49.99
5th, Jim Barry, Lodge Hill Clare Valley, Shiraz, 2016, $25.00
Top Sweet White
1st, Longview, Epitome, Adelaide Hills, Late Harvest Riesling, 2018, $25.00
2nd, Villa Maria, Reserve Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection, Marlborough, Botrytis Riesling, 2016, $36.99
3rd, d’Arenberg, The Noble Mud Pie, Adelaide Hills McLaren Vale, Botrytis Viognier Sauvignon Blanc
Semillon Pinot Gris, 2017, $20.00
4th, K1 by Geoff Hardy Adelaide Hills, Autumn Harvest Riesling, 2018, $25.00
5th, d’Arenberg, The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana, Adelaide Hills, Botrytis Sauvignon Blanc (375ml), 2017, $20.00
Top Fortified
1st, Morris Wines, Old Premium, Rutherglen, Rare Muscat, NV, $90.00
2nd, Morris Wines, Cellar Reserve, Rutherglen, Grand Muscat, NV, $50.00
3rd, Talijancich Wines, Julian James Liqueur Shiraz 1981 Solero Blend No.1, Swan Valley, Liqueur Shiraz, NV, $65.00
4th, Buller Wines, Calliope, Rutherglen, Grand Muscat, NV, $75.00
5th, 919 Wines, Reserve Collection, Riverland, Pale Dry Apera, NV, $35.00
