Ed Carr. Image courtesy House of Arras.
For the first time ever, an Australian winemaker has been named Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge. The award was presented to House of Arras chief winemaker Ed Carr, who attended a special ceremony held at The Oval in London.
The win for Australian sparkling wine producer House of Arras also marks only the second time in the competition’s 40-year history that a winemaker outside of Champagne has received the award.
“I’m incredibly honoured to be named this year’s Sparkling Winemaker of the Year. It’s a challenge to describe the feeling, but I’m proud to be recognised amongst my peers for such a significant international award,” Carr said.
“Everything we do at House of Arras is based on our single-minded approach to crafting exceptional sparkling wine that speaks to Tasmania’s cool climate and ancient soils and is equal to the world’s best. This endorsement from one of the world’s most respected wine competitions is a testament to this mission, and I’m thrilled to share this award with the team.”
Now in its 40th year, the IWC is recognised as one of the world’s most influential wine competitions. Judged by more than 500 experts from more than 38 different countries, the IWC is an opportunity for winemakers worldwide to benchmark their wines against the very best.
The judging process sees an IWC medal-winning wine tasted by a minimum of eight judges before being awarded.
It is the second time winemaker Ed Carr has been named a finalist for IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year, having received the nomination in 2022. Carr is also the only Australian sparkling winemaker to appear on the finalist shortlist in the competition’s published results, which date back to 2009.
In addition to Ed Carr’s winemaker win, House of Arras collected the Australian Sparkling Trophy for its 2014 House of Arras Blanc de Blancs, along with two gold and six silver medals at this year’s IWC.
“2024 has been an outstanding year on the awards front, and I’m honoured to add this recent recognition from the International Wine Challenge to the mantle,” said Carr.
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