The prestigious top award at the 20th annual Canberra International Riesling Challenge – Best Wine of the 2019 Challenge – has been won by German winery Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung with its 2018 Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese VDP.Grosse Lage.
The wine was also named Best Sweet Riesling and Best European Riesling. Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung is located in Hattenheim in the wine-growing region Rheingau.
More than 500 Rieslings from nine countries – Australia, New Zealand, USA, Germany, France, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic and, for the first time, China – were judged at this year’s Challenge which was held at the historic Albert Hall in Canberra during the week.
This is the largest annual collection of Riesling put together in the Southern Hemisphere.
The outstanding collection of wines in this year’s Challenge were recognised for their excellence in Riesling production.
Under the guidance of Chairman of Judges Cameron Douglas MS, seven Judges from Australia, the UK and China and three Associate Judges, have tasted the 503 wines over four days to find the best wines across a number of styles. Judging resulted in 57 Gold Medals, 104 Silver Medals and 184 Bronze Medals.
Mr Douglas, a Master Sommelier, experienced wine writer, commentator, judge, reviewer, presenter and consultant from New Zealand, said the awards feature wines from a range of countries, and from small family owned winegrowers to large commercial operators.
“The 2019 Canberra International Riesling Challenge remains the largest and most exacting in the Southern Hemisphere. With over 500 entries from over 200 producers, it is a serious competition that showcases many fine examples. The future of the competition is assured with solid numbers of medals awarded across the classes – providing producers, winemakers, sommeliers, restaurateurs and international wine retailers an opportunity to explore and discover some of these great wines,” he said.
The trophy for the Best Riesling from the Canberra District was won by the Hunter Valley’s Brokenwood Wines with its 2019 Brokenwood Four Winds Vineyard Riesling which is made with grapes sourced from Canberra District’s Four Winds Vineyard. Chairman of the Canberra International Riesling Challenge, James Service AM, said this reflects the very high quality grapes grown in the Canberra district and the recognition of the district as a premium Riesling region.
“An increasing number of wineries from outside the area are seeking to source our fruit to make outstanding Rieslings,” Mr Service said.
A good contingent of Canadian Rieslings was entered with a very successful outcome, winning one of the three key style trophies and five out of seven wines entered winning medals.
Angus Wardlaw from Brothers at War in SA received the Shaw Vineyard Estate Encouragement Award for up and coming Riesling Winemakers.
