Marc Scalzo and Sophie De Bortoli from DeBortoli Wines with just some of their trophies – De Bortoli won eight trophies in total.
The 2022 PHI Pinot Noir was awarded Best Wine of Show at an awards ceremony for the Victorian Wine Show held at Mitchelton Winery near Nagambie. The wine, which is made by De Bortoli Wines and is sourced from the Lusatia Park Vineyard in the Yarra Valley, narrowly beat the 2021 The Paringa Chardonnay by Mornington Peninsula’s Paringa Estate by just one vote.
The Paringa Estate wine was awarded the trophy for Best White Wine of Show in 2023, having won the same trophy last year as well as the trophy for Best Wine of Show.
According to chief judge Simon Osicka, the closeness of the results shows both the quality and diversity of wines being made by Victorian wine producers.
The 2022 Devils Baie Syrah+, also from the Mornington Peninsula, won the trophy for Best Shiraz in Show and was a close contender for the major trophy.
De Bortoli Wines won the Colin J Richardson Trophy for the most successful exhibitor having won 10 gold, 8 silver and 23 bronze medals at the wine show.
Santolin Wines from the Yarra Valley took out the trophy for Best Small Producer which is awarded to an exhibitor producing less than 100 tonnes. Santolin were awarded 2 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals which gave them a 100% strike rate for medals against its number of entries.
Osicka noted the increasing quality and importance of new varieties and the excitement this was bringing to both producers and consumers. Varieties such as Tempranillo and Sangiovese are being embraced by both winemakers and local wine lovers alike, and the show is seeing improving quality year on year.
In a new class for white Rhone varieties, the 2018 Tahbilk Marsanne took top gold and ended up winning the trophy for best Rhone variety or blend. In the same class a Picpoul from Humis Wines in Heathcote was awarded a gold medal, highlighting the strides being made by new varieties.
As further proof of the excitement in this space, the Rutherglen Estate 2022 Sangiovese was awarded two trophies, the trophy for Best Italian Variety as well as the inaugural International Judge’s Trophy.
Takuya Kusuda, one of the leading authorities on wine in Japan, joined the judges at the Victorian Wine Show for a second year. In selecting the Sangiovese for the International Judge’s Trophy, he said he was considering quality but also a wine he would like to take back to his homeland as representative of “what is great about wine from Australia”.
By winning this award the Rutherglen Estates Sangiovese will feature in a Japanese trade tasting as part of a Global Victoria Initiative to promote the quality of Victorian wines in export markets.
See below for full trophy results. For further information please contact the director of the
Victorian Wine Show, Tobias Ansted.
OzPak Trophy for Best Sparkling Wine – Brown Brothers 2017 Patricia Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut
Laffort Trophy for Best Rosé – De Bortoli 2023 Rose Rosé
Orora Trophy for Best Riesling – Fowles Wines 2022 Stone Dwellers Riesling
Cooperagres 1912 Trophy for Best Chardonnay – Paringa Estate 2021 The Paringa Chardonnay
Enartis Trophy for Best Other White – Brown Brothers 2019 Patricia Noble Riesling
Classic Oak Trophy for Best Pinot Noir – PHI 2022 Pinot Noir
Winequip Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon – Lake Cooper Estate 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Seymour A&P Trophy for Best Shiraz – Devil’s Baie 2022 Syrah+
MCC Labels Trophy for Best Italian Varietal or Blend – Rutherglen Estate 2022 Sangiovese
Valmorbida Family, Don Lewis Memorial Trophy for Best Iberian Varietal or Blend – Farmer & The
Scientist 2022 Single Vineyard Tempranillo
Devil’s Racks Trophy for Best Rhone Varietal or Blend – Tahbilk 2018 Marsanne
Hahn Trophy for Best Other Red – Rutherglen Estate 2022 Durif
Royal Selangor Trophy for Best Museum Wine – Tahbilk 2015 Purbrick Centenary Marsanne
Winemakers of Rutherglen Trophy for Best Fortified Wine – Morris Wines NV Old Premium Rare Topaque
Winequip Trophy for Best White Wine – Paringa Estate 2021 The Paringa Chardonnay
Labelhouse Trophy for Best Red Wine – PHI 2022 Pinot Noir
Vinvicta Trophy for the Grower of the Best Single Vineyard Wine – PHI 2022 Pinot Noir Global
Victoria International Judge’s Award – Rutherglen Estate 2022 Sangiovese
Victorian Wine Show Trophy for Best Small Exhibitor – Santolin Wines
Mitchelton Wines Colin J Richardson Trophy for Most Successful Exhibitor – De Bortoli
Plasdene GlassPak Trophy for Wine of Show – PHI 2022 Pinot Noir
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