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The Yarra Valley Wine Show is an exciting event for the regions winemakers, and this year was no exception, producing quality results.

At the Wine Show Trophy Presentation Lunch on September 22, Chair of Judges Philip Rich, remarked that “One of the highlights from this year’s show was the overall quality of the Cabernet classes and Shiraz.  In my three years as chair, there has never been more gold medal wines in these classes”.

Champion Wine of Show for 2017 was awarded to Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016, which also won Best Single Vineyard Red Wine and Best Red Wine in Show.  A. Rodda Wines Willowlake Chardonnay 2016 won the Best Chardonnay Trophy, Single Vineyard White Wine and the Best White Wine in Show.

Vineyard of the year went to HandPicked Wines’ Highbow Hill Vineyard in Yarra Glen and Oakridge Wines won the Most Successful Exhibitor award.  This inductees for 2017 to the Yarra Valley Wine Growers Hall of Fame were Ian and June Marks of Gembrook Hill.

The full list of trophies is below:

1. Best Sparkling – Classes 1 RACV Healesville Country Club –Coldstream Hills, Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir Chardonnay Sparkling 2013
2. Best Other Single White Varieties & blends – Class 3 St Huberts, St Huberts Roussanne 2015
3. Best Chardonnay – Class 4 Barrique Wine Store Benchmark Chardonnay Dozen and The Wine Service Guild of Australia Perpetual Trophy. Won by: A. Rodda Wines, A. Rodda Wines Willowlake Vineyard Chardonnay 2016
4. Best Rosé – Class 6 Blue H20 Filtration Trophy and Mixed Dozen. Won by: Wupy Do Wines, WupyDo Wines Rose Pinot Noir 2017
5. Best Pinot Noir – Class 7 Chêne Australasia Trophy and Taransaud Barrique. Won by: Giant Steps, Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
6. Best Cabernet Sauvignon – Class 8 Midland Insurance Brokers Perpetual Trophy & Benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon dozen. Won by: Rob Dolan Wines, Rob Dolan White Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
7. Best Bordeaux Varieties & their blends – Class 9 Graphix Labels Trophy Won by: Yeringberg, Yeringberg Cabernet Blend 2015
8. Best Shiraz and Shiraz dominant blends – Class 10 The Laffort Trophy & Benchmark Shiraz dozen. Won by: Rob Dolan Wines, Rob Dolan White Label Shiraz 2016
9. Best Other Single Red Varieties & blends – Class 11 RNG Lawyers Trophy & Benchmark Red dozen. Won by: Yarra Yering, Yarra Yering Dry Red No.3 2016
10. Best Museum Wine – Classes 12 & 13 Prince Wine Store Trophy & Benchmark dozen and in-store Tasting. Won by: Yering Station, Yering Station Reserve Chardonnay 2012
11. Best Single Vineyard White Wine – Selected from classes 2-5 where nominated Riedel Trophy. Won by: A. Rodda Wines, A. Rodda Wines Willowlake Vineyard Chardonnay 2016
12. Best Single Vineyard Red Wine – Selected from classes 7-11 where nominated Saint Martin Trophy and barrel Won by: Giant Steps, Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
13. Best White Wine in Show – Classes 2-5 Seguin Moreau Trophy and Burgundy Grand Cru Barrique & The LAHS Yeringberg sash. Won by: A. Rodda Wines, A. Rodda Wines Willowlake Vineyard Chardonnay 2016
14. Best Red Wine in Show – Classes 7-11 Classic Oak Trophy and Francois Frere Hand Select Barrique & The LAHS St Hubert’s sash. Won by: Giant Steps, Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
15. Champion Wine of Show – Classes 1-11 Mercurey Australia prize – A handcrafted French oak box containing 6 bottles of rare wines all proudly using Mercurey oak barrels & The LAHS Chateau Yering sash. Won by: Giant Steps, Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
16. Most Successful Exhibitor – Average score over all classes entered (min 6 entries) Healesville Hotel Prize – Won by: Oakridge Wines
17. Vineyard of the Year E.E. Muir & Sons Trophy Won by: Handpicked Vineyards Yarra Glen, Highbow Hill Vineyard