The 2018 Hunter Valley wine show has just concluded with more than 700 wines tasted over three days of judging. For the record 20 trophies were  awarded, along with 49 gold medals, 77 silver medals and 210 bronze.

And from the judging panel, it was a big thumbs up.

Chair if Judges Sarah Crowe, a former Hunter winemaker herself, was swept away with the quality of the 2017 vintage semillon and shiraz in particular.

“Shiraz from 2017 really stole the hearts of the judges and dominated the medal tally,” she said. 

‘Pristine fruit with flavour intensity has been handled with respect in the winery, and the many beautiful examples meant it was a delight to judge. These wines are youthful and have a very strong future and I expect they will perform well in future shows too. These are the wines collectors should seek out for cellaring.

“The 2017 semillon classes were stunning, the wines showing great purity of fruit with pristine acidity.

“In the museum semillon class, the 2013 vintage was very strong. With five years’ bottle maturation, coupled with the intensity of fruit, they are now hitting their straps and were rewarded accordingly. Having said that, there were also stunning examples of 2009, 2006 and 2005 showing how remarkable a wine style Hunter semillon is.”

This year’s international judge was Hong Kong’s Corinne Mui, senior wine educator at the Asia Wine Service and Education Centre. She was stunned at the quality of wines tasted.

“At this moment, Australian winemakers are making the best wine ever,” she said. “The Shiraz in particular is fragrant and elegant, bursting with vibrant fruit.”

The big winners were Tyrrell’s winery, with seven trophies, and Mount Pleasant with six.

Mt Pleasants 1880 Vines 2017 Old Hill shiraz was the dominant trophy winner (five), although the Tyrrell’s Belford semillon 2013, Stevens semillon 2018 and First Creek Winemakers Reserve Chardonnay 2017 were all multiple winners.

Best Current – Semillon

Classes 1, 23 & 34

Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2018 Stevens Semillon (Entry 23-7)

Best Current and One-Year-Old Chardonnay

Classes 2 9, 25, 26 & 34

First Creek Wines 2017 Winemakers Reserve Chardonnay (Entry 9-22)

Best Verdelho

Classes 3, 10, 27 & 34

Tamburlaine Hunter Valley Reserve 2018 Verdelho (Entry 3-18)

Classes 4, 15, 28 & 34

No Trophy Awarded

Best Two–Year-Old and Older Chardonnay

Classes 14, 26 & 34

Sponsor – Spicers Vineyard Estate

First Creek Wines 2015 Reserve Chardonnay (Entry 14-16)

Best Current and One-Year-Old Shiraz

Classes 6, 11, 29 & 35

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Meerea Park Wines

Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard (Entry 29-26)

Best One-Year-Old Dry Semillon

Classes 8, 24 & 34

Agnew Wines Audrey Wilkinson 2017 Winemakers Selection Semillon (Entry 8-14)

Best Two-Year-Old Shiraz

Classes 16, 30 & 35

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Elliott Family

No Trophy Awarded

Classes 7, 12, 17, 31, & 35

De Iuliis Wines 2017 LDR Vineyard Shiraz Touriga Nacional (Entry 31-2)

Best Mature Three-Year-Old and Older Shiraz

Classes 16, 30 & 35

Sponsor – Adhesif Labels

No trophy awarded

Best Mature Two-Year–Old and older Semillon

Classes 13,24 & 34

Roll of Honour Sponsor - McGuigan Family

Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 24-39)

Best Sweet White Wine

Class 18

No Trophy Awarded

Class 19

No Trophy Awarded

Best Fortified Wine

Class 20

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Drayton Family Wines

Drayton’s Family Wines NV Heritage Vines Liqueur Verdelho (Entry 20-2)

Best Museum Red Wine

Class 22

Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2007 Stevens Shiraz (Entry 22-16)

2018 Clear Image Hunter Valley Wine Show

Trophy Winners

3

Best Museum White

Class 21

Mount Pleasant 2009 Lovedale Semillon (Entry 21-4)

Best Rosé

Class 21

No Trophy Awarded

Best Shiraz

Class 21 is ineligible for judging in this category

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Tulloch Wines

Trophy Sponsor – Hahn Corporation

Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard (Entry 9-26)

Class 35

No Trophy Awarded

Best Semillon

Class 22 is ineligible for judging in this category

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Mount Pleasant Wines

Tyrrell’s Vineyard Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 24-39)

Best Chardonnay

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd &

Trophy Sponsor – Multi- Color Global Label Solutions

First Creek Wines 2017 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay (Entry 9-22)

Best Named Vineyard Red Wine

Classes 29, 30 & 31

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Drayton’s Family Wines

Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard (Entry 29-26)

Best Named Vineyard White Wine

Classes 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd

Tyrrell’s Vineyard Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 24-39)

Best Named Vineyard Wine

Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard (Entry 29-26)

Best White Wine of the Show

Class 22 &33 are ineligible for judging in this category

Sponsor – Clear Image

Tyrrell’s Vineyard Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 24-39)

Best Red Wine of the Show

Class 21 & 32 are ineligible for judging in this category

Sponsor – Clear Image

Puncheon supplied by Mercurey Australia

Mount Pleasant 1880 Vines 2017 Shiraz Old Hill Vineyard (Entry 29-26)

Provenance

Classes 32 & 33

Tyrrell’s Vineyards Stevens Semillon - 2004, 2011, 2018