By Amy Looker
The trophy-winners of the Royal Melbourne Wine Show were announced at a gala dinner last night (Oct 21), with a little-known Western Australian winery taking out the coveted Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy.
Harvey River Bridge Estate took home the Jimmy Watson for its 2009 Joseph River Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, catapulting the wine and its producers onto the world’s wine stage.
Penfolds was awarded the Francois De Castella Trophy for the Best Young White for the second year in a row for its 2009 Penfolds Reserve Bin A Chardonnay, which also won the Dan Murphy’s Trophy for Best Chardonnay.
Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula was a winner, producing two of the four major trophy winners.
The Douglas Seabrook Trophy for the Best Single Vineyard Wine went to Paringa Estate’s 2008 The Paringa Pinot Noir, while the Premier’s Gold Trophy for the Best Victorian Red Wine in Show was won by Foxeys Hangout for the 2009 Foxeys Hangout Shiraz.
This year’s show attracted over 3200 entries and it regarded as one of Australia’s most prestigious.
Chairman of judges, Steve Webber, said the quality of entries was outstanding.
“We saw some impressive chardonnay, riesling and shiraz from cooler climates, as well as balanced and well-made regional styles in a number of varietals. The judging panel was impressed by a continuing lift in the quality of wines from the larger producers,” Webber said.
Click here for a full list of trophy and medal-winners.