By Annette Shailer
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Chardonnay is the only Australian wine to have won a gold medal at this year’s prestigious Chardonnay Du Monde competition in France.
The 2007 McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Chardonnay was also listed in the show’s 2009 Top 10 Best Wines list, according to results announced this morning.
The competition received 923 entries from 37 countries, with judges drawn from across France and the rest of the world.
Since 1981, McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate wines have collectively been awarded more than 78 medals, including 21 trophies and 78 gold medals.
McWilliam’s wine production director, Jim Brayne, attributed the wine’s success to its consistency, quality and cooler climate fruit.
“Year in, year out, we are committed to over delivering on the style of McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Chardonnay and the most important part of achieving this is sourcing the best fruit,” he said.
“It’s this cooler component that provides the elegance, refinement and balance to the wine. If you’re making benchmark varietal wines, it’s integral that you go to the regions that are renowned for being the best at producing that varietal.”