The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW has announced the winners of the 2025 Sydney Royal Wine Show, with Abbey Vale Wines’ 2023 Abbey Vale Premium RSV Cabernet Sauvignon awarded the Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy for Best Wine of Show.
Chair of Judges, Mike De Iuliis said the show winning wine’s RRP being $27 reflects the fact that Australian wineries are producing world-class wines for every budget.
“The 2025 Sydney Royal Wine Show results were a testament to the incredible variety of outstanding wines that are on offer to consumers right now, whether you are looking for something to drink tonight or that special bottle that will reward you after years in the cellar,” he said.
“Just look for that Sydney Royal medal and you’ll know that what you are getting is the best of the best and has undergone rigorous assessment.”
More than 1500 wines were judged this year, with 103 gold medals awarded across five states and 23 regions.
The Albert Chan Memorial Prize for Best White went to the 2023 Evans & Tate Ellens Estate Chardonnay, marking the third consecutive year that an Evans & Tate Chardonnay has taken out the award. Chardonnay proved to be the standout varietal of 2025, winning more gold medals than any other category.
South Australia led the medal tally overall, closely followed by Western Australia, though Margaret River emerged as the most decorated single region, winning almost half of this year’s trophies.
“It was great to see the major awards being spread across the different Australian regions, showcasing the depth and diversity of wine quality throughout the country. The healthy competition between these areas continues to elevate standards and drive excellence,” said De Iuliis.
“Some regions continue to demonstrate their strength in key varietals. The Hunter Valley’s renowned Semillons were once again a standout in their category, while South Australia dominated Grenache with an impressive eight gold medals.
“A particularly exciting area of this year’s Show were the ‘red blend’ classes, where we’re seeing some fantastic new blends being made with purpose and precision. It’s a dynamic area of the Australian wine market at the moment, and we’re seeing a rise of new and innovative players.”
There were also awards that showed there are excellent wines coming from some newer winemakers, with Orange producer Byrne Farm, which planted its first vineyard block in 2020, winning the Arthur Kelman Perpetual Trophy for Best Shiraz Dominant Blend.
Other notable results included De Bortoli Wines, Jim Barry Wines and Stella Bella, which each secured trophies for two wines. De Bortoli won in the Other Red Varietal and Other Red Blend categories with its Sangiovese and Tempranillo Touriga, while Stella Bella took Best White Blend and Best Rosé. Jim Barry Wines was awarded Best Shiraz and Best Value Wine for its Riesling.
Three wineries collected three trophies each: Evans & Tate’s 2023 Ellens Estate Chardonnay, Tyrrell’s Vineyards’ 2013 Vat 1 Semillon, and Abbey Vale Wines’ 2023 Premium RSV Cabernet Sauvignon.
“We were extremely happy with the standard of wines showcased this year. We awarded 1067 medals, which means that approximately two-thirds of entries received a medal of some colour,” said De Iuliis.
“It’s a strong reflection of the industry’s momentum as we look ahead to next year and the milestone celebration of 200 years of the Sydney Royal Wine Show in 2026.”