By Amy Looker
The results of the Vintage Cellars National Wine Show of Australia were announced last night (Nov 19) at a gala dinner in Canberra.
Penfold’s 2008 Reserve Bin 08A Chardonnay was named as the ‘Best Table Wine of the Show’, and the Sandalford Wines’ 2008 Margaret River Range Shiraz as ‘Best Dry Red Table Wine’.
Widely recognised as Australia’s most prestigious wine show, all entries to the show are only eligible to be submitted if they have previously won a trophy or medal at a capital city or approved regional wine show, making the competition a battle between the best of the best.
UK guest judge, Matthew Jukes, said the quality of entries in this year’s show was truly outstanding.
"The standard of the wines is absolutely epic – it’s the best show in Australia and therefore the best wine show in the world," Jukes said. "We’ve just finished doing the trophy judging and the wines that have got up are absolutely outstanding, truly, truly world class."
Judging took place over four days with a panel of 21 judges, chaired by Australia’s Tom Carson and including 10 Australian judges, two international judges and nine associate judges, tasting a total 1280 entries to select the 24 trophy winners.
2009 Trophy Winners
The Australian Leadership Innovation Centre Trophy
Best Dry White Table Wine – Commercial Classes
Serafino Wines 2008 Reserve Chardonnay
The A & G Industries Trophy
Best Dry White Table Wine – Current Vintage (2009)
Pooles Rock Wines 2009 Semillon
The Wine Society Trophy
Best Dry White Table Wine – Riesling, Premium Classes
Won by Knappstein 2009 Hand Picked Riesling
The ACTEW Trophy
Best Dry White Table Wine – Sauvignon blanc, Premium Classes
Vavasour 2008 Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc (NZ)
The VINTEC TRANSTHERM Trophy
Best Dry White Table Wine – Semillon, Premium Classes
Tyrrell’s 2005 Belford Semillon
The Oakton Trophy
Best Dry White Table Wine – Chardonnay, Premium Classes
Penfolds Wines 2008 Reserve Bin 08A Chardonnay
The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society Trophy
Best Sweet White Wine
De Bortoli 2006 Deen De Bortoli Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon
The Kit Stevens Memorial Trophy (presented by Samuel Smith & Son)
Best Bottle Fermented Sparkling White Wine
Brown Brothers Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Meunier
The Yellow Edge Trophy
Best Dry Red Table Wine – Commercial Classes
2008 Catching Thieves Cabernet Merlot
The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society Trophy
Best Dry Red Table Wine – 2008 Vintage
Sandalford Wines 2008 Margaret River Range Shiraz
The Riedel Trophy
Best Dry Red Table Wine – Pinot noir, Premium Classes
Nautilus Estate 2008 Marlborough Pinot Noir (NZ)
The Fujitsu Australia Trophy
Best Dry Red Table Wine – Shiraz, Premium Classes
Sandalford Wines 2008 Margaret River Range Shiraz
The Canberra Times Trophy
Best Dry Red Table Wine – Cabernet Sauvignon, Premium Classes
Xanadu Wines 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society Trophy
Best Dry Red Table Wine – Other Varieties and Blends, Premium Classes
Evans and Tate 2007 Margaret River Cabernet Merlot
The Negociants Australia Trophy
Best Table Wine – Museum Classes
Mount Langi Ghiran 2004 Langi Shiraz
The Exhibition Park Corporation Trophy
Best Fortified Wine
Morris Wines Liqueur Muscat
The Corti Brothers Trophy
The Semillon Trophy – 2007 and older vintages
Tyrrell’s 2004 Belford Semillon
The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society Trophy
The Chardonnay Trophy – 2007 and older vintages
Penfolds 2006 Reserve Bin 06A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay
The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society Trophy
The Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy – 2007 and older vintages
Ringbolt 2007 Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon
The Australian Wine Archives Trophy
The Shiraz Trophy – 2007 and older vintages
Mount Langi Ghiran 2006 Langi Shiraz
The J McCarthy & Co Trophy
Best Dry White Table Wine
Penfolds 2008 Reserve Bin 08A Chardonnay
The Vintage Cellars Trophy
Best White Table Wine
Penfolds 2008 Reserve Bin 08A Chardonnay
The Vintage Cellars Trophy
Best Dry Red Table Wine
Sandalford 2008 Margaret River Range Shiraz
The Len Evans Memorial Trophy
Supported by Vintage Cellars
Best Table Wine of the Show
Penfolds 2008 Reserve Bin 08A Chardonnay