Coles Liquor garnered global acclaim at the 2025 London Wine Competition, taking out the award for Retailer of the Year and twelve medals for its own label wines.
The prestigious competition judges wines from around the world on their quality, value and packaging, recognising and celebrating the wines that consumers would want to buy. While Coles Liquor was named Retailer of the Year, it also swept the Own Label categories.
Four of the Own Label category wins were secured by Beyond the Wilderness Riesling, which received 97 points and a gold medal. The Riesling also collected the award for Best Own Label Range of the Year, Best Own Label by Quality, Best Own Label White and Best Own Label of the Year.
Other wines in Coles’ own label range collected awards for Best Own Label Rosé and Best Own Label Sparkling.
Coles Liquor General Manager of Commercial Jon Haggett described the wins as an exciting milestone for the business and a credit to its partnerships with outstanding producers.
“We’re thrilled to be recognised as Retailer of the Year at the London Wine Competition — this is a significant moment for our team and our suppliers.
“To win such prestigious global awards, and at such impressive price points, shows just how much value and quality our customers can enjoy every time they shop with us. Our Beyond the Wilderness Reisling in particular has really captured attention with its incredible taste and consistency and at just $25 it’s a showstopper.”
In addition to the category awards, Coles Liquor’s own label wines claimed four gold medals, six silver medals and five bronze medals.
Aussie wines shine on global stage
While Coles Liquor collected its largest-ever awards haul at the 2025 London Wine Competition, Taylors Wines, Peter Lehmann, Tread Softly and Fourth Wave Wines were also recognised on the global stage.
Taylors Wines won Shiraz of the Year for its 2023 Jaraman vintage with Managing Director Mitchell Taylor telling National Liquor News that global recognition of Australian Shiraz is great for the industry.
“These international award programs provide a chance for us to benchmark our wines with examples from across the globe and to come out on top like this is truly wonderful and humbling,” he said.
“The judges have recognised our wine as an exceptional example of shiraz and awarded it a 96-point score which we are really proud of. The tasting notes provided from the judges highlighted the Jaraman Shiraz’s lively acidity, generous flavour and great structure.”
Peter Lehmann took out Wine of the Year for Australia with its Masters Wigan Riesling, bottled in 2019.
Peter Lehmann winemaker, Brett Schutz, told National Liquor News that awards and strong ratings validate the team’s passion and love for winemaking.
“We take great pride in the remarkable story behind our brand, which resonates with people on an emotional level,” Schutz said.
“Vintage 2019 shaped up to be a challenging one, with below-average yields and dry conditions prevailing throughout the growing season. Temperatures through December and January were two to three degrees Celsius above average but fortunately the night time temperatures were 1.7 degrees lower than average.”
He said it was great that the Riesling stood out among global peers in one of the most demanding tasting rooms in the industry.
“I’m fortunate to work as part of a quality-focused winemaking team dedicated to our brand’s rich heritage, who strive to continue the successes experienced over the years by our forbearers,” Schutz said.
Tread Softly won Non-Alcoholic Wine of the Year for its Everything Except Pinot Noir 2024 and Fourth Waves Wines’ Little Giant The Remarkables 105Yo Vine Barossa Valley Shiraz was also crowned Best Wine of the Year by Package at the show.