Tasmania’s Bream Creek Vineyard has taken out the top honours at the 2025 Royal Queensland Awards (RQA) Wine Competition, claiming three major trophies, including the title of Australia’s best wine and $17,000 in prize money.
The winery’s Pinot Noir 2024 was named the Angelo Puglisi Grand Champion Wine of Show, a title that comes with a $12,000 fellowship. The same wine also picked up the historic Stodart Trophy for Best Red Table Wine of Show and the Dr Bill Ryan Best Pinot Noir of Show, which includes a $5000 bursary.
RQA Wine Competition Chief Judge Julian Langworthy praised the winning wine, calling it “a wine for the ages and one the Australian wine industry should be very proud of.”
“It has great clarity and beautiful complexity – it just rose to the top in the most beautiful way during judging,” he said.
Bream Creek Vineyard General Manager Rafe Nottage said the win was a testament to the team behind the wine.
“These awards build on our Royal Queensland Awards Best Pinot Noir of Show trophy from last year and reflect the premium cool climate wines that Tasmania is renowned for,” he said.
“Our 2024 pinot was shaped by a warmer-than-usual growing season – well, warmer for Tasmania – with the dark berry fruits, subtle spice and excellent tannin structure meaning the wine can be enjoyed now, but also confidently cellared.”
Two new awards were also introduced this year. The inaugural Best Organic or Biodynamic Wine of Show was awarded to Tamburlaine Organic Wines for its Reserve Malbec 2024, while Brown Family Wine Group won Best Low Alcohol or Dealcoholised Beverage of Show for its Brown Brothers Moscato Zero.
In the Queensland-specific awards, Ballandean-based Golden Grove Estate was awarded The Star Entertainment Group Best Queensland Wine of Show for its 2024 Nero D’Avola. View Wine’s Brad Allan received The Star Emerging Queensland Winemaker of the Year.
This year’s competition saw 1,211 entries from 185 wineries across the country, judged over four days by a panel of 26 leading winemakers and sommeliers.
Langworthy said the standard of entries was particularly strong in the Pinot Noir category.
“Australian pinot is improving exponentially year on year, and those classes were outstanding – we could have easily brought back 12 different Pinots to be judged for Grand Champion.”
2025 TROPHY AND PRIZE WINNERS
THE ANGELO PUGLISI GRAND CHAMPION TROPHY(Australia’s best wine)
Bream Creek Vineyard – Pinot Noir 2024
THE MALDWYN AND IAN DAVIES BEST SPARKLING WINE OF SHOW
Printhie Wines – Swift 2016 Vintage
BEST WHITE TABLE WINE TROPHY
Stella Bella – Suckfizzle Chardonnay 2024
THE STODART TROPHY FOR BEST RED TABLE WINE
Bream Creek Vineyard – Pinot Noir 2024
BEST FORTIFIED WINE TROPHY
Morris Wines – Cellar Reserve Grand Topaque
THE STAR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP BEST QUEENSLAND WINE TROPHY
Golden Grove Estate – Nero D’Avola 2024
THE STAR EMERGING QUEENSLAND WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR
Brad Allan – View Wine by Sancerre Estate
BEST RIESLING TROPHY
Pinnacle Drinks – Mockingbird Hill Dr JWD Bain Clare Valley Riesling 2024
BEST SEMILLON TROPHY
Brokenwood Wines – ILR Reserve Semillon 2019
BEST SAUVIGNON BLANC TROPHY
House of Cards – ‘Three Card Monte’ Sauvignon Blanc 2025
BEST PINOT GRIS/GRIGIO TROPHY
Hahndorf Hill Winery – Pinot Grigio 2025
THE FLEMING TROPHY FOR BEST CHARDONNAY
Stella Bella – Suckfizzle Chardonnay 2024
BEST WHITE VARIETAL TROPHY
Artwine Pty Ltd – Ti Amo Arneis 2025
BEST WHITE BLEND TROPHY
Stella Bella – Suckfizzle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2023
THE DR BILL RYAN TROPHY FOR BEST PINOT NOIR OF SHOW
Bream Creek Vineyard – Pinot Noir 2024
BEST GRENACHE TROPHY SUPPORTED BY KING STREET
Yalumba Wines – Vat-11 Grenache 2024
BEST GRENACHE BLEND TROPHY
St Hugo Wines – Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro 2024
BEST SANGIOVESE, MONTEPULCIANO, NERO DÁVOLA, BARBERA, DOLCETTO, NEBBIOLO OR BLEND TROPHY
Marnong Wines – Single Vineyard Sangiovese 2024
WINE GUILD OF AUSTRALIAN INC (QUEENSLAND) TROPHY FOR BEST SHIRAZ
Jim Barry Wines – Barry Brothers 2022
BEST SHIRAZ BLEND TROPHY
Hamelin Bay Wines – Rampant Red 2023
THE ALAN COOK MBE TROPHY FOR BEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON TROPHY
Credaro Family Wines – 1000 Crowns Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
LIQUOR MERCHANTS OF AUSTRALIA LTD TROPHY FOR BEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON BLEND
Hamelin Bay Wines – Cabernet Malbec 2023
BEST RED VARIETAL TROPHY
Meditrina Beverages Pty Ltd – Coonawarra Cabernet Franc 2024
BEST RED BLEND TROPHY
De Bortoli Wines – Ancient Soils Tempranillo Touriga 2024
BEST SWEET WHITE WINE TROPHY
De Bortoli Wines – Noble One 2022
BEST ROSE TROPHY
Yering Station – Village Rose 2025
BEST SMALL BATCH TROPHY SUPPORTED BY WINE FRIENDS
Golden Grove Estate – Sangiovese 2024
BEST ORGANIC OR BIODYNAMIC WINE TROPHY
Tamburlaine Organic Wines – Reserve Malbec 2024
BEST LOW ALCOHOL OR DEALCOHOLISED BEVERAGE PRIZE
Brown Family Wine Group – Brown Brothers Moscato Zero
BEST VALUE WHITE WINE PRIZE
Duxton Vineyards – Rewild Fiano 2025
BEST VALUE RED WINE PRIZE
Tumblong Hills (Tumblong Estates Pty Limited) – Table of Plenty Nero d’Avola 2023