By Amy Looker, editor National Liquor News
Boutique Hunter Valley winery Thomas Wines picked up the coveted Iain Riggs Wines of Provenance trophy at the 40th Clear Image Hunter Valley Wine Show.
Held at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, the year’s awards attracted more than 730 entries, resulting in 20 trophies being shared between just nine wineries, along with 54 gold, 131 silver and 249 bronze medals.
Thomas Wines won the highly coveted Iain Riggs Wines of Provenance trophy for its 2004, 2006 and 2014 Braemore Semillon, with winemaker Andrew 'Thommo' Thomas saying he was humbled to receive the award.
“This is the first time it has gone to a single vineyard wine and small producer and I’m very proud and honoured. It’s a special piece of dirt,” Thomas told TheShout.
“The Braemore Semillon is my flagship Semillon and I figured if I kept entering the wines it might get the tick eventually, and it’s very nice to see that wine win this award in its third year of being presented," he said.
"It’s the most sought after award of the show because what it showcases is the wines that don’t necessarily have to be a named or single vineyard wine, it’s about showing that a label has stylistic integrity for the time.”
Other standouts included Tyrrell’s, Pepper Tree Wines and Brokenwood, with the Best Dry White Wine of the Show awarded to Tyrrell’s 2006 Vat 1 Semillon, the trophy for the Best Dry Red Wine of the Show going to Pepper Tree Wines 2011 Tallawanta Grand Reserve Shiraz and Brokenwood being named the Most Successful Exhibitor of Young Wines.
Chair of judges, Jim Chatto, said the judges were extremely impressed by the quality and regionality of the wines.
“With two thirds of our judging panel being visitors, it wasn’t just the local judges impressed with the quality. It seemed that all the judges were equally enamoured with what we are doing here in the Hunter Valley. It’s an exciting era in our long and proud history,” he said.
For the full list of winners, click here.