2015 Hunter Valley Wine Show Results

The judges of the Clear Image Hunter Valley Wine Show have agreed that the 2014 Hunter Shiraz vintage is one of the region’s best.

More than 50% of the 2014 Hunter shiraz wines entered into the 2015 Show have been awarded medals.

Show President Tim Murray, said it was an outstanding result for the Hunter. “The 2014 vintage promised a great deal – and it did not disappoint.

“The current 2015 Semillon was hotly contested by many of the region’s great winemakers while the longevity and quality of the variety was validated again with the ‘White of Show’ being awarded to a 2006 vintage which is out of this world,” Mr Murray said.

Mr Murray also commended the work of incoming Chairman of Judges PJ Charteris who with a panel of 21 international, national, local and trainee judges put more than 730 locally grown and made wines through a complex judging system.

“Mr Charteris assembled an impressive group that included the Chairs of the Perth, Sydney, Cowra and National wine shows together with international Wine detective, Sarah Ahmed,” he said.

In total 69 gold, 120 silver and 208 bronze medals as well as 23 Trophies were awarded as part of the Celebrations Luncheon held at Cypress Lakes on Friday 21 August 2015.

On the Show results Mr Charteris said that as expected wines entered were of the highest calibre and in line with expectations around good quality harvests in 2013/14 for reds and then 2015 for whites. "Lots of brightness, fine acidity, fruit lift that has produced classic Hunter white styles. The Shriaz classes of entry were tremendous and have set new levels of benchmark for the Hunter," he said.

This year, the judging panel also included Peter Nixon of Dan Murphy's Wine Panel who said that it was a terrific opportunity to visit Australia's slickest regional wine show.

“The organisation, selection of judges, comradery, dedication and sheer love of craft were simply inspiring and provided genuine insight into one of Australia’s greatest wine making regions. As one of the country’s oldest and most advanced winemaking areas, the Hunter has long produced unique and outstanding regional wines.

“Hunter Valley Semillon is one of the most drinkable and cellar-worthy white wine styles on the planet. Hunter Valley Chardonnay is increasingly sophisticated, with many winemakers showing great skill in producing modern, elegant expressions. In terms of the other great regional style Hunter Valley Shiraz, this could be Australia's finest example of medium-bodied Shiraz, a style becoming ever more popular with our customers. I will be putting at least a dozen of those 2014 in my personal cellar when released, but in the meantime I look forward to drinking more of the stellar 2011 vintage.

“In summary, the show was a great opportunity for brand Hunter Valley. A region that is not only worthy of its place in Australian wine history, but is confidently forging a place in its future. ” Mr Nixon said.

The Hunter Valley Wine Show is made possible because of the generous support of CCL Label Clear Image, which for the past eight years has been the major partner.

CCL is joined by Atkinson Vinden Lawyers, Commonwealth Bank, Spicers Vineyards, Vincor Worldwide Direct, Adhesif Labels, Pokolbin Vineyard Estate, Collotype Labels, Global Packaging Australia, The Vintage Golf Club, First Creek Wines, Jennings Print, Jurd’s Real Estate, Kirkwood Produce Co Pty Ltd, Newcastle Herald, O’Connor Harvesting Co, Rover Wine Country Coaches, Singleton Council, Mercurey Australia, Drayton’s Family Wines, Elliott Family, Meerea Park Wines, Robyn Drayton Wines, Tulloch Wines, McGuigan Family Wines and Tyrrell’s Vineyards.

For information: Show President Tim Murray 0415 459 033

For a FULL LISTING INCLUDING TROPHY WINNERS, PLEASE CLICK HERE

2015 Clear Image Hunter Valley Wine Show Trophy Winners

 

Marshall - Flannery Trophy - Best Current Semillon

First Creek Wines 2015 Premium Semillon

 

George Wyndham Memorial Trophy - Best Current and One-Year-Old Chardonnay

Sponsor – Singleton Council

First Creek Wines 2014 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay

 

J.Y. (Jay) Tulloch Trophy - Best Verdelho

Briar Ridge Vineyard 2015 The Dam Verdelho

 

Best Other White Trophy

Bimbadgen Estate 2015 Vermentino

 

Henry John Lindeman Memorial Trophy - Best Two Year-Old and Older Chardonnay

Sponsor – Spicers Vineyard Estate

Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2013 Belford Chardonnay

 

Alexander Munro Memorial Trophy - Best Current and One-Year-Old Shiraz

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Meerea Park Wines

Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz

 

Ed Jouault Memorial Trophy - Best One-Year-Old Dry Semillon - Classes 8, 24 & 34

Sponsor – Vinocor Worldwide Direct

Brokenwood Wines 2014 Trevena Vineyard Semillon (Entry 24-18)

 

Elliott Family Trophy - Best Two-Year-Old Shiraz

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Elliott Family

Briar Ridge Vineyard 2013 Dairy Hill Single Vineyard Shiraz

 

Best Other Red Trophy

Agnew Wines Audrey Wilkinson 2014 Winemaker’s Tempranillo

 

James Busby Memorial Trophy - Best Mature Three-Year-Old and Older Shiraz

Sponsor – Adhesif Labels

Pepper Tree Wines 2011 Tallawanta Single Vineyard Shiraz

 

McGuigan Family Trophy -Best Mature Two-Year–Old and older Semillon

Roll of Honour Sponsor - McGuigan Family

Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2006 Vat 1 Semillon

 

John Lewis Newcastle Herald Trophy - Best Museum Red

Sponsor – Newcastle Herald

Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2007 Stevens Shiraz

 

Graham Gregory Memorial Trophy - Best Museum White

Sponsor – Pokolbin General Store

Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2005 Belford Semillon (Entry 21-25)

 

Hector Tulloch Memorial Trophy - Best Shiraz

Sponsor – Tulloch Wines

Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz (Entry 29-27)

 

Innovative Red Wine Trophy

Margan Family Wines 2014 Breaking Ground Shiraz Mourvedre

 

Maurice O’Shea Memorial Trophy - Best Semillon

Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2006 Vat 1 Semillon

 

Murray Tyrrell Chardonnay Trophy - Best Chardonnay

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd & Trophy Sponsor - Collotype Labels

First Creek Wines 2014 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay (Entry 9-6)

 

Drayton Family Trophy - Best Named Vineyard Red Wine

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Drayton’s Family Wines

Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz

 

Tyrrell Family Trophy - Best Named Vineyard White Wine

Roll of Honour Sponsor – Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd

McLeish Estate 2007 Semillon

 

Len Evans Trophy - Best Named Vineyard Wine

Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz

 

Petrie-Drinan Trophy - Best White Wine of the Show

Sponsor – Clear Image

Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2006 Vat 1 Semillon (Entry 13-52)

 

Doug Seabrook Memorial Trophy - Best Red Wine of the Show

Sponsor – Clear Image, Puncheon supplied by Mercurey Australia

Brokenwood Wines 2014 Graveyard Shiraz (Entry 29-27)

 

Iain Riggs Wine of Provenance

Tyrrell’s Vineyards Johnno’s Shiraz - 2004, 2009, 2013

 

2015 Hunter Valley Wine Show - Overview

 

Key facts

• The Hunter Valley Wine first hosted a wine show in 1848, one of the first wine shows to in Australia. The Hunter Valley Wine Show (Show) has been held continuously since 1974.

• The HVWS is one of the leading wine shows in Australia.

• The HVWS attracts the highest calibre of Australian and International judges and continues to be an innovative, progressive show.

• The show maintains its position as the pre-eminent regional wine show through the use of Riedel glasses and a rigorous auditing system.

• In 2015 there are 730 wine entries from 69 exhibitors to be judged in 35 different classes.