Melbourne Royal Wine Awards 2024 Winners

When a small family wine producer from Canberra scooped the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy at today’s Melbourne Royal Wine Awards, it instantly became Australia’s most sought-after wine.

Even the chairman of the jury, Melanie Chester, was surprised by the result.

“I had never heard of this wine brand before,” Chester said. “Then you Google them (after the judging process) and say, ‘What an amazing story.’ It’s a humble second generation family business based in the ACT and the wine is simply superb.”

That honor went to Four Winds Vineyard 2023 Shiraz, produced north of Canberra by winegrowers Sarah and John Collingwood.

The wine won several major prizes at the launch dinner held at the Melbourne Showgrounds, including the Trevor Mast Prize for Best Shiraz, the Douglas Seabrook Prize for Best Vineyard Wine and the Category Prize for Best NSW/ACT Shiraz.

“It’s an absolute dream to have a ‘wine of discovery’ win the Jimmy Watson Award,” Chester said. “You get especially excited when something happens that you’ve never heard of before. This is a wonderful wine, it amazed me; Bluefruited, with incredible gravelly tannins and in terms of brightness, it is in a wonderful space. It’s well grown rather than just well made.”

The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for Best Young Red is a big deal. The award for the best one or two year old dry red wine is perhaps the most coveted award in the country.

Past winners include Lowestoft and Home Hill in Tasmania, Hentley Farm and Bleasdale Vineyards in South Australia, Victoria’s Fallen Giants, Lake Yabbie and Great Western Besta, and Xanadu Estate and Deep Woods in Western Australia.

Established in 1883, the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards attract approximately 2,500 entries each year from more than 400 wineries across the country. The judges include leading Australian winemakers, wine journalists, wine buyers, distributors and fine wine retailers.

Chester, who heads winemaking and vineyards at Giant Steps in the Yarra Valley, was pleased to see unfamiliar brands among the best.

“My favorite thing about this year’s results is that while the classics we know and love such as Tolpuddle, Xanadu and Home Hill continue to produce great wines, there are also new discoveries, varietals, regions and producers in the mix , such as Four Winds. , Tripe Iscariot, and Merritt’s Wine.”

The Prime Minister’s Prize for Best Victorian Wine went to Oakridge, who won Best Victorian Chardonnay for the 2022 Oakridge 864 Henk Aqueduct Chardonnay.

“This is a Chardonnay with meat on the bones and strength, not just acidity,” Chester said.

This year marks the end of Chester’s three-year tenure as chairman of the jury and 12 years of participation in the wine exhibition.

“I’m 35 years old and I started out as a steward,” she said. “For a third of my life I have been visiting the Melbourne Showground in the second week of October to judge a wine show. This is one of the best wine shows in Australia and I’m delighted for all the exhibitors who made some truly delicious wine, especially the smaller producers and edgier producers who won prizes this year.”

Five Australian wines you should definitely try right now

Four Winds Vineyard 2023 Shiraz, ACT, $79

Take a bow. This gorgeous little family is bringing Marrumbatman some well-deserved attention. This is a blow to beautifully grown and made Shiraz. Act fast: with Jimmy Watson under his belt, it will quickly be snapped up by collectors. fourwindsvineyard.com.au

Glenlofty Estate 2023, Marsanne-Roussanne Estate Reserve, Pyrenees, Vic, US$40

A beautiful, crisp white blend. Imagine white pear paired with a splash of lemon with a hint of delicious saltiness that leaves your mouth watering and your brain screaming for food. A colorful dinner party that won’t break the bank. glenloftywines.com.au

Tripe Iscariot Kroos Chenin Blanc 2023 Margaret River WA $42.

Killer wine. Numerous Chenin Blancs were showcased at this year’s Melbourne Royal Wine Awards and their crisp, textural beauty wowed them all. Made by Margaret River based winemaker Remy Guise, originally from South Africa – a small producer to keep an eye on. tripeiscariot.com

Merritt Wines 2023 Wilyabrup Cabernet Franc, Margaret River, WA, $45.

Pause for a moment and take a deep breath. This perfume stunner is incredibly aromatic, beautiful and hedonistic at the same time. Kudos to small batch, low intervention producer Nick Merritt for setting the bar high for Taxi Francs. Outstanding. winesofmerritt.com.au

Kirrihill Wines Clare Regional Series 2023, Clare Valley, SA, $19.
So accessible it’s almost criminal. This award-winning Rizza screams value. In summer, this is a bright and stunning addition to the dinner table, especially if seafood is on the menu. kirrihill.com.au