When it comes to Australia’s best wine, the shiraz has it, with Victorian winery Yarra Yering’s Underhill Shiraz winning the top award in Australia’s most important wine show, for the second time in four years.
The Yarra Yering 2021 Underhill Shiraz was awarded the Prime Minister’s Trophy for Champion Wine
of Show at the National Wine Show of Australia awards ceremony at the National Press Club in Canberra last night. The 2018 Underhill Shiraz vintage took out the top gong in the National Wine Show in 2019.
Yarra Yering winemaker Sarah Crowe was presented with the award by Minister for Trade and
Tourism, Senator Don Farrell, who said Australian wines are the best in the world. The Minister expressed hope that recent discussions with his Chinese counterpart would see the China market reopen to the Australian wine industry in the foreseeable future.
National Wine Show Chair of Judges Chatto described the winning wine as a perfectly pitched rendition of a great cool-climate shiraz.
“The wine stood out for its sublime fruit purity and wonderful balance. It’s a delicious wine that could come from no other place on earth,” Mr Chatto said.
This year, Yarra Yering also won the Cabernet Blends Trophy for its 2021 Agincourt Cabernet Malbec.
The winning shiraz, which won the James Halliday Red Wine of Show Trophy, narrowly edged out
Deep Woods Estate’s 2021 Reserve Chardonnay for the top prize. The Deep Woods chardonnay won
the Len Evans Memorial White Wine of Show Trophy. The Margaret River vineyard also picked up
the Sauvignon Blanc Trophy for its Deep Woods Estate 2022 Sauvignon Blanc.
Other notable wins include Bream Creek Vineyard’s 2019 ‘Old Vine’ Reserve Riesling, which won the
Riesling Trophy, and Bleasdale Vineyards’ 2021 Second Innings Malbec, which took out the Red Varietal Trophy. Bleasdale also won the Shiraz Blends Trophy for its 2021 Broad-side Shiraz Cabernet
Sauvignon Malbec.
Mr Chatto oversaw a team of 16 of the country’s best wine adjudicators in determining the winning
wine during three days of blind tastings.
“A surprise this year was the red varietal class being the second biggest of the show. These newer to
Australia varieties are fast being embraced by the industry and consumers alike. It’s a testament to
their suitability to our largely hot and arid climate,” Mr Chatto said.
“We’ve seen a move towards lighter, brighter and more versatile wine styles. Not lacking in
structure, but focused on intensity of flavour, instead of concentration, aligning strongly with
consumer preference these days. The quality of Australian wine has never been better. We are truly
making wines that stand up on the world stage.”
National Wine Show Platinum Partner, leading drinks retailer Endeavour Group, said consumer
demand was increasing for lighter, medium-style red wines.
“Pinot noir is driving this movement and is now comfortably our third-biggest selling red variety but
there’s been a strong demand for grenache, gamay, tempranillo, sangiovese, nero d’Avola and other
lighter style reds,” Endeavour Group Head of Fine Wine Andrew Shedden said.
“These crunchy, accessible red wines offer a lot of versatility, they’re highly palatable and really complement the huge food trend we’re seeing in Australia. These styles collectively account for around 20 per cent of red wine sales and have seen more than a 60 per cent increase in sales in the past five years.”
At last night’s announcements a special recognition award was made to Australia’s most respected
wine critic, wine writer, vigneron and senior wine competition judge James Halliday, who has been a
patron of the National Wine Show of Australia for more than 40 years.
“James has been a driving force behind Australia’s global recognition as a nation to be reckoned with
when it comes to producing outstanding wines,” said National Wine Show Chair Andy Gregory.
“He has served as Chair of Judges several times in the show’s 48-year history and has been on our
advisory panel since 1995.
“His stewardship has transformed the show into what is now widely recognised as the nation’s most
important wine awards, one of few in the world whose federated model means only wines that have
already won gold or silver medals in qualifying regional and city shows make it to the judging table.”
Full list of 2023 National Wine Show of Australia trophy winners
Prime Minister’s Trophy for Champion Wine of Show: Yarra Yering 2021 Underhill Shiraz
James Halliday Red Wine of Show: Yarra Yering 2021 Underhill Shiraz
Len Evans Memorial White Wine of Show: Deep Woods Estate 2021 Reserve Chardonnay
Sparkling Trophy: House of Arras 2014 Blanc de blancs
White Varietal Trophy: De Bortoli 2022 Ti Amo Fiano
Sauvignon Blanc Trophy: Deep Woods Estate 2022 Sauvignon Blanc
Riesling Trophy: Bream Creek Vineyard 2019 ‘Old Vine’ Reserve Riesling
Semillon Trophy: Tyrrell’s Vineyards 2019 Pokolbin Hills Semillon
Chardonnay Trophy: Deep Woods Estate 2021 Reserve Chardonnay
Rosé Trophy: Pernod Ricard Winemakers 2022 Barosé
Red Varietal Trophy: Bleasdale Vineyards 2021 Second Innings Malbec
Pinot Trophy: Bay of Fires 2021 Pinot Noir
Grenache Trophy: Willunga 100 2021 Smart Vineyard Clarendon Grenache
Grenache Blends Trophy: Stage Door Wine Co 2021 GSM
Shiraz Trophy: Yarra Yering 2021 Underhill Shiraz
Shiraz Blends Trophy: Bleasdale Vineyards 2021 Broad-side Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec
Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy: Xanadu 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Blends Trophy: Yarra Yering 2021 Agincourt Cabernet Malbec
Alternate Red Blends Trophy: Big Easy Radio 2020 Funtime Fountain Sangiovese Montepulciano
Fortified Trophy: Morris Wines Cellar Reserve Grand Muscat
Sweet White Trophy: Berton Vineyard 2019 Reserve Botrytis Semillon
