Australia’s wines have been celebrated at the world’s biggest wine competition, with 10 local entrants being named Best in Show.
The Decanter World Wine Awards is the largest and is considered to be the most influential wine competition.
This year, in its 20th year, for the first time, Australia picked up 10 Best in Show medals, more than any other country.
The Australian region that saw the most success was South Australia, with five wines winning medals.
“Not only was it South Australia’s best performance to date, but one of the best across the entire competition,” Decanter said.
“Holding 35 medals in the competition’s top three tiers, South Australia was awarded 25 Gold, five Platinum and a record five Best in Show, representing half of Australia’s medals in the Top 50 list.”
Western Australia also picked up three Best in Show medals, and New South Wales and Victoria picked up one each.
All of Australia’s wines received a score of 97.
Australia’s Best in Show wines:
- Penfolds, Reserve Bin A Adelaide Hills, Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, White, 2021
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Gatt Wines, Riesling, Eden Valley, South Australia, White, 2017
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Brokenwood Wines, ILR Reserve Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW, White, 2017
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Evans & Tate, Redbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia, Red, 2018
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Wirra Wirra, Chook Block, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Red, 2019
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Domaine Naturaliste, Rebus Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia, Red, 2020
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Heirloom Vineyards, Alcalá Grenache, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Red, 2022
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House of Cards, Ace of Spades Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia, White, 2022
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Jacob’s Creek, Johann Shiraz-Cabernet, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Red, 2013
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Morris, Cellar Reserve Grand Muscat, Rutherglen, Victoria, White, non-vintage.
While Tasmanian wines did not pick up any Best in Show medals, three producers did pick up Platinum awards.
They were Dalrymple’s Pinot Noir, Dawson James’ Chardonnay and House of Arras’ Blanc de Blancs.
Tweet from @FionaMcDonaldSA
Best wines from around the world
Although Australia topped the charts at the awards, other wines from around the globe were also celebrated.
Decanter noted there is a “power trio” out of Europe: France, Italy and Spain.
For Best in Show, France and Spain each picked up eight medals, while Italy secured seven.
“But in the Platinum category, Italy excelled with 28 wines awarded 97 points – France followed closely behind with 26 and Spain 20,” Decanter said.
Sarah Jane Evans MW, a journalist and co-chair at the Decanter World Wine Awards, said she believes Spain is the “most exciting wine-producing country in Europe”.
Other wine-growing countries that received a nod included South Africa, Argentina, which matched its best-ever Gold performance from last year, and Portugal for its “rise in quality”.
Serbian producers won their first Best in Show medal for Vinarija Vinčić’s Grašac 2020 and Ukraine won 37 medals this year, up from 14 last year.
