If you’re looking for an excuse to uncork a bottle of wine tonight, here it is. Australia’s finest reds, whites, rosés and sparklings have just been crowned in one of the nation’s most prestigious wine competitions. Grape growers aren’t the only ones walking away with a win too. Nearly half of the prizes went to wallet-friendly bottles priced under $40, granting us the royal sipping experience while keeping our piggy banks plump.
Hailing back to 1826, the Sydney Royal Wine Show stands as the forefather of all things grapes and vino in Australia. The swanky showdown draws more than 2,500 entries from 350 wineries across the country, subjecting them to a rigorous judging process with multiple blind tastings, re-tastings and then some.
Margaret River winery, Evans and Tate, waltzed off with the grandest victory of the night for its 2021 Redbrook Estate chardonnay. This liquid gem won Best in Show with a smashing 97 points, and also nabbed the trophies for Best Chardonnay and Best White.
Montalto's 2022 Pennon Hill pinot noir took home bragging rights as Australia’s Best Red, while Tasmania’s House of Arras clinched the crown for Best Sparkling with its 2015 grand vintage.
Rounding up the awards for best value wine was the $25 Millbrook 2022 regional grenache shiraz mourvèdre. A gold-class wine for $25? We’d clink our glasses to that!