Wow. The trophies keep coming in for some of the Hunter Valley's finest winemakers - this time at the nationally acclaimed Sydney Royal Wine Show.
Liz Silkman, Mike De Iuliis, Aaron Mercer and Stuart Hordern have all had weeks to remember following earlier successes at the local Hunter Valley Wine Show.
All four picked up trophies at the Hunter Show a week earlier - in the case of Silkman, De Iuliis and Hordern, multiple trophies - and then starred in Sydney on the national winemaking stage.
Silkman, named recently as the Halliday Winemaker of the Year, was awarded the Sydney Royal trophy for Best Small Producer Wine for her Silkman 2023 Silk Chardonnay.
Chairman of Judges Sarah Crowe commented that "the quality of chardonnay Australians are getting is exceptional".
It followed an amazing seven-trophy haul for Silkman at the Hunter Show.
De Iuliis, after four trophies at the Hunter Show including Best Red Wine, won another for Best Rosé in Sydney.
He has also been named as the new Sydney Royal Chair of Judges, taking over from Sarah Crowe next year. He will hold the role for three years including the 200th Anniversary Sydney Royal Wine Show in 2026.
"It is a massive responsibility, and one I do not take lightly," De Iuliis said.
"Sarah has done a fantastic job ... I have big shoes to fill."
Mercer, who collected his second successive Silver Bullet Trophy at the Hunter Show (awarded by the visiting international judge), won the coveted Best Shiraz Trophy for his Mercer Limited Release 2022 Shiraz.
"I'm a bit lost for words," he said.
"To be up there with great wines from all over Australia is a pinch-me moment.
"The fruit is grown in Orange by the Crossing brothers at Angullong Vineyard.
"It's thrilling to see so much silverware coming back to the Hunter Valley, Mudgee, the Riverina and Orange."
And then there's Hordern who won two trophies in the Hunter Show, but collected a further three in Sydney - all for the outstanding Brokenwood 2019 Tallawanta Vineyard Semillon - Best Semillon, Best Single Vineyard Wine and Best Mature White.
It was a very strong show for NSW wines in general, collecting 10 of the 23 trophies. In all, 1754 wines were judged.
Best Wine went to Tasmania's 2023 Bream Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir, making it the youngest red to win the title in 24 years and the first pinot noir to claim Best Wine of Show since 2015.
"For a young red to stand out amongst over 1700 entries is impressive," Crowe said.
"In addition to the young pinot noir class, chardonnay was an absolute delight to assess."
Mudgee made a strong showing, winning four trophies - three to Robert Stein Vineyard for its superb rieslings, and one to Huntington Estate for Best Grenache.
"For a Mudgee grenache to not only claim Best Grenache but also be a strong contender for best red is outstanding," Crowe said.
WINE REVIEWS by Rick Allen
MERCER IS ON A ROLL
Mercer Limited Release Shiraz, 2022
$60
Certified organic, this wine is starting to pile up the trophies. Aside from Best Shiraz at the Sydney Royal, it's also been awarded Top Gold, Best Shiraz and the Trophy for Champion Shiraz at the 2023 Australian Small Winemakers Show. That's form. Mercer's Limited Release honours iconic varieties of a region. Dark fruit, generous and long with impeccable poise, and just a pinch of spice.
ELEGANTLY AGED
Kuru Kuru Pinot Noir, 2018
$50
This is from Tarras winery in Central Otago. The six years of age shows on the nose - red fruits and meaty, a touch of leather. It's a boldly flavoured wine, yet it retains that essential sense of pinot elegance. Cherries, strawberry and plum, savoury and pithy. It's at a stage where age and that final blush of youth meet.
ESTATE GROWN
Harewood Reserve Chardonnay, 2022
$50
Only the finest juice goes into this Great Southern wine, and they use a number of yeast strains, including wild yeast, for layered complexity. Grapefruit flavours up front, citrussy and sharp, give way to a more rounded and textural mid palate of stonefruit. It rounds out with limey acidity and supportive spice and oak.
