The Hunter Valley Wine Show has given its verdict on the top Semillons for 2022, with Best White Wine of the Show awarded to Tyrrell’s 2013 Belford Semillon.
Tyrrell’s also took out the coveted Iain Riggs Wine of Provenance for its Vat 1 Semillon 2006, 2013, and 2021 vintages and Best Museum White for their 2006 Vat 1 Semillon.
Brokenwood Semillons took out two trophies – Best One-Year-Old Dry Semillon for its Brokenwood Wines 2021 Oakey Creek Vineyard Semillon and Best Current – Semillon for its Brokenwood Wines 2022 Hunter Valley Semillon.
Commemorating its 50th year, the CCL Hunter Valley Wine Show announced this year’s winners at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley on 19 August during a lunch attended by more than 350 industry professionals to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the Hunter Valley wine industry.
Hunter Semillons the stand-out
A judging panel of highly accredited sommeliers and winemakers tasted 639 wines across three days, awarding 14 Top Gold, 44 Gold, 121 Silver and 205 Bronze medals, plus 25 Trophies. The panel was led by Samantha Connew, as Chair of Judges with Jeremy Stockman as International Judge.
Connew said that the white varietals, especially the Hunter Semillons, Chardonnays and Verdelhos, really impressed the judges this year, with the 2022 vintage a real standout.
“The Hunter Semillons across the board were all a pleasure to judge with the best wines having a perfect balance of expression and power,” she said.
“The Chardonnay Classes produced some excellent wines which can easily compete with Australia’s best, while the Verdelho impressed the judges with some sensitive winemaking on display. The cooler weather of recent vintages seems to suit the variety and freshness in the majority of the wines. Despite the powerhouse variety of the region being Semillon, it’s great to see people investing time and money into the next cohort of white varieties such as Fiano and Vermentino.”
While the white varieties were a highlight of this year’s show, the Hunter Valley reds also performed strongly with the prestigious Best Red Wine of the Show being awarded to De Iuliis Wines 2019 Limited Release Shiraz for the second year in a row. De Iuliis Wines 2019 Limited Release Shiraz also took out the trophies for Best Shiraz and Best Mature Three-Year-Old and Older Shiraz and Best Other Red Trophy for their 2019 Shiraz Touriga. Brokenwood Wines celebrated its 2014 Verona Vineyard Shiraz as winner of the Best Museum Red Wine.
International Wine Judge Jeremy Stockman said: “It’s a testament of a great winemaker in Mike De Iuliis to take out the Best Red Wine of the Show for the same wine two consecutive years running. 2019 was a great vintage and this wine displayed beautiful freshness and concentration.
“Unsurprisingly, the top shiraz wines were produced from a solid vintage and are still poised, fresh and expressive with great pedigree. It is evident through the wines on display at this year’s show, that Hunter Valley winemakers and producers showcase great talent. With the show in its 50th year, it is amazing to see just how much Hunter Valley wine has evolved and equally, how it has remained consistent in its quality, recognising the calibre of Hunter Valley winemakers in the Australian wine industry” added Jeremy.
2022 CCL Hunter Valley Wine Show trophy winners
Marshall – Flannery Trophy
Best Current – Semillon (Class 1) Sponsored by Winequip
Winner: Brokenwood Wines 2022 Hunter Valley Semillon (Entry 1- 13)
George Wyndham Memorial Trophy
Best Current and One-Year-Old Chardonnay (Classes 4 & 5) Sponsored by Laffort
Winner: Silkman Wines 2021 SILK Chardonnay (Entry 5-47)
J.Y. (Jay) Tulloch Trophy
Best Verdelho (Class 7)
Winner: Australian Vintage Tempus Two 2022 Copper Verdelho (Entry 7- 4)
Best Other White Varietals & White Blends Trophy
(Classes 8, 9, 10 & 11)
Winner: Bimbadgen 2022 Hunter Valley Vermentino (Entry 8-18)
Henry John Lindeman Memorial Trophy
Best Two–Year-Old and Older Chardonnay (Class 6) Sponsored by Jurds Real Estate
Winner: First Creek Wines 2017 Winemakers Reserve Chardonnay (Entry 6-13)
Alexander Munro Memorial Trophy
Best Current Vintage and One year old Shiraz (Classes 15 & 18) Sponsored by Rover Coaches
Winner: Thomas Wines 2021 Synergy Shiraz (Entry 15-15)
Ed Jouault Memorial Trophy
Best One-Year-Old Dry Semillon (Class 2) Sponsored by Cessnock Plaza Pharmacy
Winner: Brokenwood Wines 2021 Oakey Creek Vineyard Semillon (Entry 2-7)
Best Other Red Varietal & Red Blends Trophy
(Classes 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, & 23)
Winner: De Iuliis Wines 2019 LDR Vineyard Shiraz Touriga (Entry 23-4)
James Busby Memorial Trophy
Best Mature Three-Year-Old and Older Shiraz (Class 17) Sponsored by Jenkins Legal Services
Winner: De Iuliis Wines 2019 Limited Release Shiraz (17-28)
McGuigan Family Trophy
Best Two-Year–Old and older Semillon (Class 3) Roll of Honour Sponsor McGuigan Family
Winner: Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 3 –62)
Doug Galbraith Memorial Trophy
Best Off Dry or Sweet Wine (Classes 12 & 13)
Winner: Margan 2016 Botrytis Semillon (Entry 13-7)
Trevor Drayton Memorial Trophy
Best Fortified Wine or Vermouth (Class 28) Roll of Honour Sponsor Drayton Family Wines
Winner: Drayton’s Wines NV Heritage Vines Verdelho (Entry 28-2)
John Lewis Newcastle Herald Trophy
Best Museum Red Wine (Class 25)
Winner: Brokenwood 2014 Verona Vineyard Shiraz (Entry 25-7)
Graham Gregory Memorial Trophy
Best Museum White (Class 24) Sponsored by RSN Australia
Winner: Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2006 Vat 1 Semillon (Entry 24-27)
Best Rosé Trophy
Best Rosé (Class 14)
Winner: Gartelmann Wines 2022 Veronica Rosé Shiraz (Entry 14- 2)
Hector Tulloch Memorial Trophy
Best Shiraz (Classes 15, 16, 17 & 18 ) Sponsored by Hahn Corporation and Roll of Honour Sponsor Tulloch Wines
Winner: De Iuliis Wines 2019 Limited Release Shiraz (17-28)
Maurice O’Shea Memorial Trophy
Best Semillon (Classes 1, 2 & 3) Roll of Honour Sponsor Mount Pleasant Wines
Winner: Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 3 –62)
Murray Tyrrell Chardonnay Trophy
Best Chardonnay (Classes 4, 5 & 6) Sponsored by MCCL Labels and Roll of Honour Sponsor Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd
Winner: Silkman Wines 2021 SILK Chardonnay (Entry 5 – 47)
Lone Pine Barracks Officers Mess Silver Bullet
Winner: Audrey Wilkinson 2022 Winemakers Selection Gewurztraminer
Drayton Family Trophy
Best Single Vineyard Red Wine (Classes 15 & 23) Sponsored by Seguin Moreau and Roll of Honour Sponsor Drayton’s Family Wines
Winner: Margan 2019 White Label Fordwich Hill Shiraz (Entry 17-11)
Tyrrell Family Trophy
Best Single Vineyard White Wine (Classes 1-11) Roll of Honour Sponsor Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd
Winner: Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 3 –62)
Len Evans Trophy
Best Single Vineyard Wine
Winner: Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 3-62)
Petrie-Drinan Trophy
Best White Wine of the Show Sponsored by CLL Label
Winner: Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd 2013 Belford Semillon (Entry 3 –62)
Doug Seabrook Memorial Trophy
Best Red Wine of the Show Sponsored by CCL Label and Wine supplied by Mercurey Australia
Winner: De Iuliis Wines 2019 Limited Release Shiraz (17-28)
Iain Riggs Wine of Provenance
Provenance (Classes 26 & 27) Sponsored by Insight Wealth Planning
Winner: Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd Vat 1 Semillon 2006, 2013 & 2021
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