November 19th, 2018
While it was “business as usual” with Australian reds and New Zealand whites dominating their respective categories, the results of the 39th Sydney International Wine Competition highlighted the growth in international wineries targeting the Australian market and the increasing diversity of wine styles and grape varieties gaining recognition.
The Competition once again saw a wide range of great-value wines from Australia, New Zealand, South America and Europe winning trophies and medals in this year’s competition, with the $6.99 One Road Shiraz 2017 (fruit from Langhorne Creek and Heathcote) winning a trophy for the Best Medium Bodied Dry Red Wine of the Competition.
The Sydney International Wine Competition is unique in being the only international wine show that judges all its finalists in combination with appropriate food – meaning that consumers can select wines that are best suited to accompany specific meals, from BBQs to formal dinners.
Trophy and medal winners from the Sydney International Wine Competition were announced today, complemented by a totally redesigned Competition website to provide consumers free and comprehensive advice on the wines entered for judging.
An international panel of judges led by Warren Gibson, and including five Masters of Wine judged the 1800 wines submitted, awarding 241 Top 100, Blue Gold and Gold medals, along with 25 trophies.
Australian wines once again dominated the Chardonnay and medium/fuller bodied red wine categories and New Zealand continued to rule the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir categories, but there were also honours for wineries from a number of other countries.
France, not unexpectedly, was the leading winner of medals in the sparkling wine category, while Portugal achieved their best-ever success with eight medals, and Georgian wineries, considered by many to be the birth-place of wine, won two medals.
In total, entries were received from 11 countries, with eight countries featuring in the medals list: Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, France, Argentina, Italy, Georgia, and the United States.
