The 2023 Royal Adelaide Wine Show Awards were once again held at the Adelaide Showground on Friday 6 October, where a number of interstate winery’s received recognition.
Western Australian winery Evans & Tate received the highest honour at the awards ceremony, with its Redbrook Estate Shiraz 2019 awarded the Max Schubert AM Trophy for Most Outstanding Red Wine in Show.
The Margaret River winery had already received Best Wine in Show at the Sydney Royal Wine Show earlier this year for its Redbrook Estate Chardonnay 2021, and at the Perth Royal Wine Awards for its Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay 2020.
“We had more than 2,300 wines this year, and our judges have been impressed by the quality and variety of wines in this year’s entries,” said Greg Follet, Chairman of the Wine Committee and past Max Schubert Trophy recipient.
“Evans & Tate have had a great couple of years winning big awards for their Chardonnays and Cabernet, and winning one of the country’s leading red wines is another feather in their cap.”
Stella Bella Wines, also of the Margaret River region in WA, was awarded the George Fairbrother Memorial Trophy for Most Outstanding White Wine in Show for its Luminosa Chardonnay 2022.
At the awards ceremony, The Governer’s Trophy was awarded to Penfold’s Wines, receiving Best South Australian White Wine in Show for its Penfolds Cellar Reserve Polish Hill River Riesling 2023, and to Jim Barry Wines which received Best South Australian Red Wine in Show for its Barry and Sons Cabernet 2021. The two wines will now be served exclusively to guests at Government House for the next 12 months.
“We have had a great range of wines win this award in the past and it is great to see some of South Australia’s established wine labels like Jim Barry and Penfolds continue to enter and win awards like this,” added Follet.
“Our state Governors have been a huge supporter of the wine show over the years and having the additional benefit of being served in Government House is a great privilege.”
Hunter Valley winery Brokenwood Wines received the Gramp Hardy Hill Smith Prize for the Best National Wine of Provenance for its Indigo Vineyard Chardonnary 2012, 2016, 2022, with the F Miller & Co Prize awarded to Head Winemaker Stuart Hordern.
The 2023 Royal Australian Spirit Awards were also incorporated into the awards ceremony, with seven trophies presented. Major awards included the trophy for Champion Small Batch, awarded to Webb Spirit Co for its Original Australian Dry Gin, and the Champion Spirit of Show awarded to St Agnes Distillery for its St Agnes XO.
