Campbells Wines, Morris & Seppeltsfield all winners at Rutherglen

At the Australian Fortified Wine Show last weekend, Campbells Wines NV Rare Rutherglen Muscat won the award for Best Australian Fortified Muscat, Morris Wines NV Old Premium Topaque was awarded Best Australian Fortified Topaque Muscadelle award and the Seppeltsfield NV Para Rare Tawny took out the Best Australian Fortified Tawny trophy.

The event runs alongside the Rutherglen Wine Show with the special awards going to:

• Best Dry Red Table Wine of Show: Jen Pfeiffer 2021 Rock It Like A Redhead The Diamond Shiraz
• Best Barrel Matured Table Wine made from grapes grown in NE Victoria: Pfeiffer 2019 Durif
• Best Table Wine produced by a Small Winery: Hanging Rock Winery 2020 The Diplomat Cabernet Sauvignon

The show was judged by a panel of judges from around Australia, led by Chair of Judges, Mr Andrew Santarossa. Over 1,000 wines were judged over the course of the two shows from across 151 exhibitors.

However, entries to the Australian Fortified Wine Show were down and there were few entries of the 2020 vintage to the Rutherglen Wine Show.

Chris Pfeiffer, Partner in Pfeiffer Wines and Chairman of the Wine Show Committee said, "The Rutherglen Wine Show highlighted the challenges coming from the 2020 vintage, with few entries received from this vintage. But a highlight was the strength of the Shiraz classes, with a variety of styles rewarded.

"Our judging panel was thrilled by the quality of all exhibits in the Australian Fortified Wine Show and lament the shrinking number of exhibits, which is reflective of less winemakers making these styles."

The Rutherglen region produces some of the best fortified wines in the world.