One of the world’s leading experts on Australian wine, Matthew Jukes, has crowned Grosset Wines his Winery of the Year.
The announcement was made at Australia House in London at the launch of Jukes' latest 100 Best Australian Wines report.
The accolade for Clare Valley legend Jeffrey Grosset (pictured below with Jukes) follows winning the QANTAS Epiqure Halliday Wine Companion award for 2018 Best Value Winery.
James Halliday noted: "When Grosset, a famed producer of Australian riesling, was awarded James Halliday’s Best Value Winery of the Year, some people were confused. $60 for a bottle of Grosset Polish Hill Riesling might not immediately scream 'value', but if you compare that to the cost of the best German rieslings [Dr Loosen’s Erdener Pralat Riesling is around $180 a bottle, for example] it’s a veritable bargain."
The 15th edition of the 100 Best Australian Wines report features 12 debut wineries, including Antiquarian, Bird in Hand, Chambers Rosewood, Hentley Farm, Onannon, Pfeiffer, Quealy, Samuel’s Gorge, Sons of Eden, Stargazer, The Story and Thistledown.
Of this year's line-up, Jukes said: "These wines are Australia’s magnificent vinous vanguard and as always, I will showcase them nationally and internationally in a continued effort to alert the wine loving public to the great wines made in Australia.
"It is designed as a balanced, modern collection of all styles of wine, including sparklers, whites, reds, sweet and fortified wines.
"I endeavour to cover all price points and as many regions as possible in an effort to give you a complete Australian ‘wine list’ for the next twelve months’ worth of entertaining, cellar-building and championing. This document is, in effect, my snapshot of what is going on in Australia right now at the highest echelons of winemaking skill.
"It goes without saying that every wine listed here has won its place by gaining immense scores in my notes and it has been confirmed by the various UK agents that they all have sufficient stock to see us through to the New Year and hopefully beyond.
"As always, these are the only criteria for inclusion. As you read through these notes you will find that there are an additional 89 wines which appear in the copy making a grand total of 189 wines, of 100 Best grade, which appear in this Report. It is my great pleasure to bring these amazing wines to your attention."
Jukes has worked in the UK wine business for over 30 years. He was made Honorary Australian of the Year in the UK at the 2012 Australia Day Foundation Gala dinner. He joins an eminent list of previously appointed Honorary Australians, including Lord Carrington, Baroness Greenfield and Sir David Attenborough.
Jukes also runs an annual competition in Australia to find ‘The Great Australian Red’. Created with Brisbane-based wine writer Tyson Stelzer, this tasting sets out to find the best Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz wine in the country, which Jukes describes as ‘the blend that defines Australia’.
Click here to read more about 100 Best Australian Wines
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