House of Arras, Calabria Family Wine Group, and Reillys Wines have each won big at separate recent wine competitions.
First, House of Arras’ E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2006 was awarded the Chairman’s Trophy at the 11th-annual Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships, an award hand selected by the show’s chairman Tom Stevenson out of the 1,000+ entrants. In addition to this accolade, House of Arras also received two Best in Class medals for its E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2006 and its Arras Museum Release Blanc de Blancs 2006.
“It’s incredibly exciting for the team to have our wines recognised among the very best at the world’s most prestigious sparkling wine competition,” said Ed Carr, Chief Winemaker.
"[The E.J. Carr Late Disgorged] features all the hallmarks of House of Arras winemaking - extended time on lees, ageability and finesse, and a showcase of Tasmania’s pristine climate. Even at 18 years old, this wine still exudes tremendous energy and elegance that is unlike most wines aged for this long.”
Calabria Family Wine Group also registered success on the world stage, receiving two best in class trophies at the 2024 Japan Wine Challenge. This included the Calabria Three Bridges Botrytis Semillon being awarded the trophy for the Best New World Dessert Wine and the McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate 10 Year Old Grand Tawny being named the Best New World Fortified.
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate 10 Year Old Grand Tawny also received Australia’s only platinum medal for the competition, securing its place as the Best Australian Wine of Show.
“These awards underscore the Riverina region’s long-standing excellence in Fortifieds and Botrytis wines,” said Tony Steffania, Senior Winemaker at Calabria Family Wine Group.
“We are deeply honoured to receive international recognition for our diverse wine portfolio. While we have consistently achieved success at this show, the 2024 Japan Wine Challenge marks our most outstanding results to date at this show.”
On a more local level, Clare Valley’s Reillys Wines was recently crowned the country’s best small winery at the 2024 Australian Small Winemakers Show, a competition exclusively for small wineries crushing less than 500 tonnes per year.
In addition to the top award, Reillys Wines also received two additional trophies and eight medals.
“We are incredibly humbled to be recognised as the best small winery in Australia and have our 2024 Watervale Riesling voted by the team of judges as not only the best South Australian white wine, but to receive the trophy for the Champion White Wine in the nation,” said Justin Ardill, Owner and Winemaker.
“Given the ASWS’ high standing, with more than 700 wines from over 130 wineries across the length and breadth of Australia judged by wine industry icons before medals and trophies are awarded, it is another significant feather in the cap of the Clare Valley, further cementing our status as the premium Riesling-producing region in Australia.”
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