Xanadu cab sav wins Australia's most coveted trophy

Western Australia's Xanadu Wines has taken home the coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy at the 2018 Melbourne Wine Show. 

The prestigious trophy, the highlight of the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards, was bestowed upon its 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon.  

The winery noted on social media: "Our 2016 Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon has just been awarded the most prestigious award in Australian wine, the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for ‘Best Young Red Wine’! Tonight we celebrate! Congratulations to the whole team. Pictured here are our winemakers Brendan Carr, Glenn Goodall and Darren Rathbone." 

Fellow Western Australian winery Deep Woods, which won the 2016 Jimmy Watson trophy for its 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, also shared its best wishes on Instagram: "Hugest congratulations to our good mates from the south, @xanaduwines. The #jimmywatson is returning to #margaretriver. Rightfully so. #kingsofcabernet."

In 2016, Barossa Valley winery Turkey Flat Vineyards took out the trophy for its 2016 Grenache, the first time that variety has been awarded the top prize for a young red wine in the 56-year history of the “Jimmy”.

The award for the best one or two-year-old dry red wine is named after the owner of one of Melbourne’s most famous wine bars and has been won by some of Australia’s greatest wines including Penfolds Grange and Wolf Blass Black Label.

To win its way to the Jimmy Watson trophy, Xanadu's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon had to first win high gold or top place in its own class, then go into a final taste-off against similarly pointed wines in 18 other eligible classes of red wines from the 2016 and 2017 vintages.

Top results at the 2018 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards

While the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for Best Young Red Wine was awarded to Xanadu Wines at the Awards; the white wine equivalent, the Francois De Castella trophy for Best Young White Wine, went to Tasmanian winery Tolpuddle Vineyard for 2017 Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay.

Tolpuddle Vineyard’s 2017 Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay also took home the Douglas Seabrook Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Wine with Vineyard Manager Carlos Souris awarded the Kym Ludvigsen Trophy for Viticultural Excellence.

Other top honours included the James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir awarded to Tasmanian winery Bay of Fires Wines for the 2017 Bay of Fires Pinot Noir, and the Trevor Mast Trophy for Best Shiraz to Yarra Valley VIC winery Tokar Estate for their 2017 Tokar Estate Shiraz.

Rutherglen vineyard Morris Wines were awarded The Bill Chambers Trophy for Best Fortified Wine for the second year running, this year for their Morris Cellar Reserve Grand Topaque NV Muscadelle. Morris Wines has again been awarded three Consistency of Excellence awards for their gold medal winning wines.

The Victorian Wines of Provenance recognises outstanding consistency in Victorian winemaking across three vintages over 10 years of wine production. This year’s Victorian White Wines of Provenance was awarded to Coldstream Hills Winery, Yarra Valley, for the 2017, 2011 and 2006 Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay with the red trophy awarded to Sanguine Estate, Heathcote VIC, for the 2017, 2012 and 2008 Shiraz.

“We are proud each year to recognise of some of the best wines and wineries in Australia with these prestigious awards,” said RASV CEO Paul Guerra.

“Congratulations to this year’s Royal Melbourne Wine Awards winners. This is a fantastic honour for you all and a great recognition of your winemaking skills and wineries,” Guerra said.

More than 3200 entered wines were tasted over five days last week at Melbourne Showgrounds by a judging panel of 35 industry experts led by Head Judge and winemaker, Matt Harrop of Curly Flat.

The full list of this year’s trophy winners can be viewed at winningtastes.com.au.