In the recent Best in Show Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) announced in June, widely considered to be the Olympics of the wine world, Australia was the most highly awarded country with 10 award-winning wineries each scoring a gong, leaving old guard European wine judges with mouths agape.
When it comes to Best in Show judging, all of the competition’s best wines – the Platinum medal winners – are re-tasted for a fourth time to determine the cream of the crop, so to speak.
This blind re-tasting comprises of 97-point wines only, so selecting a Top 50 is an incredible feat.
Continuing the Olympics analogy, this Best in Show round of judging is the competitive finals, and there are only 50 top seats out of the 18,250 wines judged.
Australia shot past France and Spain (each with 8 winning entrants), Italy (7), Portugal (3), with 2 winning vineyards each from Argentina, Germany, Greece, and South Africa. Bringing up the rear with 1 award each was Austria, Chile, New Zealand, Serbia, the UK and USA.
Drum roll, please! The Decanter World Wine Award recipients from Australia included:
- Brokenwood Wines, ILR Reserve Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales 2017
- Domaine Naturaliste, Rebus Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2020
- Evans & Tate, Redbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2018
- Gatt Wines, Riesling, High Eden (Eden Valley), South Australia 2017
- Heirloom Vineyards, Alcalá Grenache, McLaren Vale, South Australia 2022
- House of Cards, Ace of Spades Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2022
- Jacob’s Creek, Johann Shiraz-Cabernet, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2013
- Morris, Cellar Reserve Grand Muscat, Rutherglen, Victoria NV
- Penfolds, Reserve Bin 21 A Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2021
- Wirra Wirra, Chook Block, McLaren Vale, South Australia 2019
You might want to place your order now before they're all snapped up!