Forbes is raising its glass this week as host of the 33rd annual NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show
With 488 entries from 90 wineries, the show is once again putting the spotlight on the remarkable quality and diversity of wines coming out of small winemakers from crisp, cool climate whites to bold reds and sparkling varieties.
With judging still in progress on Tuesday afternoon, chair of judges Mark Richardson said they were awarding a high percentage of gold medals.
"The big thing with this show is the diversity of NSW regional styles - from cooler to warmer and everything in between," Mr Richardson said.
"We get to see that here and it's lovely."
Latest Stories
Numbers were down a little on last year, simply a sign of the times, but the judges said entries were quality.
"It gets a little bit better every year and certainly the alternate whites - the Italian, the Spanish varieties," Mr Richardson said.
Mr Richardson has been working with a team of 12 judges, gathered from Canberra, Mudgee, Orange, Sydney and the Hunter Valley. There were both winemakers and style judges on the panels.
Wine show president Mark Watts said judging was on track to see about 10 per cent gold medals awarded.
Most entries are from the 2023 and 2024 winemaking years, with classes for the matured wines and the first of the 2025 unwooded whites coming through.
The community has two opportunities to sample this year's wines, starting with the public tasting night this Friday with tickets just $30.
The gourmet wine dinner follows on Saturday, 20 September, at Club Forbes, with five courses to be paired with trophy-winning wines.
Tickets to both are available online through 123tix.com.au
