The inaugural Hilltops Wine Show was concluded on Saturday, September 24 when a large crowd celebrated the exciting results at the Young Town Hall.
Arguably the most excited were Jason and Alesia Brown when their Moppity Vineyards 2015 Estate Shiraz was awarded Wine of Show and had won the Peter Robertson Trophy for the ‘Hilltops Wine of the Year’.
In all, 69 wines were entered into the first ever Hilltops Wine Show, divided into 11 classes. The Shiraz class, which supplied the main winner, also attracted the most entrants - 30 in total - and was hotly contested.
Moppity Vineyards owner, Jason Brown, was ecstatic with the result.
“We’ve been fortunate to win major awards all over the world – last year, we were the first ever NSW winery to win the coveted Great Australian Shiraz Challenge; the “Melbourne Cup” of Shiraz,” he said.
“However, this result was special.
“Our wines have never been judged in a full line-up of wines from this region before.
“The Hilltops region has produced some of the best wines in Australia over the last few years; many of which aren’t entered in shows so it’s quite a humbling result.”
Hilltops Vineyards Association President, Peter Creyke said it was fitting that in the Hilltops Wine Show’s first year the top awards went to a Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
“These reds have historically excelled in the granite based soils of the Hilltops region and done well in other wine shows in the past. It is great to now be able to recognise, promote and celebrate them in our own show,” he said.
Three other awards were presented at the weekend. Freeman Vineyards won the award for the Best White Wine category, Grove Estate won the Best Italian Varietal Wine category and Moppity Vineyards won the Best Other Red/Mature Red category.
These latter two categories were claimed by a Nebbiolo and Tempranillo respectively.
