Some of the best wines made from grapes grown in the Hilltops region will be on offer at a public tasting on Saturday at Young Town Hall.
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The second ever Hilltops Region Wine Show will pit together more than 80 wines that were judged earlier this month at the Riverina Wine Show at Yenda.
Five category winners will be announced as well as the winner of Peter Robertson Trophy for Hilltops Wine of the Year.
Local grower and wine producer Brian Freeman, who sells grapes to wineries in the Hunter Region, Canberra and Griffith, described Hilltops as an “expanding” wine region.
READ ALSO: 2018 Young Show | Photos
“This is one of the expanding regions in terms of red wine quality. A lot people are saying the Hilltops region in the future will be known as where some of the best red wines come from in Australia,” Mr Freeman said.
“Wineries are coming from all over to enter this show but they have to be grapes that are grown in the Hilltops region. We’re then able to compare our wines that are made here locally to wines that are made from our grapes that are made elsewhere.”
More than half of the 80 Hilltops wines entered in the Riverina Wine Show took out either gold, silver or bronze medals, including eight gold and nine silver.
And the amount of wines entered this year was up from roughly 60 in 2017.
A lot people are saying the Hilltops region in the future, will be known as where some of the best red wins come in Australia.
- Brian Freeman
Secretary of the Hilltops Grape Growers Association and local wine producer Terry Mulligan can see the event growing in the future.
“Last year was a good start. Hopefully this will grow, we hope the numbers that attend on Saturday is an improvement on last year. We had about 65 to 70 people,” he said.
“This year, out of the 80 Hilltops wines entered, overall more than 50 per cent were awarded a bronze, silver or gold medal.
“It’s a good indication of the standard of wine.”
Mr Freeman echoed Mr Mulligan’s words, heaping praise on the region’s wine producers.
“It’s very encouraging. The standard [of wine] here is very high,” he said.
The Hilltops Region Wine Show and public tasting is from 4pm until 6pm on Saturday at Yonug Town Hall.
The trophy presentation, including the Peter Robertson Trophy for the Hilltops Wine of the Year, will commence at 5pm.
Last year’s winner was the Ballinaclash 2016 Edward Shiraz.