Mount Pleasant’s Winning Streak Continues!

Established in 1996 to build awareness of the quality of wines produced in NSW, the NSW Wine Awards have become an indicator of the growth and diversity of the NSW wine industry and the potential of new regions within New South Wales.

This year’s annual ICC Sydney NSW Wine Awards, saw 16 expert judges from across Australia taste a record number of nearly 900 different wines over three days, resulting in 520 medal-winning wines, of which 72 were gold medal winners. Of the gold medal winners, 36 of them were from the Hunter Valley – shared between Audrey Wilkinson, Bimbadgen, De Iuliis Wines, First Creek Wines, Horner Wines, Kelman, Margan McGuigan, Mount Pleasant, Peppertree, RidgeView, Silkman Wines, Tamburlaine Organic Wines, Thomas Wines, Two Rivers Wines and Tyrrell's Wines.

At the final awards ceremony held at Government House on 18 October, Mount Pleasant Wines 2018 Mountain D Shiraz championed over the others to take home the title of overall Best Dry Red and be awarded the ultimate title of 2019 NSW Wine of the Year and claim the NSW Governor’s Trophy for Best in Show.

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Other Hunter Wines making the list of 2019 NSW Wine Awards Trophies were:

• NSW DPI Trophy for Best Semillon – McGuigan 2018 Shortlist Semillon Wines 2018 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay

• Nexia Australia Trophy for Best Chardonnay – First Creek and Bramble

• Australia Post Trophy for Best Light Red – Margan 2019 Rosé 2018 Mountain D Shiraz

• Finlayson's Trophy for Best Shiraz – Mount Pleasant Wines Vineyards 2018 Vat 8 Shiraz Cabernet

• Nexia Australia Trophy for Best Red Blend – Tyrrell’s

• Orora Trophy for Best Dry White – First Creek Wines 2018 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay

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This is the second year running that Mount Pleasant has been awarded the trophy for Best in Show, following the success of Old Paddock & Old Hill Shiraz 2017 at the 2018 awards ceremony.

Commenting on the win, Mount Pleasant Chief Winemaker Adrian Sparks says, “We are over the moon with these results, and full credit is due to the hardworking Mount Pleasant team who have dedicated so much of their time to creating magnificent wines that represent the unique landscapes of the Hunter Valley.

“Great vineyards are the first step in making great wines, and we are fortunate to be the custodians of some of Australia’s finest.”

“The line-up of trophy-winning wines has codified what those in the know already knew to be true: that NSW offers the consumer a sensational range of wine styles that play to the strengths and diversity of the state’s wine regions,” said Chair of judges, Dave Brookes.

“New South Wales’ enviable purple patch of great vintages and world-class winemaking offers wine drinkers outstanding wines that span the spectrum from precise, focused sparkling wines through to cellar-worthy Shiraz and all bases in between.

“Many other Australian wine states should rightly be envious of New South Wales’ diversity and quality.”

Brookes reserved special praise for Mount Pleasant, saying that “the quality and pedigree of this producer’s wine range was on full display again in this year’s wine awards.”

“While pure-of-fruit and delicious today, this wine will also continue to improve for many years with careful cellaring and is a wine that is bound to delight fans of the medium-bodied Shiraz that the Hunter Valley is justly famous for.”

The awards continue an exceptional show season for the Mount Pleasant team who recently took home 27 medals and trophies at the Hunter Valley Wine Show including gold for the 2018 Mountain D Shiraz. To cap it all off, Adrian Sparks was also awarded the title of Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year.