The winners of one of Australia’s most significant regional wine shows, the McLaren Vale Wine Show, have been announced. From over 600 entries, the Penny’s Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache came out on top.
The McLaren Vale Wine Show has been around informally since 1965, and aims to provide a platform for presenting wines that demonstrate varietal expression, excellence in viticulture and production, as well as provenance and sub-regionality. Now it is well-regarded on the national and international stage.
The trophies from the 2024 edition of the show were awarded at the 51st annual McLaren Vale Bushing Lunch on Friday 25 October.
From the 2024 entries, the experienced panel of judges named the 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache from Penny’s Hill as McLaren Vale’s Best Wine of Show, crowning winemakers Alexia Roberts and Paul Carpenter as the 2024 McLaren Vale Bushing Monarchs.
Penny’s Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache also recently won the James Halliday Grenache Challenge, which assessed 137 single-varietal Grenache wines from around Australia.
Chair of Judges, Andrew Thomas, said 2024’s Best Wine of Show stood out like a beacon within its class, a testament to both detailed winemaking and a pedigree vineyard site.
“The wine displayed impressively vibrant red cherry fruit, delicate florals and a subtle whole bunch complexity, together with a sweet fruited yet savoury texture, crunchy acidity and chalky tannin structure. This is benchmark Grenache indeed,” said Thomas.
The full list of Trophy Winners at the 2024 McLaren Vale Wine Show includes:
Best Traditional White Wine
Aphelion 2024 Pir Chenin Blanc
Best New and Emerging White Wine
Larnook 2024 Grenache Gris
Best Fiano
Oliver's Taranga 2024 Fiano
Best Rosé
Chalk Hill Wines 2024 Diana Mary Rosé
Best One Year Old Grenache
Penny's Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache
Best One Year Old or Younger Shiraz
Battle of Bosworth Wines 2023 White Boar Shiraz
Best Grenache Predominant Blend
Wirra Wirra 2023 Original Blend Grenache Shiraz
Best Shiraz Predominant Blend
Chalk Hill Wines 2023 Small Batch Release Shiraz Barbera
Best Other Red and Other Blends
St Huberts Wines 2023 Notes Touriga Tinta Cao
Best Mediterranean Red Variety
Chalk Hill Wines 2023 Small Batch Release Graciano
Best Two Year or Older Grenache
S.C. Pannell 2022 Old McDonald Grenache
Best Two Year Old Shiraz
Chalk Hill Wines Alpha Crucis 2022 Clarendon Syrah
Best Two Year Old or Younger Cabernet Sauvignon
Battle of Bosworth Wines 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon
Best Three Year or Older Shiraz
Brokenwood Wines 2021 Rayner Vineyard Shiraz
Best Three Year or Older Cabernet Sauvignon
Reynella 2021 Basket Pressed Cabernet Sauvignon
Best Small Producer
Larnook Wines
Most Successful Exhibitor
Chalk Hill Wines
Best Single Vineyard Wine Any Style (other than Shiraz)
Penny's Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache
Best Single Vineyard Viticulturalist
Kingsley Fuller for Penny's Hill
Best Single Vineyard Shiraz
Chalk Hill Wines Alpha Crucis 2022 Clarendon Syrah
Best Grenache
Penny's Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache
Best Shiraz
Chalk Hill Wines Alpha Crucis 2022 Clarendon Syrah
Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Reynella 2021 Basket Pressed Cabernet Sauvignon
Best Museum Wine of Show
Hardys 2018 Eileen Hardy Shiraz
Wine of Provenance
Hardys 2021, 2016, 2012 Eileen Hardy Shiraz
International Judge’s Trophy
Serafino 2024 Bellissimo Fiano
Chairperson’s Trophy
Battle of Bosworth Wines 2024 Puritan Preservative Free Shiraz
Best Wine of Show and Bushing Monarch
Penny's Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache
