Australia’s emerging winemakers were celebrated this week at the first virtual trophy presentation of the annual Young Gun of Wine (YGOW) awards, with Victorian vintners leading the 2020 winners.
Victorian winemaking couple Loïque Allain and Chris Dilworth from Dilworth & Allain were awarded both the Young Gun of Wine and the Best New Act trophies, as newcomers to the Top 50, with their 2018 Cope Williams Vineyard Chardonnay and 2018 Doug’s Vineyard Pinot Noir lauded in the submissions.
YGOW founder Rory Kent said the husband and wife team made a profound impression with their young label, as they do everything from the farming and making of the wines, to the label artwork.
“This is only the second time in the 14 years of Young Gun that a maker has taken two trophies home at the one presentation,” said Kent.
“That their offering – in the eyes of our panel of industry experts – has been chosen as the most compelling from 50 of Australia’s best emerging winemakers is testament to just how good these wines are. And that they’ve done this in their first year is phenomenal.”
The Danger Zone trophy was awarded to Justin Purser of Dhiaga for his 2019 Moscato wine, while People’s Choice was taken out by Will Gilbert from Gilbert, and Winemaker’s Choice as voted by the 2020 Top 50 winemakers, was won by Steven Crawford from Fredereick Stevenson.
This is the 14th year of the YGOW, as the awards search and celebrate the best young wine labels and emerging talent across Australia, with 2020 being the first year the event was hosted virtually.
The 2020 Young Gun of Wine trophy winners are:
• Young Gun of Wine: Dilworth & Allain (Macedon Ranges, VIC)
• Best New Act: Dilworth & Allain (Macedon Ranges, VIC)
• Danger Zone: 2019 Dhiaga Moscato (Swan Hill, VIC)
• People’s Choice: Gilbert (Orange/Mudgee, NSW)
• Winemaker’s Choice: Frederick Stevenson (Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, SA).
The full list of 2020 YGOW winners can be viewed here.
