Chardonnay named Wine of the Show at a record breaking 2018 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show

The 2018 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show has produced a tale in two parts – the continued excellence of some of Australia’s household names in winemaking and the emergence of the new brigade.

The results of the 2018 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show were announced overnight at a gala function held in Sydney.

Held across four days last week at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, entries from every wine region of Australia passed the lips of the 31 expert industry judges, including Guest International Judge Fongyee Walker MW.

Notable was the strong showing of Chardonnay amongst the gold medallists and Trophy winners.

More than 2300 wines were tasted across 66 classes during the Show, with Penfolds Wines’ 2017 RESERVE BIN 17A Chardonnay being named The KPMG Perpetual Trophy Winner for Best Wine of the Show and the Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy Winner for Best State Show Wine.

P-J Charteris, the Chair of Judges for the 2018 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show paid tribute to the diversity seen amongst the winning wines this year;

“This really was testament to the traditional wine regions stepping up with quality offerings and the newer regions in wine showing what they are capable of now and into the future."

"It is exciting to see as judges the traditions being maintained in what Australia is know for internationally in wine, yet the emerging and smaller wineries putting their stake in the ground through newer varietals and blends.

“The 2018 Royal Sydney Wine Show marks the 192nd year of the show and a turning point for the Australian Wine Industry.

“The last few harvest seasons have seen demand outstripping supply and as a result we are seeing improvements in quality as evidenced by the medal tallies across most classes in the show.

“As supply tightens we are seeing prices, particularly for wine bound for export increasing, which is important for the overall health of our industry,” P-J Charteris said.

Chair of the Sydney Royal Wine Committee Sally Evans says the huge response to this year’s Show is proof Australia’s winemakers love pitting their best product against their industry peers;

“We were delighted to receive a record number of entries this year, taking us to full capacity for judging.

“Entries came from all corners of the nation, from a broad spread of producers – big, small and in-between.

“It shows us that the Australian wine industry values our Wine show and the effort we put into presenting a quality, professional and above all, relevant competition,” Sally Evans said.

The 2018 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show looked like this:

• 2332 entries.
• 369 Exhibitors
• 66 Classes
• 30 Judges across six panels – plus the Chair of Judges.
• Gold Medals awarded - 120.
• Silver Medals awarded - 276.
• Bronze Medals awarded - 791.
• 34 Trophies Awarded (All Trophy winners may have been a Gold Medallist).