Photos courtesy of Amanda Whitehead.
At the 2024 James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenge, Knappstein’s 2022 Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon earned the prestigious Clare Valley “Best in Region” Cabernet Trophy, scoring a total of 96 points, one point higher than the required score for a trophy.
Chardonnay is Australia’s most planted white variety, and the continued evolution of its style, steered by Australian winemakers, is celebrated globally. As the world’s most widely planted grape, and Australia’s third most planted variety, Cabernet Sauvignon is one of Australian wine’s great success stories.
As a celebration of the world’s most popular pair of grape varieties and Australia’s incredible regional diversity, the James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenge takes place through genuine regional collaboration, judged in alternating years between two of Australia’s most iconic wine regions, the Yarra Valley and Margaret River.
“One of the best features of the show is that it shines a light on all the places in Australia where these varieties are foundations of their regions. When the vintage clicks with that region, the great wines really shine through”, said Chair of Judges, Adam Wadewitz.
This year, the judging took place between the 28th and 29th of August at the picturesque McHenry Hohnen winery in the Margaret River Region. Yarra Valley’s Anthony Fikkers from Joval and Brendan Hawker of Yering Station and Yarrabank were selected to join the Margaret River Associate Judges.
Across two days, 16 judges tasted and scored over 600 wines from 37 regions, producing 13 Chardonnay Sauvignon Regional Trophies, seven Cabernet Sauvignon Regional Trophies, and two James Halliday Challenge Trophies. In addition to the trophies, 69 Gold Medals, 91 Silver Medals, and 244 Bronze Medals were awarded to wines from across the country.
The highest pointed wines for each variety were rewarded with the James Halliday Trophy and the regional winners with scores of 95 points or more were awarded Best of Region. Knappstein’s 2022 Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon scored a 96, taking home the Best in Region Trophy for Clare Valley. This marks Knappstein’s first regional trophy since the first James Halliday Challenge was conducted in 2012.
Michael Kane, Senior Winemaker at Knappstein Wines, says: “We are deeply honoured to receive this recognition, and I believe it is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our entire team.
“The event’s celebration of Australia’s diverse wine regions underscores the quality and craftsmanship present across the country, and we are proud to showcase Clare Valley’s exceptional offerings on this wonderful platform.”
Other regional winners included the Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (Margaret River), Nightfall Wines‘ Draco Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (Coonawarra), and the Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (Yarra Valley).
Additionally, the Briar Ridge Block 7 Chardonnay 2023 from the Orange Wine Region and the Forest Hill Vineyard Block 5 Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 from the Great Southern were crowned the highest-pointed Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia, each scoring 97 points.
So, if you’ve been looking for a new drop to taste this Spring, be sure to check out the full list of winners from the James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenge, especially those special drops from South Australia that took home medals or trophies.
What: Clare Valley’s best cabernet sauvignon
Where: Knappstein Winery, 2 Pioneer Ave, Clare SA 5453
For more information, click here.
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