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Beer & Cider
  1. Royal Agricultural Society of NSW
  2. Sydney Royal Competitions
  3. Competitions
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Beer & Cider

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The Sydney Royal competitions showcase Australia's finest produce and award the best of the best with a coveted Sydney Royal medal. This is a fantastic opportunity to submit your finest products to benchmark them against the rest of this high-growth industry.

The Sydney Royal competitions showcase Australia's finest produce and award the best of the best with a coveted Sydney Royal medal. This is a fantastic opportunity to submit your finest products to benchmark them against the rest of this high-growth industry.

Bush Telegraph - Wine

Bush Telegraph - Wine

A few top drops

A few top drops

Wondering what to look for in wine for the rest of 2017? The KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show judges have done the work for you so no matter which wine region or territory you would like to support, here are some of the top selections by State. For a full list of the 2017 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show medal winners visit Australia's Best Producers . NSW STEVENS SEMILLON 2011, Tyrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd NOBLE ONE 2015, De Bortoli Wines PEPPER SHIRAZ 2013, Montoro Wines VAT 1 SEMILLON 2017, Tyrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd VAT 47 CHARDONNAY 2013, Tyrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd BRUT TRADITIONELLE NV, Centennial Vineyards CATO TEMPRANILLO 2015, Moppity Vineyards VIC OLD PREMIUM LIQUEUR TOPAQUE NV, Morris Wines CELLAR ONE LIQUEUR TOPAQUE NV, Morris Wines OLD PREMIUM MUSCAT NV, Morris Wines VP 2013, Morris Wines AMEN BREAK CHARDONNAY 2015, Clonal Brothers PENNON HILL CHARDONNAY 2016, Montalto Vineyard & Olive Grove GREAT WESTERN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015, Best’s Wines Pty Ltd SA RIESLINGFREAK No. 3 CLARE VALLEY RIESLING 2017, John Hughes Wines MATTSCHOSS SINGLE  VINEYARD EDEN VALLEY SHIRAZ 2015, St Hallett PEPPERJACK SPARKLING SHIRAZ NV, W Salter And Son THE MARL SHIRAZ 2016, Hentley Farm AGED RELEASE RIESLING 2013, Penfolds Wines Pty Ltd CHRONICLES 7 th GREEN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016, Hardys S.C. PANNELL BARBERA 2016, Stephen Pannell Wines Pty Ltd WA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017, Miles From Nowhere Winemakers SAUVIGNON BLANC RESERVE 2016, Redgate Wines SRS WALLCLIFFE CHARDONNAY 2016, Flametree Wines DJL SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON 2016, Xanadu Wines MERLOT 2016, Amberley Wines REDBROOK  CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014, Evans & Tate VERSE 1 CABERNET MERLOT 2015, Brookland Valley TAS/ACT GRAND VINTAGE 2008, House of Arras (TAS) PINOT NOIR 2016, Meadowbank Wines (TAS) ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2015, Gala Estate Vineyard (TAS) BRUT ROSÉ 2013, Clover Hill (TAS) 660 CANBERRA SHIRAZ 2016, McWilliam’s Wines Group Pty Ltd (ACT) 1877 SHIRAZ 2015, McWilliam’s Wines Group Pty Ltd (ACT) DEVIL’S CORNER MT AMOS PINOT NOIR 2015, Brown Brothers Tasmania (TAS)

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Peter Lehmann Wines, striving for success through Sydney Royal benchmarks

Peter Lehmann Wines, striving for success through Sydney Royal benchmarks

(Image above features Ian Hongell, Chief Winemaker, Peter Kelly, Senior Winemaker and Tim Dolan, Winemaker) The story of Peter Lehmann Wines is of one heroism and chivalry in the wine industry. It harks back to 1978, when the owners of the Saltram winery instructed their senior winemaker Peter Leon Lehmann not to purchase fruit from the Barossa growers he'd always depended on and they him. The challenge was consumers had discovered fruity whites, leaving traditional-style red wine grapes rather out of favour. Instead of reneging on his word, however, Peter Lehmann agreed to process the grower's grapes as a risky side project, naming this project label Masterson after high-rolling gambler, Sky Masterson of Broadway's Guys and Dolls . Within a year Saltram was sold, leaving those persevering grape growers in an even more desperate situation. Lehmann, ever the honourable man, promptly resigned from Saltram and committed himself to setting up a winery for these growers. Over the following years Masterson grew into Peter Lehmann Wines, and even now, 30 years later, the business ethos is about respect and collaboration, utilising over 140 grape growers. The success of Peter Lehmann Wines over the years has been reflected in their impressive wine show record, the winery picking up accolades from all around the world - including International Winemaker of the Year in 2003 and 2006. More recently, they've enjoyed success at the Sydney Royal Wine Show. In 2011 alone the winery took home three trophies, with the 2005 Margaret Barossa Semillon usurping a crowd of Hunter whites to win the coveted Trophy for Best Semillon. The winery then followed up with another trophy in 2012, and then three more in 2013. According to winemaker Tim Dolan, the secret to Peter Lehmann Wines' impressive Sydney Royal success is about consistency, backed by a continual strive for perfection. "We are always looking for ways to make better wine. To never rest on our laurels," Tim says. "This begins in the vineyard with our viticulturist constantly liaising with our growers on how to grow the best fruit so that we can reach the desired level of quality and consistency in the winery." Tim believes the real value of entering wines in the Sydney Royal Wine Show is that it works as a benchmarking exercise, allowing the winery to see how their wines perform on a national stage. "The Sydney Royal Wine Show acts as a fantastic reference point to see where we sit amongst our peers, (helping) to keep our finger on the pulse," he explains. The rewards for a bag of trophies go beyond the shiny stickers on the label too. "It's a major morale booster," Tim says. "If we win a trophy it means that all the hard work has paid off, from the effort the growers, the cellarhands, laboratory and winemaking team have put in." For Tim and the rest of the hardworking production staff, the best part about show success is not at the presentation dinner; it's back at the winery afterwards. "It's worth a barbeque and a few beers to celebrate."

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Tassie's time to shine

Tassie's time to shine

Article first appeared RAS Times November 2016 House of Arras was the stand-out producer at the KMPG Sydney Royal Wine Show in July, winning the KPMG Perennial Trophy for Best Wine of Show, and two other significant awards for their sparkling wines. This marks the first time a sparkling wine has taken out the Best in Show since the award’s inception in the 1990’s. The Tasmanian vineyard was awarded the Thorp Annual Trophy for Best Sparkling White Or Rose, as well as the Fine Partners Perpetual Trophy for the Best Wine exhibited at all Capital City Royal Wine Shows in the previous 12 months. NSW Producers has significant success throughout the competition. Chalkers Crossing 2014 CC2 Shiraz exhibited strength across the board with trophy wins for Best Shiraz, Best Red, Best Value Red, Best Single Vineyard Wine and Best Small Producer. De Bortoli did well in the sweet wine section, securing Best Sweet White for their 2013 Noble One Semillon. From Pokolbin, the De Iuliis 2016 Semillon won a trophy for Best Value White, Tyrrell’s famed Vat 1 Semillon took out Best NSW Wine, and Brokenwood Excelled with their 2009 ILR Reserve Semillon which scored them two trophies; Best Mature White and Best Semillon. For former Sydney Royal Wine Show Chair of Judges, Ian Riggs (Brokenwood’s Managing Director and Chief Winemaker), it was a particularly sentimental win as the trophy for Best Semillon is named after the late David Clarke, former Wine Committee Chair. In all a total of 146 gold medals, 276 silver medals and 700 bronze medals were awarded.

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Everything happens for a Riesling

Everything happens for a Riesling

“Going to university, I used to always sneak Riesling from the old man’s cellar and everyone used to call me a Riesling freak, so when I went out by myself the decision was made for me … it had to be Rieslingfreak.” John Hughes, owner and winemaker Rieslingfreak The dream to show the diversity of the Riesling grape has come to fruition with John Hughes picking up five awards at the KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show for his Rieslingfreak No.3, 2017 Riesling, including the big two – the KPMG Perpetual Trophy for Best Wine of Show and the Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy for Best State Show Wine. Rieslingfreak No.3 is harvested from the Hughes family vineyard. The heavy red clay soils contribute to the fruit intensity of this wine, providing a fruit driven style of Riesling. Being from Clare, the wine has classic flavours of ripe lemon and lime and some tropical fruit notes. Adding the titles of Best Riesling, Best Young White and Best White to his KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show prizes more than satisfies a goal John Hughes has been chasing since he was 16 years old.  Wanting his own wine business, making his own wine under his own wine label led to Rieslingfreak and wine drinkers of Australia should thank John’s father for introducing his son to the grape. “I have made the call that 2017 is the Riesling Vintage of the Century thus far.”  John Hughes

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Read it on the grapevine

Read it on the grapevine

The best wine to drink in Australia right now, according to the esteemed judges of the 2017 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show, is Riesling. More specifically Rieslingfreak No. 3 Clare Valley 2017 Riesling. Scoring an incredible 98 points out of a possible 100, John Hughes Wines have produced the finest wine sipped at the 2017 competition. But it doesn’t stand alone as an outstanding Riesling, Penfolds Wines 2013 Aged Release Riesling and Brand’s Laira of Coonawarra with their 2016 Old Station Riesling rounded out the top 3, both on 96 points. And all three come from South Australia. South Australia is definitely the state producing the finest wines overall, with 17 wines scoring 96 points or more, followed by Western Australia with nine wines sitting on 96 points. So what should you be looking for when perusing the shelves of your favourite bottle shop or online wine supplier? If the label bears the words South Australia, Western Australia, Riesling, Clare Valley, Barossa or Margaret River it is well worth putting in your basket. If Sauvignon Blanc is more your tipple, look for Margaret River or Mount Lofty Ranges vineyards, and Chardonnay drinkers should venture to the east coast and pick up Hunter Valley or Port Phillip selections. Tasmania is the only place to go for high scoring Pinot Noirs, whilst South Australia produced the most gold medal winning Cabernet Sauvignons. Drink locally by supporting local producers and you’ll enjoy medal-worthy wines every time.

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What it takes to win Gold at the KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show

What it takes to win Gold at the KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show

Shiny medals emblazoned on bottles catch our eye when we're looking for a drop to either impress or indulge friends and family. But just how easy is it to win an award in a competition like the KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show? We spoke to Samantha Connew, KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show Chair of Judges to find out how the medal system works and how we, the end consumers, benefit. What system of judging does the KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show employ? The KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show follows the best practice recommendations developed by the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology. Senior industry professionals have contributed to the development of step-by-step recommendations which were updated at the end of 2015 and captured in a 72 page document. Best practice wine judging isn't about awarding medals like the Olympics. There isn't just one gold, silver, and bronze.  Best practice scores exhibits out of a possible 100 points. It's a system that gives exhibitors meaningful feedback they can use to improve and market their product. For any given show, there will be multiple medals of each colour awarded. A gold standard wine is one that has been given between 95 - 100 points, a silver medal wine 90 - 94, and bronze 85 - 89. Something else people may not be aware of, is that the judging is conducted 'blind', meaning judges don't see labels or bottles that could influence them. Is that how other wine competitions are judged? In Australia, pretty much every wine show follows this best practice method of judging. The show network in New South Wales is particularly strong. The Sydney Royal team communicate regularly with other show societies in the state sharing advice, knowledge and feedback. That said I'd like to think Sydney Royal plays a leadership role in this state. As part of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW we have a proud history dating back to 1822. So we've had plenty of practice to get it right! For us, it starts with the selection of expert judges (who are rotated annually to avoid judging fatigue). Then we create the best possible environment they can work in. What is the best environment to judge wine in? Space is important and the huge pavilions at Sydney Showground facilitate being able to assess wine on its merits. There's a large back of house area to ensure judges aren't exposed to labels or bottles. And everyone has individual judging benches so there are no distractions. Other factors like the correct temperatures of the room and wine; lighting and glassware are also important. Getting it right comes down to the people managing the competition. The KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show has the expert support of full-time permanent competition coordinators employed by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW who make it all happen. What does it take to be a KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show judge? The right training and experience is essential. Industry professionals who have completed the Len Evans Tutorial, the Advanced Wine Assessment Course run by the Australian Wine Research Institute, or have certification from The Wine & Spirit Education Trust or the Court of Master Sommeliers, will be considered. As for experience, we're looking for people who have exposure to wine on a daily basis such as winemakers, sommeliers, and industry sales and marketing professionals. Medal-winning wines are generally more expensive. Are we funding a marketing ploy or genuinely paying for quality? There are costs involved in entering competitions, but ultimately the price on a bottle is an indication of its quality. That old adage, 'you get what you pay for', definitely applies in the wine industry and there's plenty of scientific evidence to back it up.  That said, it is great to promote wines which we feel over deliver for the price tag, which is why we have value trophies for both red and white wines. There's obvious commercial benefits for winemakers, but what can the end consumer gain from these competitions? The short answer? We're drinking better wine because of them! The Australian wine show judging system is one of the most, if not the most, robust systems in the world. It has been developed over many, many years to promote quality to consumers and provide feedback to winemakers. A medal on a bottle from a credible Australian wine show like Sydney Royal is absolutely an indication of a high standard of quality. It's reassurance you’re buying and serving the best. Through the Australian wine show system, these competitions have helped raise the standard of production which is why you're seeing more medals in your local bottle shop. It's something every Australian can be proud of.

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