People's Choice Wine Awards - Central VIC

21/01/2026

We have delayed trying to write this message, because what has happened is incomprehensible for some dear friends and industry colleagues, and what words could say it right? In short, I suppose, we just want to say that we are heartbroken for those affected by the recent fires. Central VIC was hit hard. It must feel as if some have lost their identities altogether....
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A list of known wineries who have been impacted can be found here: https://winecompanion.com.au/articles/news/victorian-bushfires-2026
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Please keep these people in your prayers, offer a smile, and buy some of their wines if you're able. For anyone just needing an ear to talk to, we are available.

09/12/2025

The Most Incredible Shiraz - Wine Show Gold Medal Reviews
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For any show that encompasses Heathcote & Bendigo, Shiraz is destined to be the big kahuna, and so it rightfully was, with the Shiraz category attracting more entries than any other. Because the show only allowed one Shiraz per winery, judges only had to evaluate the best of the best. Thus it is with full confidence (and thirsty palate) that we heartily endorse the below as stunning examples of what Central VIC can do with Australia's favourite varietal.
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* Carlei Estate 2020 "Root Day" Shiraz - 2025 PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINE OF SHOW - Beautiful broad fruit; great fruit complexity with layers and layers to unpack. Just the right kiss of oak, but the dark fruit stays the hero. Hyper smooth; stunning finish - one of the most poised Shirazes you'll ever try. This is an incredible Shiraz that you should go buy and try today!
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* Condie Estate - Heathcote 2021 "The Gwen" Shiraz - Rich, spicy and smooth - everything you want from Heathcote! Youthful & exuberant, this wine should evolve spectacularly over the next few years.

* Peregrine Ridge 2013 Limited Release Shiraz - BEST IN CLASS - There are dark currents of power in this wine that somehow "warm the soul". Exceptional mouthfeel and depth. As one judge summed it: "the nose says it all, great fruit, great oak, the Grange of this show"
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* Red Edge Wine 2022 "Big Red" - Beautiful nose; classic heathcote on the palate. Rich oak, big fruit, great poise, length, and balance throughout. This wine has a surprising grace to it...
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* Rogues Lane Vineyard 2019 Shiraz - Opaque inky black in colour, befitting such a mysterious, dark and shifting gem with its subtle complexities below the surface. Perfect integration and rewarding finish.
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* Sanguine Estate Wines 2022 D'Orsa - This is a beast of a wine attracting descriptors like "rich, powerful, and oaky". The powerful fruit and oak easily carry the wines rich taninc mesh. Exceptional flavour and finish.
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* Water Wheel Vineyards 2022 Baringhup Shiraz - Powerful in every regard - aroma, flavour, profile & finish. Marked and atypical but beautiful with its sultry black raspberry & vanillin flavours. "Rich", "hyper-smooth", "calls for steak", "unique" - in short delicious.

W‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍hat beautiful Shirazes indeed. Enjoy!

02/12/2025

Some Extraordinary Wines!! Wine Show "Alternative Reds" Gold Medal Reviews
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The "alternative" red category has attracted so much excitement, interest, plantings/graftings, and now production over the last five years, it can hardly be called "alternative" anymore! With its growth, the "category" (which really needs to be broken into a few categories at this point) has naturally evolved. The themes we saw in the gold medal winners this year were more power and/or more complexity. Although these gold winners are not all "big wines", every one stands on its own feet and would be suitable to a wide variety of red drinkers.
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We are super excited to present the following. You'll be thrilled to have purchased any of these bottles.
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* Domaine Asmara 2024 Reserve Grenache - A stewie, near Shirazy nose with rich liquorice and spices is your segue to a taste experience that starts all soft, beautiful, and plush but crescendos into an authoritative finish. No sharp edges here; just juicy fruit power. $47
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* Farmer & The Scientist 2023 Tempranillo - Refreshingly powerful for an AUS Tempranillo. Rich purple fruits framed in a complex tannic structure. Full mouth feel and long finish with notes of liquorice, plum and figs. $40
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* Pook Road 2019 "The Alchemist" Sparkling Red Blend - The nose is so rich (near thrashing) with raspberry, vanilla and spicy complexity - On the palate, blackberry, roses, strawberry and so much more. Such extraordinary complexity with so much going on. Rich but dry with superb balance. A stunning, serious wine! $65
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* Red Edge Wine 2024 Mourvedre - An intriguingly savoury nose gives way to a beautiful cherry jam palate with all its subtle complexities. Great balance and flavour and extremely pleasant lingering finish.
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* Tar & Roses 2024 Sangiovese - Finally, a punchy AUS Sangiovese in all the right ways. Plush nose with pretty pinot noir elements. Rich and juicy on the palate with just a kiss of vanilla. Maintains its poise throughout its great length. $30
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* Silver Spoon Estate 2021 "Death and Taxes" Grenache Shiraz Tempranillo - BEST IN CLASS - What an extraordinary wine. Stunning nose. Smooth, plush and gently complex palate with cinnamon, cigar, coffee and more. Extremely well balanced. Will please big- and light-red drinkers alike! "Has everything." A noble wine indeed. SOLD OUT
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Stunners like these are
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25/11/2025

Stunning Cabernets/Bordeaux & Sumptuous Rhone Whites - Wine Show Gold Medal Reviews!
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Who doesn't love a noble Bordeaux red or a rich Rhone white? We saw some incredible examples of both in this year's People's Choice Wine Show - Central VIC. The gold medal winners, all incredible wines, can be found below with a synopsis of the judges' tasting notes..
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Rhone Whites
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* Carlei Estate 2022 Viognier - A very pretty vanilla nose gives way to soft vanilla, honeysuckle and sunshiny days on the palate. The more you sit with & consider this wine, its subtle power becomes apparent. Full palate, great depth, bright acidity, lovely balance ... perfect sunshine in a glass
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* Condie Estate - Heathcote 2022 Naked Run Marsanne Viognier - BEST IN CLASS- Gorgeous viscous honey colour. Intriguing leather & vanilla on nose. This is a big fruit wine with a touch of sweetness, but the intense flavours are just so incredible, the Marsanne's kiss of oily leather keeping the booming Viognier in perfect restraint. An extremely rich but also supremely poised yum!
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* Hanging Rock Winery 2024 Viognier - Floral & summer spice nose. Bright and engaging palate with apricot and dashes of baking spices, yum! A finely balanced wine with a great finish. A “classic” wine that is easily enjoyable but also rewards further consideration.
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Bordeaux Reds
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* Domaine Asmara 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - BEST IN CLASS - Beautiful opening bouquet. Big fruited blackberry & leather on the palate. Quite rich and intense. But also elegant, earthy, and has swagger. Extraordinary finish. A rich, powerful yum express that seems to be at the perfect age.
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* Flynns Wines Heathcote 2023 Carmenere - Dense, dark purple colour. Spicy cobbler and wild herb garden on the nose. Beautiful, and bright - all blackberry cobbler on the palate with engaging dashes of black pepper. The subtle oak provides the perfect backbone/structure. A perfect finish concludes the wonderful taste journey.
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* Hanging Rock 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon - Enticingly stewie summer nose. The clean, polished, and rich-but-balanced blackberry palate speaks of masterful winemaking. Exceptional poise, and finish - just perfection really. Dangerously drinkable now, but should age exceptionally. A textbook Bordeaux-style Cabernet.
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* Pook Road 2020 Petit Verdot/Shiraz - A beautiful, "serious wine" nose. On the palate, blackberry, bramble, violet, and vanilla singing in perfect harmony. You won't find a smoother wine despite its richness. Great long finish. In summary, as one judge wrote: "WOW! I would recommend this to any connoisseur!"

20/11/2025

Wine Show Gold Medal reviews! - Incredible Chardonnay/Pinot Gris & Aromatic Whites
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The recent People's Choice Wine Show - Central VIC saw many entries into every category by nearly 40 wineries overall. Because the show had a limit of one entry per class per winery, participants put their best foot forward, and the judges had a host of truly beautiful wines to look at (and sufficient time & palate energy to fully consider them). Amongst all those fantastic wines, here were the best of the best in the "Chardonnay & Pinot Gris" and "Aromatic Whites" categories.
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Unbelievably, for wines of this stature, none of these clocks in at over $37, and five of them will cost you less than $29. It has never been a better time to buy great wine!!!
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Chardonnay & Pinot Gris
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* McPherson Wines Australia 2024 Don't Tell Gary Chardonnay - BEST IN CLASS - Beautiful vanilla nose segues to a subtly rich, beautiful palate. A great depth to this wine with just enough oak, hints of citrus, and a long and lingering finish. $28.95
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* Tahbilk Wines 2024 Chardonnay - A very interesting, characterful Chardonnay. Lifted nose and great colour in the glass. Full-flavoured with an ever so slightly sultry smoky palate; long, beautiful finish and perfect balance/poise throughout the ride. $21.95
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* Tar & Roses 2025 Pinot Grigio - Attractive fruity nose; lively colour - wonderfully mouth-filling with perfect acid back bone. Dry but beautiful strawberries and cream flavour with engaging subtle complexity. A stunning all around AUS expression of the varietal. $25
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Aromatic Whites
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* Colbinabbin Estate 2024 Verdelho - Yummy sweet orange/citrus nose. Beautiful apricots and honeysuckle on the palate with hints of cinammin in the periphery. Creamy, layered and textured - all around deliciously rich wine! Fantastic mouthfeel and wonderfully mouth-filling. $25
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* Flynns Wines Heathcote 2025 Verdelho - Soft tropical nose & palate with only the gentlest hints of apricots & honeysuckle. Very subtly rich - subtle through and through but rewarding when considered. Almost a French-style take on this varietal that might be mistaken as a Chablis! $37
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* Newbridge Wines 2025 Fiano - BEST IN CLASS - Fine citrus nose; bright & rounded on palate with a great mouth feel. Slightly smokey, cashewy with gentle apple and pear. A fresh and refreshing, smooth wine with loads of flavour. One of the more remarkable Fianos we've ever tried - just wonderful! $35

18/11/2025

A Most Glorious Inaugural Wine Show!
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The Saturday just past, winemakers from around Central VIC and wine enthusiasts from Melbourne & Heathcote gathered for a special awards dinner at Palling Bros Brewery to celebrate the gold medal winners from this year's (and our first ever) show. We are pleased to report that it was a wonderful night. Everyone seemed to have so much fun, the three course sharing feast was delish, and of course, all of the gold- and trophy-winning wines were out of this world.
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We look forward to putting on an even bigger and better event next year, but for now, before we take a six week break, we look back with gratitude, pride, and joy at what a successful first show this was, and we thank all our supporters (wineries, judges, sponsors, and guests) heartily.
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In the coming weeks, we will share judges' evaluations/synopses of the gold medal wines, but for now, you can find a list of the gold medal winners below.
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With many thanks, David & Andrew
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GOLD MEDAL WINES FROM THE 2025 SHOW
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Aromatic Whites
1 Newbridge Wines Fiano 2025 - BEST IN CLASS
2 Colbinabbin Estate Verdelho 2024
3 Flynns Wines Heathcote Verdelho 2025
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Chardonnay & Pinot Gris
4 Tar & Roses Pinot Grigio 2025
5 Tahbilk Wines Chardonnay 2024
6 McPherson Wines Australia Chardonnay 2024 - BEST IN CLASS
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Rhone Whites
7 Hanging Rock Winery Viognier 2024
8 Carlei Estate Viognier 2022
9 Condie Estate - Heathcote "Naked Run" Marsanne Viognier 2022 - BEST IN CLASS
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Other Reds
10 Pook Road Sparkling Red Blend 2019
11 Red Edge Wine Mourvedre 2024
12 Tar & Roses Sangiovese 2024
13 Farmer & The Scientist Tempranillo 2023
14 Silver Spoon Estate "Death and Taxes" Grenache Shiraz Tempranillo 2021 - BEST IN CLASS
15 Domaine Asmara Reserve Grenache 2024 (Served with dinner)
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Shiraz
16 Carlei Wines Root Day Shiraz 2020 - PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINE OF SHOW
17 Red Edge Big Red 2022
18 Peregrine Ridge Limited Release Shiraz 2013 - BEST IN CLASS
19 Water Wheel Vineyards Baringhup Shiraz 2022
20 Rogues Lane Vineyard Shiraz 2019
21 Sanguine Estate Wines 2022 D’Orsa Shiraz
22 Condie Estate 2021 Gwen Shiraz
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Bordeaux Reds
23 Hanging Rock Winery 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
24 Pook Road 2020 Petit Verdot / Shiraz
25 Flynns Wines 2023 Carmenere
26 Domaine Asmara 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

14/11/2025

High Silver Medals Tasting Master Class to close the Wine Show weekend! - This Sunday
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Want a chance to taste the highest silver medal wines from the People's Choice Wine Awards - Central VIC that very nearly made gold? Want to see what it would be like to evaluate and score wines like our judges in this show?
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If you're in Heathcote, join us for a very intimate masterclass hosted by Heathcote Wine Hub this Sunday at 5pm. You can taste through 10-12 amazing wines (across all six show classes) with cheese and nibbles provided. $30 per person; tickets strictly limited. If you'd like to purchase a ticket, please pop by the Wine Hub or give Karen a ring at 0434 390 979. Hope to see you there to put a capstone on a glorious weekend 🙂

12/11/2025

Medal artwork is now available for the show. If you did not receive our email with the files, links, and information, please let us know.

09/11/2025

Good day! A few key details for Saturday's sold-out Awards dinner:
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Location: Palling Bros Brewery, 168 High St, Heathcote VIC 3523
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Tickets: In lieu of printing tickets, we will have a list of ticket holders at the door.
Upon arrival, you'll be given:
* A tasting glass for the gold medals tasting (please leave at the back bar before seating for dinner),
* A voting token (for your favourite gold medal wine),
* A table number where you are seated.
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Times:
* 4:30pm - doors open for tasting of the amazing gold medals wines.
* 5:30pm seating for dinner and awards presentation. Voting for your favourite gold medal wine closes at 6pm.
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Dress: Awards dinner casual. No suit required, but a little snazz never hurt.
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Dinner & Dietaries: We have assembled an abundant three course sharing/tapas-style dinner. Each course will have vegetarian and non-vegetarian options available. Menus will be printed to indicate which items are vegetarian. Each course will be presented with two best-in-class wines.

‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍Car parking is available next door/adjacent at 170 High St.
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We are happy to report that the show has gone very well, and we are satisfied that you'll get to try some amazing wines at the dinner. Thank you for being a key part of this inaugural event.
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Cheers,
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Andrew & David

30/10/2025

Pretty cool!

“Unlike traditional wine shows, this event blends formal judging with a true ‘people’s choice’ element.”

20/10/2025

The People's Choice Wine Show Central VIC 2025 rolls on! Three judging sessions have been completed, with one more to go. The judges have spent approximately two to two and a half hours each night looking at 25-40 wines each time. In the main, the wines have been excellent, the scoring sound, and the feedback good. We will have some great golds to look at for the awards dinner on 15 Nov!

A special thanks to our sponsors, whose support has and will allow us to make this show as good as it could have been. These are all wonderful organisations - the type we're as proud to stand behind as they were of us.

* Tonnellerie Taransaud / Chene is a wonderful oak and barrel supplier. In addition to outstanding product, of equal importance (to someone like me in any event!), they provide amazing support and advice. If you're considering your oak needs for the next vintage, we encourage you to have a conversation with Anne Brisk.

* Nutrien Ag Solutions Bendigo has been a long-term supporter of our regions, supporting both the main/formal wine show and now ours. Nets, copper, sulphur, fertiliser, vineyard management advice... Nurtein / Hayden is the go!

* Labelhouse is a fantastic wine label printer. No job too small, no design too custom. They are able to meet the most bespoke needs, even for one barrel's worth of wine labels. The team there couldn't be friendlier or more responsive and can even step in with last mile design needs.

* Grapeworks provides a wide array of critical winemaking equipment - from presses and pumps to yeasts to the invaluable Sentia analyser which we're seeing pop up around the region (and indeed intend to get one myself for the next vintage!)

* RTM electrics offer perhaps the most reliable service for your electrical needs in our region. Rob and his team are responsive (I've never waited more than a day for a response), very price efficient (a mercy in these times), and most importantly, they deliver a first-class result. Electric needs? Think Rob Malavisi.

* The Emeu Inn Bed & Breakfast offers Heathcote's most upscale accommodation. The recently redesigned and refurbished rooms are nothing short of opulent.. Smack in the middle of town, you'll not find a more rewarding or enjoyable stay. It's worth a look if you haven't popped your head in recently!

* And finally, Palling Bros Brewery. This first edition of the wine show simply would not have been possible without their support. Our heartfelt thanks to Peter and his team for receiving and storing so many entries, and for letting us have all those hours to set up, take down, and host the judging sessions.

10/10/2025

Wine Show Update!
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The show is rolling on! Last night we had our second (of what will be four in total) judging session(s) for Classes 1 and 6. It was great to see so many superb wines! Once again, the judges had plenty of time to really consider each wine, and we believe/hope that the comments coming back will be of high value. (The comments are thoughtful, and they are from people who deeply consider and buy Heathcote wines). Our decision to limit entries to one per class so judges could really spend time with the wines seems to be paying off!
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A reminder that all wines are poured blind, and the judges aren’t even advised of which wineries are in the show; in that regard, the judging couldn’t be any more objective.
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18 tickets remaining for the awards dinner 15 Nov (4:30pm start for golds tasting, 5:30pm to be seated for dinner served with the bests in classes). If you want to invite any of your friends or colleagues to join in the fun, now is the time. Tickets are available here: trybooking.com/DGDTY
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We are deeply appreciative to all of you – wineries, judges, sponsors, Palling Bros for being such a generous host to all this activity at all hours – thank you!