Vintage Cellars names best beer, wine and spirits of the year

Vintage Cellars has announced its annual Best Of Awards winners for 2019.

The Best Of Awards are now in their 10th year and were launched as a means to showcase the most impressive wines tasted by the Vintage Cellars panel.

It’s since extended to include beers and spirits from winemakers, brewers and distillers across Australia, New Zealand and beyond.

The 2019 Best Of showcase features 22 separate categories, from apéritifs to XPAs, sparkling and international drops, and single malts to summer ales.

This year, the Best Of Awards also include a Winemaker, Distillery and Brewery of the Year.

Winemaker of the Year was Julian Langworthy at Deep Woods Estate in Margaret River. Brewery of the Year was Young Henry’s. Distillery of the year was South Australia’s Twenty Third Street Distillery.

Bickford’s Group Sales and Marketing Manager, Chris Illman said: “We are so proud to announce that Twenty Third Street Distillery has been awarded the Vintage Cellars 2019 Distillery of the Year. It is a great honour and a reflection of the innovation, heart and soul that goes into every bottle at Twenty Third Street Distillery.

“We opened as Twenty Third Street Distillery in September 2016 and today, we represent a 100% family owned, independent business and a staple of South Australia and the Riverland region.”

The distillery started out producing brandy, reinvigorating the category with award- winning Not Your Nanna’s Brandy. However, the distillers quickly found favour in gin – launching their Signature, Barrel Aged and Navy Strength Gins to glowing reviews.

And the winner is…

The Best Wine of the Year for 2019 went to Mr Riggs The Bolter Shiraz from McLaren Vale.

The judges said: “This wine expresses the essence of McLaren Vale. Well structured, featuring chocolate, lush berry and meaty aromas and a savoury, juicy finish.”

The full list of awards

Winemaker of the Year: Julian Langworthy, Deep Woods Estate, Margaret River

Best Value Red Wine Under $25: Mr Riggs The Bolter Shiraz, McLaren Vale 2016

Best Value White Wine Under $25: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ 2018

Best Premium Red Wine Over $25: Peregrine Pinot Noir, Central Otago NZ

Best Premium White Wine Over $25: Church Road McDonald Series Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay NZ 2017

Best Sparkling Wine: Ninth Island Sparkling NV, Tasmania

Best Champagne: Charles De Cazanove Tradition Brut Vintage, Champagne France 2007

Best Rosé: Lampe De Méduse Rosé Cru Classé, Provence France

Best International Red Wine: Cosme Palacio Cosecha Rioja, Rioja Spain 2016

Best International White Wine: Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay, California USA 2017

Distillery of the Year: Twenty Third Street Distillery