Award-winning Australian vineyard crowned ‘Winemaker of the Year’

FOR the third time in four years, Australian winery McGuigan Wines has won the prestigious title ‘Winemaker of the Year’ at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC).

The trophy, presented at the IWSC’s annual banquet in London’s historic Guildhall last night <November 14>, was awarded to the winemaker whose entries achieved the highest competition results.

As well as being awarded the title ‘Australian Winemaker of the Year’, McGuigan’s 9000 Semillon 2004, picked up the Semillon trophy.

Five of McGuigan’s wines were awarded a ‘Gold Outstanding’ by judges in this year’s competition while a further four scooped ‘Gold’.

The glittering event, attended by more than 450 wine and spirit aficionados from around the world, also saw Scottish distiller Glenmorangie crowned ‘Distiller of the Year’, while Waitrose won the award ‘Retailer of the Year’.

Neil McGuigan, Chief Wine Maker at McGuigan Wines, said: “To have won International  Winemaker of the Year for the third time in four years is an outstanding result for Australiaand the McGuigan brand. To be the only winery in the world to have won ‘world’s best winemaker’ three times is a testament to our commitment to quality. We can now proudly say that we are now one of the most awarded wineries in the world.”

He added: “For us at McGuigan it is truly amazing and a credit to the hard work, dedication and commitment of our vineyard, winemaking and production teams in driving quality, consistency and innovation across our brand. This ongoing and sustained industry recognition has really vindicated our philosophy of making the wine the hero.”

IWSC’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Anna Grant, said: “Four generations of the McGuigan family have made wine their life, one of Australia's most celebrated wineries, creating great tasting wines from some of the country’s best regions. They won this award in 2009 and again in 2011 and Neil McGuigan still insists the best is yet to come!”

Four of the vineyard’s Semillons, including the McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 1997, the McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2004, the McGuigan The Shortlist Semillon 2007 and the McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2011 took the judges’ highest mark, along with the family-run winery’s McGuigan Farms Shiraz 2009.

A further four of the label’s wines were awarded a ‘Gold’ including McGuigan Botrytis Semillon 2005, McGuigan The Shortlist Eden Valley Riesling 2004, McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2003 and McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2005.

Anna continued: “Of the 2,194 medals awarded by judges, to wines from seven countries, only 48 of them were a ‘Gold Outstanding’. When you consider five of these went to McGuigan you realise what a staggering achievement this is.”

At the same event, the IWSC crowned Scottish distiller Glenmorangie ‘Distiller of the Year’ and, for the second year in a row Waitrose scooped ‘Retailer of the Year’. Bolney Wine Estate, in West Sussex, was awarded the title ‘UK Wine Producer of the Year’.