History made as Tasmanian red wins top gong at prestigious wine show

History was made at the prestigious Sydney Royal Wine Show as a red wine from Tasmania, the 2024 Pooley Syrah, claimed the coveted Best in Show award. This victory is particularly significant as it marks the first time a shiraz from Tasmania has achieved this top honor, traditionally dominated by regions in South Australia like the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale.

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It really demonstrates that these amazing wines can come from anywhere in this country.

The Pooley Syrah, a variety of shiraz known for its dark fruit and peppery notes, impressed a panel of 31 judges who tasted more than 1,500 wines across 55 classes. Chair of judges, Mike De Iuliis, highlighted the success of cool-climate wines, stating, "It really demonstrates that these amazing wines can come from anywhere in this country."

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It was before the Hunter was developed as a wine region, it was before the Barossa was developed as a wine region.

The Coal River winery's achievement also included winning the Best Red and Best Shiraz trophies, further cementing their place in Australian wine history. This year's show also marked the 200th anniversary of the Sydney Royal Wine Show, which began in 1826 with a single class for the best colonial wine. Angus Barnes, chair of the show, noted its historical importance in developing the Australian wine industry by providing a benchmark for producers.

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When education wasn't as good, when technology wasn't as good, the shows could tell the producers if there were things they needed to do to their wine.