Winemakers, Amy Sutherland Smith and her father Andrew Sutherland Smith from Warrabilla Wines had their best result in 35 years at the prestigious Rutherglen Wine Show.
Warrabilla Wines has enjoyed its best result in 35 years, walking away with three major trophies at the prestigious Rutherglen Wine Show.
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The family-run winery, based just north of the Ovens River, dominated Thursday night’s presentation dinner, taking home the Border Food and Wine Society Trophy for Best North East Red Wine and the Sutherland Smith Family Trophy for Best Australian Durif with its 2024 Parola’s Durif.
The 2022 Reserve Durif also claimed the RL Seppelt Trophy for Best Rutherglen Red Wine.
On top of the silverware, Warrabilla added four gold and four silver medals across Riesling, Fiano, Grenache Blanc, Shiraz and Durif classes.
General manager and sixth-generation winemaker Amy Smith said the recognition was a proud moment for the entire team.
“This is a great result for our little winery,” she said.
“It’s always nice to have your wines recognised, particularly in a prestigious show like Rutherglen that attracts entries from across the country.
“Durif is such a fickle variety to grow; it demands a lot of its maker.
“To win trophies with two quite different Durif wines is deserved recognition for our team, and it’s certainly put a smile on Dad’s face.”
Warrabilla is renowned for producing big, bold reds, and Amy said their focus remains on quality rather than chasing trends.
“We sell practically every bottle we make directly to our wine club members and customers, so we just keep doing what we do best.
“Our style isn’t always in fashion, but we’ve built a loyal following who love unapologetically flavoursome wines.”
The wins capped off another successful year for the Rutherglen Wine Show, now in its 137th year.
First staged in 1881, the competition is one of the oldest in Australia, missing only two world wars and one COVID year.
This year, 767 table wines and 152 fortified wines were judged over four days.
Show committee chair Chris Pfeiffer said Rutherglen holds a special place in the wine world as the spiritual home of fortified wines, with some show entries spending more than 70 years maturing in barrels.
Rutherglen Wine Show committee chair, Chris Pffeifer at last week’s public wine tasting.
“Rutherglen has been committed to making fortified wine styles since the 1850s, and this show is the ultimate accolade in that space,” Mr Pfeiffer said.
“It’s also a great opportunity for exhibitors to taste their wines alongside others from across the country.”
The event is run by the Rutherglen Agricultural Society in partnership with the Winemakers of Rutherglen, with dozens of locals volunteering to keep the show running, washing glasses, serving tastings, and welcoming guests.
For Amy Smith and the Warrabilla team, the celebrations will continue long after the trophies are polished.
“Winning at Rutherglen is as good as it gets for a local winery,” she said.
“We’re thrilled to be able to share it with our community.”
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