Reillys crowned Champion Small Winery at Australian Small Winemakers Show 2024
Pictured is Justin Ardill, Owner & Winemaker of Reillys Wines, accepting the trophy for Champion Small Winery of Show from ASWS's President, Chris Doig, at the 2024 Awards Gala Dinner held in Stanthorpe, Queensland on Friday 25th October.
MEDIA RELEASE
25 OCTOBER 2024
‘Eleven-heaven’ for Clare Valley’s Reillys Wines at Australian Small Winemakers Show
Celebrated Clare Valley boutique winery, Reillys Wines, has been crowned the country’s best small winery at the 2024 Australian Small Winemakers Show (ASWS).
The award caps a stellar performance for the Mintaro-based winery and comes on top of two additional trophies and eight medals – three gold, two silver and three bronze.
The 11 awards were presented to Reillys Wines’ owner and winemaker Justin Ardill at the ASWS Gala Dinner in Stanthorpe, Queensland earlier this evening (Friday 25 October 2024) with the Champion Small Winery gong considered the show’s ultimate honour. The latest accolades follow an impressive performance at the 2024 Canberra International Wine Show, where Reillys Wines’ Museum Release Riesling was awarded an Elite Gold.
Established in 1987 and exclusively for small wineries crushing less than 500 tonnes, the ASWS pays tribute to the technical excellence and innovation of small winemakers and is recognised as the most influential wine show of its kind in Australia.
“We are incredibly humbled to be recognised as the best small winery in Australia and have our 2024 Watervale Riesling voted by the team of judges as not only the best South Australian white wine, but to receive the trophy for the Champion White Wine in the nation,” Justin Ardill said.
“It’s a tribute to our winegrowing and winemaking philosophy of producing premium wines, in low-yielding vineyards and with minimum intervention, that allows the quality of the fruit to truly shine – and just reward for our viticulturist behind this great Riesling, our great friend Robert Smyth, to be honoured with the Champion Viticulturist of Show trophy.
“And given the ASWS’ high standing, with more than 700 wines from over 130 wineries across the length and breadth of Australia judged by wine industry icons before medals and trophies are awarded, it is another significant feather in the cap of the Clare Valley, further cementing our status as the premium Riesling-producing region in Australia,” he added.
The standout 2024 Watervale Riesling is 100 percent Watervale-produced, with the fruit coming from Robert Smyth’s 50-year-old low-cropping vineyard. It is described by its creator, Justin Ardill, as having a fragrant orange blossom nose, complemented by a palate rich in citrus character, with structured acidity and low residual sugar.
“It’s ready for drinking right now, and as a young wine, is a great match with seafood,” he explains, adding that, with age, it becomes “more luscious, exhibiting alluring honey tones and making for a great pairing with lighter meats such as chicken.”
The judges also awarded a gold medal to Reillys Wines’ 2023 Dry Land Tempranillo and its 2017 Museum Release Riesling, while silver medals went to its 2018 Moonvine RCV Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz and its 2021 Dry Land Sagrantino Sangiovese Shiraz and bronze medals were awarded to its 2018 Dry Land Sangiovese, its 2019 Epitaph Shiraz and its 2020 Moonvine Sagrantino Sangiovese Shiraz.
Reillys Wines’ roots date back to 1993 when Justin, with a background in medicine, and Julie saw an opportunity to indulge their passion for wine by purchasing a small parcel of 12 acres of vineyards in Watervale. Their first vintage, a year later, yielded some 300 dozen bottles each of Riesling, Shiraz and Grenache.
The winery today produces four ranges of vegan-friendly Clare Valley wine, comprising its super-premium RCV range, its signature Dry Land range, its ever-popular Reillys range and its renowned Barking Mad range.
Further information can be found on the Reillys Wines website at www.reillyswines.com.au.
Australian Small Winemakers Show 2024 - Reillys Wines Awards
- Champion Small Winery of Show Trophy - Reillys Wines
- Champion Viticulturist of Show Trophy - Robert Smyth for Reillys 2024 Watervale Riesling
- Champion White Wine of Show Trophy - 2024 Reillys Watervale Riesling
- Best SA White Wine of Show Trophy - 2024 Reillys Watervale Riesling
- Gold Medal - 2024 Reillys Watervale Riesling
- Gold Medal - 2017 Reillys Museum Release Riesling
- Gold Medal - 2023 Dry Land Tempranillo
- Silver Medal - 2018 Moonvine Cabernet Shiraz
- Silver Medal - 2021 Dry Land Sagrantino Sangiovese Shiraz
- Bronze Medal - 2018 Dry Land Sangiovese
- Bronze Medal - 2019 RCV 'Epitaph' Shiraz
- Bronze Medal - 2020 Moonvine Sagrantino Sangiovese Shiraz
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Issued by: Paul Robinson, Word Café, 0408 855 178, paul@wordcafe.com.au
For media comment: Julie Ardill, Reillys Wines, marketing@reillyswines.com.au