The 2024 PKF Hunter Valley Wine Show was judged at the Lone Pine Barracks at the Singleton Army Base last week, with the trophy winners’ luncheon celebrated at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort. The 52nd Hunter Valley Wine Show attracted 76 exhibitors, with 600 entries across 29 classes. A total of 381 medals were awarded, including 56 Gold.

Chaired by Sam Connew of Stargazer Wines, this year’s show included an exceptional judging panel of experts from across Australia with Mark Pygott, Master of Wine, from the United Kingdom as the International Judge.

Mark has lived in the UK, France and Taiwan and is known as a respected speaker, educator and wine judge who became a Master of Wine in 2016. He has made, imported, distributed, marketed, sold, taught, written, consulted on, presented, judged and studied wine at the highest level across a variety of markets and countries.

In Sam’s third and final year as Chair of the Hunter Valley Wine Show, she said “It’s been a privilege to be associated with one of Australia’s benchmark regional wine shows and with the quality of wines this year, it has been a positive way to finish my term”.

Mark added “overall the quality of the wines and the professionalism of the show was a privilege to be a part of and I hope that the results demonstrate just how important and valid the wines of the Hunter Valley continue to be”. 

Winemaker, Liz Silkman, of First Creek Wines and Silkman Wines, added to her ongoing success taking 7 trophies at the Show including the Petrie-Drinan Trophy for Best White Wine of Show for the Silkman Wines 2017 Reserve Semillon, which also won the Drayton Family Trophy for Best Semillon of Show. Silkman Wines were also winners for their Reserve Chardonnay range, taking the Murray Tyrrell Trophy for Best Chardonnay for their 2023 Reserve Chardonnay. 

Liz Silkman was earlier in the week announced as Halliday Winemaker of the Year at the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, becoming the first Hunter Valley winemaker to be awarded this title.

Commenting on the 2023 and 2024 Semillon classes, Sam said, ‘They were singing, with the 2024 Semillon approachable now, but clearly, they also have a long life ahead. Visiting judges found the joys to be had in the older Semillon classes which were highly awarded”.

Mark added “I expected to find pristine, pure and delicious Semillon from the most recent vintage and wasn’t disappointed. Many of the wines in this class will develop into wines of rare beauty and will continue the legacy of this unique style of Semillon only found in the Hunter Valley”. 
The Kaloudah Trophy for Best Table Wine from a Small Producer saw a Chardonnay win, awarded to Keith Tulloch Wine for their 2023 Celest Chardonnay.

The Tyrrell Family Trophy for Best Museum White Wine was awarded to Tyrrell’s for their highly acclaimed 2013 Belford Semillon. “This is a showcase for the gift that is aged Hunter Semillon, featured many wines of profound intensity coupled with an elegance that is arguably unmatched by any other wine style globally,” Mark said. 

Brokenwood Wines took the Iain Riggs Wine of Provenance Trophy for their 2024, 2017 and 2014 flagship ILR Semillon.

“The wines of provenance, celebrating the excellence and consistency across a minimum spread of 10 years, continue to set a benchmark for this award Australia wide,” Sam said.

 Brokenwood were also the recipients of the newly named Karl Stockhausen Trophy for Best One-Year-Old-Semillon for their 2023 Oakey Creek Vineyard 1 & 4 Semillon. A legendary figure in the Hunter Valley, Karl Stockhausen crafted some of the most celebrated Lindeman’s Hunter wines and was a true champion of the Hunter Valley Wine Show, serving as a judge and chair of the judging panel.

The Doug Seabrook Memorial Trophy for Best Red Wine of Show was awarded to De Iuliis Wines for their 2023 Limited Release Shiraz, which also received the Hector Tulloch Memorial Trophy for Best Shiraz. The De Iuliis Wines 2014 Talga Road Shiraz was awarded the John Lewis Trophy for Best Museum Red.

Reflecting on the red wines on show, Sam said, “It was a delight to see the strength of the much-anticipated 2023 red wines. It was a very high standard class and with 6 golds medals awarded it was terrific to see the wines live up to the lofty vintage reputation”.

The Thomas Wines Kiss 2021 Shiraz won the Len Evans Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Red and Mercer Wines was awarded for the second time the Lone Pine Barracks Officers Mess Silver Bullet for their 2023 Shiraz Nouveau.

Congratulations to Silkman Wines, Brokenwood Wines, Tinklers Wines, First Creek Wines, Pepper Tree, John Wallace Wines, Margan Wines, De Iuliis Wines, Hungerford Hill, Thomas Wines, Mercer Wines, Tyrrell’s and Keith Tulloch Wines on their Trophy awards.

IMAGE | The 2024 PKF Hunter Valley Wine Show trophy winners
IMAGE CREDIT | Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association and Elfes Images