Meadowbank Wines claims Jimmy Watson for its Pinot Noir

Meadowbank Wines is one of the Tasmanian contingent judged to have a top tipple at this year’s Melbourne Royal Wine Show.

The Central Highlands winery claimed the Melbourne Royal Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for Best Young Red for its 2024 Pinot Noir.

It also took out the James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir.

Meadowbank Wines founder Gerard Ellis planted the first grapes on his property in 1976.

The business is now run by his daughter, Mardi, and her husband, Alex Deane.

“Originally, Meadowbank was a sheep farm,” Ms Ellis said.

“The wool prices got really bad and we needed to diversify, so he thought he’d try his hand at planting some grapes.

“And against all advice back then that the variety of grapes would never grow in Tasmania – it’s too cold and windy – they did and here we are today.”

Mr Deane said he was ecstatic to win at the Melbourne Royal Wine Show.

“There’s an amount of luck with these things, but there’s a lot of work that goes in too – not just in the year you make that wine,” he said.

“It’s all the work you do in the vineyard and with the wine-making team in the years before.

“Things came together in that particular year for the 2024 Pinot Noir.”

Ms Ellis said it was “full steam ahead” at Meadowbank.

“We’ve just put in another 14 hectares of grapes and we’ve been very busy.”

Meadowbank is also celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.

Mr Deane said they were “quietly working on a few things in the background” to mark half a decade of wine operations.

Other Tasmanian winners at the Melbourne Royal Wine Show included Freycinet Vineyard, Ossa Wines and Tolpuddle Vineyard.

Melbourne Royal Food and Beverage Awards senior manager Kirrily Waldhorn said this year there were more than 2300 entries from over 450 wineries.

“Our judges are some of Australia’s most respected palates, making this a true benchmark for excellence,” Ms Waldhorn said.

“Winning at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards isn’t just a trophy - it’s a career-defining moment for wineries and winemakers alike.

“The depth and diversity of entries this year show just how vibrant and innovative the Australian wine industry has become.

“Every medal offers the Melbourne Royal seal of approval, giving consumers confidence they are tasting an exceptional local wine.”

At this year’s show, the judges handed out a total of 1212 medals - including 155 gold, 298 silver and 759 bronze.