The 2025 Endeavour Group Margaret River Wine Show, held on Wadandi Boodja, culminated yesterday in a Gala Awards Lunch at The Tiller Farm in Yallingup Siding, celebrating the region’s finest wines and producers.The Evans & Tate Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay 2023 was awarded Wine of Show, Best White Wine, and Best Chardonnay, cementing Evans & Tate’s reputation as one of the region’s most consistent performers. This marks the winery’s third Wine of Show, following previous wins for the 2012 Cabernet (2015) and 2004 Chardonnay (2005).
Evans & Tate also received the Best Shiraz Trophy and Most Successful Exhibitor, taking home a total of five trophies.
Accepting the trophy Best Chardonnay, Evans & Tate Senior Winemaker Matt Byrne said:
“I cherish these moments to celebrate the region and come together as and industry. The 2023 has been the best vintage of my 25 years as winemaker at Evans & Tate.”
David Bicknell, Chief Winemaker at Oakridge Wines in the Yarra Valley, chaired the judging panel for the second consecutive year, alongside nine national and local judges and six associates.
Margaret River Wine Association (MRWA) CEO Amanda Whiteland said the committee had assembled an exceptional group of judges, noting five of the ten judges were Dux recipients of the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial (LET).
“With two local winemakers – Andrew Bretherton (Juniper Estate) and Matt Buchan (Deep Woods Estate) – heading off to this year’s Len Evans Tutorial today, it was wonderful to have such depth and experience in our judging panels, including David Bicknell (2005 Dux), Tim Dolan (2018 Dux), Adam Walls (2019 Dux), Andrea Pritzker MW (2022 Dux) and Lauren Hutton (2024 Dux).”
The panel assessed 630 entries from 96 exhibitors at the Margaret River HEART, awarding 62 gold, 91 silver, and 220 bronze medals — a medal strike rate of nearly 60%.
Reflecting on the judging and the results, Chair of Judges, David Bicknell, said:
“This is a great show to judge because of the consistently high quality of wines across all categories.
Chardonnay was, as always, a real highlight — large classes of very strong wines from a wide range of producers. The same can be said for Cabernet, the region’s benchmark red variety, with excellent examples across multiple vintages and both varietal Cabernet and Cabernet blends.
It was also good to see Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon–Sauvignon Blanc blends performing particularly well this year, with more gold medals than in recent years.
Among the Other White varieties, a whole group of other varieties are doing quite well here. Chenin Blanc has been strong for some time, and it was great to see Fiano, Vermentino, Pinot Blanc and Albariño all doing well.
With the Other Red varieties, Malbec is the dominator, although there were also some excellent Cabernet Francs that we saw.
Overall, it was a very good show with a pretty high strike-rate of gold medals awarded, just over 10% of entries — which is above the national average”
Trophy Prizes
The Novonesis ‘Pink Jacket’ Trophy for Rosé went to Deep Woods Estate Harmony Rosé 2025, with Senior Winemaker, Emma Gillespie receiving the event’s signature custom-tailored pink jacket.
The Mercurey Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Red went to McHenry Hohnen for the Hazel’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, marking the third time the winery has claimed the case of wines from Tonnellerie de Mercurey barrels, valued at over $3,500.
Voyager Estate introduced a new prize for the Best Sustainable Wine, awarding a $3,000 travel bursary to attend the 2027 Organic & Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference in New Zealand. The prize was presented for Juniper’s Canvas Malbec 2025 in lightweight glass under 420 grams and Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certified.
Celebrating Excellence Across the Industry
A Lifetime Achievement Award and two major Excellence Awards were also presented at the Gala Lunch.
The Margaret River Wine Association Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Vanya Cullen, recognising her extraordinary contribution to the Margaret River wine industry and her leadership in sustainability, innovation, and excellence. The award celebrates Vanya’s lifelong dedication to both her family’s legacy and the advancement of Australian wine on the global stage.
MRWA Chair Peter Campbell said:
“Vanya’s contribution to the Margaret River wine community has been profound. Her vision and unwavering commitment to sustainability have not only shaped Cullen Wines but elevated the reputation of the entire Margaret River region on the world stage.”
The Viticultural and Sustainability Excellence Award presented by Fogarty Wine Group was awarded to Tyke Wheatley of family owned and biodynamic vineyard, Windance Estate in Yallingup.
Fogarty Wine Group Chief Viticulturalist John Fogarty said:
“Tyke is a standout contributor to the region’s viticulture—recognised for leadership in biodynamic farming, ecological balance, and collaborative innovation across the industry. He has built a network of industry peers to share ideas, test solutions, and strengthen the broader community. It’s a quiet kind of leadership—collaborative, generous, and deeply effective.”
The Cellar Door Excellence Award presented by Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association (MRBTA) was awarded to Larissa Dalli Cani at Howard Park Wines.
MRBTA CEO Sharna Kearny said:
“We’re delighted to have sponsored the Cellar Door Excellence Award since its inception, recognising the intrinsic link between wine and tourism, and the professionals that connect visitors to the unique Margaret River wine story.
Larissa’s passionate support of both the wine and tourism sectors makes her a deserving recipient of this year's award. Her professional volunteer engagements have demonstrated a strong commitment to enhancing the quality and authenticity of the cellar door experience, making her an asset to the future of wine tourism in our region.”
Each Excellent Award recipient receives a $3,000 bursary to support ongoing education and development.
2025 Margaret River Wine Lifetime Achievement & Excellence Awards
Margaret River Wine Association Lifetime Achievement Award
Vanya Cullen, Cullen Wines
Viticulture & Sustainability Excellence Award presented by Fogarty Wine Group
Tyke Wheatley, Windance Estate
Cellar Door Excellence Award presented by Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association
Larissa Dalli Cani, Howard Park
2025 Endeavour Group Margaret River Wine Show Trophies
Endeavour Group Trophy for Wine of Show
Evans & Tate Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay 2023
Pellenc Trophy for Red Wine of Show
Stella Bella Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Labelmakers Trophy for White Wine of Show
Evans & Tate Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay 2023
Vinline Mobile Bottling Trophy for Most Successful Exhibitor
Evans & Tate
Langton’s Trophy for Wine of Provenance
Stella Bella Luminosa Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, 2018, 2014
City of Busselton Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Stella Bella Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
MCC Trophy for Best Chardonnay
Evans & Tate Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay 2023
Voyager Estate Trophy for Best Sustainable Wine
Juniper Canvas Malbec 2025
Mercurey Trophy for Best Single Vineyard Red
McHenry Hohnen Hazel's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Sanector Trophy for Best Single Vineyard White
Mandoon Estate Chardonnay 2023
Cospak Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Greenpiper Wines Vintners Edge of Desire Cabernet Merlot 2023
My Vintner Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc
Xanadu Vinework Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Vasse Steel Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon
Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2025
Margaret River Wine Storage Trophy for Best Alternate White
Howard Park Arboe Novae Fiano 2025
Fusion Electrical Trophy for Best Shiraz/Syrah
Evans & Tate Redbrook Estate Shiraz 2023
Novonesis Trophy for Best Rosé
Deep Woods Estate Harmony Rosé 2025
Hahn Trophy for Best Alternate Red
Peacetree Estate Malbec 2023
Full results are available here.
2025 Judging Panel
Chair of Judges
David Bicknell – Oakridge Wines
Judges
Adam Walls – Wine Selectors | Andrea Pritzker MW – Wine inTuition | Feleasha Prendergast – Evans & Tate | Jacopo Dalli Cani – McHenry Hohnen | Larissa Dalli Cani – Howard Park | Lauren Hansen – Penley Estate | Ryan Aggiss – Aravina Estate | Steven Paul – Oakdene Wines | Tim Dolan – Kaesler Wines
Associate Judges
Blake Rax – Voyager Estate | Mick Stanton – Dan Murphy’s | Richard Bateman – Fabel Vineyards | Rory Parks – Byron & Harold | Tarun Victor-Gordon – Lentedal | Ulrika Larsson – Clairault Streicker