The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy 2024
Recent events have been unforgettable!
Each year, when we sit down to plan the volumes and styles for the coming vintage, we joke about creating a wine worthy of the Jimmy Watson Trophy. We never imagined that it would actually come true.
On Friday 1 November 2024, our 2023 Four Winds Vineyard Shiraz was awarded The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy For Best Young Red Wine at the 2024 Melbourne Royal Wine Awards.
In addition to this, the wine was awarded The Trevor Mast Trophy for Best Shiraz, The Douglas Seabrook Single Vineyard Trophy, The Kym Ludvigsen Trophy for Viticultural Excellence and Best New South Wales incl. ACT Shiraz trophy.
Our Shiraz has always held a special place in our hearts. The label on the bottle features a photograph of a sheet hanging on the washing line between the Shiraz and Sangiovese blocks at Four Winds Vineyard. Next to the sheet, you’ll see a tiny pair of trousers—belonging to one of our children, who was just one year old at the time. This label is a reminder of the beautiful imperfections that come with blending family life, grape growing and winemaking.
In the 64 year history of The Jimmy Watson Trophy only three New South Wales wineries have been awarded the trophy; our neighbour Eden Road in 2009 and Rosemount Estate in 2002 for a Mudgee Cab Merlot.
The Jimmy Waston Trophy has definitely lived up to its name as Australia’s most prestigious wine award – we won the award on Friday afternoon and had sold out of the 2023 Shiraz by Sunday morning. I wish we had of made more!
The support we have received since winning these trophies has been incredible and we thank every one of you.
We are incredibly grateful for our family, the amazing team at Four Winds Vineyard, our supportive local community and the generous wine industry that has shared so much wisdom and experience with us throughout the years.
Cheers,
Sarah & John Collingwood
