Wine

Hunter Valley Legends Awards

Congratulations to all of the winners of the recent 2016 Hunter Valley Legends Awards. Now in its 10th year, the awards paid homage to the 2016 Hunter Valley Living Legend, Alain Le Prince who has contributed over 40 years to the local wine industry. Alain now joins a highly respected group that also includes Wine Selectors’ Tasting Panel co-Chairmen Karl Stockhausen and Phil Ryan.

This year the design of the Hunter Valley Legends wine label was opened to the students of the University of Newcastle Design School with the winning label and packaging also announced at the Hunter Valley Legends Awards ceremony - the winner was Daniel Smith. The Chardonnay, Semillon and Shiraz under this new look label will be available later this year exclusively from Wine Selectors.

Other winners included:

Liz Jackson, chief winemaker for First Creek Wines and Silkman Wines was named the 2016 Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year. This is the second time Liz has taken out the award – she also won the title in 2011.

De Iuliis Wines was named 2016 Hunter Valley Cellar Door of the Year, Paul Harvey from Mount Pleasant Wines won 2016 Viticulturist of the Year, and 2016 Rising Star of the Year went to Belinda Paterson of The Sebel Kirton Park.

Don’t forget the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Festival continues through June with even more fantastic events. Visitors can explore a host of exciting hands-on experiences like wine master classes hosted by leading winemakers, wine blending classes, vineyard tours, cooking lessons, degustation dinners, long lunches, fireside indulgences and much, much more.