Awards, Reviews & Wine Shows
While we, like every other winery, love to receive awards for our wines entered into competitions, we also realise the shortcomings of many wine shows based on the "Australian Wine Show System". While agreeing with the "faults" approach to some degree, the system certainly does little for Merlot.
Grand Merlot in particular needs decant time of two hours or more so it suffers badly from the "pull the cork, pour, then judge" approach of many wine shows. Apart from that wine appreciation tends to become more subjective as to which style is truest to type, or "best".
So then to be recognised by European judges and American judges - winning World's Best Merlot twice (runner up on numerous occasions) shows that at least these folk understand decant times and agree with our style approach.
The best reward for Irvine is to sit in a restaurant, bistro or dining room and watch others enjoying our Irvine wines unknowing that the maker is there. So friends, the best idea is to taste as often as you can, especially the world renowned leaders of style and quality. Once you have this experience you will be able to consider your own opinion more clearly.
So please review all awards, including ours listed here, with some careful thought. Remember wine was meant to be made for consumers, not wine shows - sometimes this is forgotten and weird styles appear purely to suit judges.
Irvine Estate Merlot
| 2005 | 91 points | 2009 Wine 100, Australia’s leading independent wine guide – Tyson Stelzer |
| 2005 | Three stars | 2008 Winestate Annual Issue 2009 |
| 2005 | 91 points | 2009 Wine 100 Wine Guide |
Irvine Grand Merlot
| 2009 | 91 points | 2012 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
| 2005 | Silver | 2009 International Wine Challenge |
| 2005 | Seal of Approval | 2008 Indian Wine Challenge |
| 2005 | Gold | 2008 International Wine Challenge |
| 2005 | 2009 World’s Best Wines | |
| 2005 | Gold | 2008 International Wine Challenge |
| 2005 | Bronze | 2008 Decanter World Wine Awards |
| 2004 | Silver | 2008 International Wine Challenge |
| 2004 | Silver | 2008 Mundus Vini |
| 2004 | 93 points | 2009 The Wine Front - Gary Walsh |
| 2004 | Bronze | 2008 Indian Wine Challenge |
| 2004 | Bronze | 2008 Decanter World Wine Awards |
| 2004 | Silver | 2008 International Wine Challenge |
| 2004 | 94 points | 2010 James Halliday Wine Companion |
| 2002 | 95 points | 2009 – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
| Top 100 Australian Wines | 2009 MW Wines – Australia’s Top Ranked Merlot |
Irvine Merlot Cabernet Franc
| 2009 | 88 points | 2012 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
| 2006 | Commended | 2009 International Wine Challenge |
| 2006 | Panel’s Pick (One of 24 wines selected from 3000 tasted) | 2009 Wine Selectors Winter |
| 2004 | 93 points | 2009 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
Irvine Premium Grand Merlot
| 2005 | Bronze | 2009 International Wine Challenge |
Irvine Savagnin (formerly Albariño)
| 2011 | 90 points | 2012 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
| 2008 | – Best Dry White Wine Class 5 – (Bruce Thiele Memorial Trophy) and Top Gold Medal | 2008 Barossa Wine Show |
| 2008 | Four stars | 2008 Winestate Annual Issue 2008/2009 |
| 2007 | 90 points | 2009 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
Irvine Stonewell Reserve Barossa Merlot
| 2009 | 90 points | 2012 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
Irvine The Baroness
| 2009 | Commended | 2012 International Wine Challenge |
| 2005 | Silver | 2008 Decanter World Wine Awards |
| 2005 | 93 points | 2009 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
| 2005 | Commendation | 2008 International Wine Challenge |
| 2005 | Listed in Top 50 | 2010 Oz Clarke’s “250 Best Wines 2010” |
| 2005 | Bronze | 2008 Indian Wine Challenge |
Irvine Zinfandel Reserve
| 2008 | Silver | 2012 International Wine Challenge |
| 2005 | 88 points | 2009 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
| 2005 | Silver | 2008 International Wine Challenge |
Springhill Merlot
| 2006 | 89 points | 2009 James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion |
| 2006 | Best of Style | 2008 Winestate Annual Issue 2008/2009 |
It is nice to again be considered amongst the world's best and be recognised as producing an internationally accepted wine such as Grand Merlot. Long may it continue.
