Each year, the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards – one of Australia’s oldest and most respected wine shows – brings together hundreds of wineries and thousands of entries to be judged by a panel of industry experts.
The results from the 2025 awards are out now, and we've put together a list of seven standout wines for you to sample. This includes three gold-medal wines from Oakridge, which took home the award for Champion Victorian Winery, the trophy winner for Best Pinot Gris/Grigio from Turkey Flat, the winner of Best Cabernet Sauvignon from Butler Crest, a gold-medal riesling from Castle Rock Estate, and a gold-medal marsanne from Tahbilk.
These are not just award-winning wines on paper – they are superb bottles you can enjoy now, each bearing the Melbourne Royal seal of excellence.
Best Cabernet Sauvignon: 2023 Butler Crest Cabernet Sauvignon
Deep red in colour. Aromas of blue and black fruits, complemented by vanillin oak influence. True to its varietal roots, it showcases concentrated cabernet qualities enhanced by well-integrated oak. The richly flavoured palate has elements of jammy fruit, vanillin oak, dark chocolate and preserved fruit complexity. Great concentration and density, while elegantly structured, so that all flavours are interwoven, ensuring no single element overpowers another. A soft finish delivers a refined cabernet sauvignon.
Winemaker Ben Rector says: This wine exemplifies the new-age Australian cabernet sauvignon style – easily approachable in its youth, with less emphasis on oak and a focus on softness and fresh primary fruit. It comes from a great vintage from a single vineyard in a world-class region, with grapes harvested from Ridge Farm, located within the Butler Crest Estate in the heart of Wilyabrup – an area highly regarded for producing exceptional cabernet sauvignon.
Best enjoyed: Serve at room temperature or slightly below. Decant if time allows and pair with rich, hearty meals or aged cheeses. This is a versatile cabernet that elevates any meal.
RRP $27 | Drink to 2031 | greenpiper.com.au | Shop this wine
Gold-medal chardonnay: 2023 Oakridge 864 Henk Aqueduct Block Chardonnay
Vivid straw with a slight green edge to the hue. An intense lift of grapefruit and exotic citrus aromas bursts out of the glass. Flecks of flint and nougat complement the exuberant array of fruit on display. Subtle toasted hazelnuts add to the complex set of aromas. On the palate, an explosion of fruit flavours reflects the aromas. Polished white peaches and grapefruit flesh are incredibly vivid. Specks of finger lime add contrast to the succulent experience. A very fluid journey across the palate completes the tactile experience, where not a hair is out of place. A wine where we speak in contradictions – generous yet refined, powerful but elegant.Chief winemaker David Bicknell says: This wine is an icon in the making, made from a specific block identified by the team as having exemplary chardonnay characters. There is always an athletic power to this wine, along with precision and focus. Yet it always feels effortless and refined. A beguiling wine, powerful yet understated and well on its way to Australian chardonnay folklore.
Best enjoyed: Serve this in big glasses, with engaging company and a sophisticated meal – think hibachi-grilled quail (brined) with roasted kipfler potatoes. Start chilled and let the good times roll.
RRP $100 | Drink to 2035 | oakridgewines.com.au | Shop this wine
Best Pinot Gris/Grigio: 2025 Turkey Flat Pinot Gris
Highly aromatic with a crisp varietal nose. It’s packed with nashi pear, apple and sweet peach notes. Fuller on the palate, stone fruit and citrus flavours are complemented by a refreshing crunchy core of natural acidity and layers of texture and length.
Winemaker James Adams says: Our primary intention was to create a wine that captured the true expression of vintage, variety and region. The slower ripening conditions of the cooler Adelaide Hills climate produced fruit bursting with deep flavour and higher natural acidity. This, coupled with a considered winemaking approach, produced a wine of intense purity, freshness and structure and one that people would appreciate and enjoy. We are very proud of the wine we produced and feel it perfectly represents the quality this variety can achieve from a cooler, contemporary region like the Adelaide Hills.
Best enjoyed: This wine is best enjoyed chilled on a warm summer’s day, with an ice bucket in hand, surrounded by friends, family and good conversation. It’s what this wine is all about. Being just that little bit fuller on the palate, the wine matches perfectly with richer seafood dishes like seared scallops in lemon butter, or blue swimmer crab and chilli pasta.
RRP $27 | turkeyflat.com.au | Shop this wine
Gold-medal chardonnay: 2024 Oakridge Vineyard Series Henk Chardonnay
Pale straw with a neon hue. Intense aromas of white peach, grapefruit and nectarine jump out of the glass. There is welcome support by subtle creamy, nougat notes and hints of mille-feuille pastry. Flecks of citrus zest and Thai basil contribute to the complex set of aromas. On the palate, it's all about fruit and texture. A pithy entry of freshly cut lime flavours fill the mouth, with just-ripe nectarine and crunchy white peach also present. A refreshing line of acidity drives the wine to great depth, with fruit flavours ever present. An exemplary illustration of modern contemporary Australian chardonnay from the Yarra Valley.Chief winemaker David Bicknell says: This comes from a fantastic vineyard farmed with purpose by the Oakridge team. Handled with care in the winery to best reflect the site and season, and deliver a wine of depth, intrigue and refreshment. Awards for this wine reflect the hard work and attention to detail in the vineyard and winery, together with an unrelenting commitment to quality across the board.
Best enjoyed: Best served with a chill (approx. 10°C) and left to warm up in the glass/bottle on the table to evolve and express nuances with time and temperature change. Pair with banana leaf baked snapper with a salsa verde. Burgundy glasses and good company are a must!
RRP $48 | Drink to 2033 | oakridgewines.com.au | Shop this wine
Gold-medal riesling: 2024 Castle Rock Estate Riesling
Light, pale lemon in colour, with a hint of green. An attractive perfume of citrus zest, talc and white florals. An elegant palate, with amazing balance between plush fruit and a superfine acid line. The palate is full of lime juice, framed by a saline/mineral edge. A classy wine of focus and finesse, with a lingering finish.
Winemakers Rob Diletti and Sam Palmer say: Since its inception in 1986, this riesling has been the flagship of our Rieslings, capturing the pure fruit expression of our unique site along the Porongurup Range.
Best enjoyed: Serve chilled but not icy cold, preferably on a sunny day with good company. It's an ideal aperitif wine, as well as an excellent pairing for fresh oysters, prawns and marron. With some age, think roast chicken or creamy pasta dishes.
RRP $35 | Drink to 2035 | castlerockestate.com.au | Shop this wine
Gold-medal chardonnay: 2023 Oakridge 864 Funder and Diamond Chardonnay
Bright straw with an electric hue. A zesty lift of makrut lime leaf and pithy citrus leaps from the glass, joined by notes of gunflint, white nectarine and alpine mint. The layers continue to build with notes of grated ginger and wet river stones, while toasted almonds and ginger snap biscuit hint at subtle oak. The palate is bright and crystalline, revealing lemon drops, candied lime, grapefruit pith and white nectarine. Texture and crunch are key. It's tightly coiled and reveals more flavour and texture over time, finishing with remarkable depth and length. A classic 864 Chardonnay release.Chief winemaker David Bicknell says: This comes from an iconic vineyard under tenure by recently crowned viticulturist of the year, Steve Faulkner, and I've now crafted it for 15 years. It's a vineyard and wine that has shaped Australian chardonnay to be one of the world’s great country/variety combinations. One of the most awarded wines in wine show and critic circles; a perfect example of the stars aligning through people and place to create something truly special.
Best enjoyed: Best enjoyed out of magnum or jeroboam over time and contemplation. Gather your friends, family and significant others and let the wine do the talking. Zalto Burgundies for the stemware, serve chilled and allowed to come to temp over time – the best glass will be the last. In terms of pairing, keep it simple and let the wine be the show. Perfect with fresh Angasi oysters with a mignonette.
RRP $100 | Drink to 2035 | oakridgewines.com.au | Shop this wine
Gold-medal marsanne: 2025 Tahbilk Marsanne
Lifted and intense citrus, spice and springtime floral aromas create a delicious promise that is then delivered on a bright and lively palate of more citrus, tropical and ripe pear notes. Age will see further characteristic richness and complexity develop.
Winemaker Joanne Nash says: Marsanne is one of the world’s rarest grape varieties, with its origins in the Northern Rhone and Hermitage regions of France. Tahbilk has some of the oldest vines and largest single holding of marsanne in the world, making this wine unique.
Best enjoyed: As a young wine, marsanne is very much a 'universal-soldier' when it comes to food matches, but certainly light Mediterranean and Asian dishes would be well up that list.
As it ages, its more full-bodied character will lend itself very well to richer and deeper flavoured white meat and seafood curries and stews. Best served chilled.
RRP $22 | Drink to 2036 | tahbilk.com.au | Shop this wine
Top image credit: Royal Melbourne Wine Show
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