Local wine producers have left a strong impression with judges at the inaugural South Coast and Southern Highlands regional awards by taking out the top gong.
Cuttaway Hill's 2003 Chardonnay is the toast of the region since it collected a gold medal and three trophies, including the coveted "Best Wine in Show" trophy.
Other local vineyards joined Cuttaway Hill to haul home a swag of bronze medals for their wines.
Numerically, the competition was dominated by South Coast wines, with just six of the 15 wineries competing, coming from the highlands.
But Southern Highlands Vigneron's Association president Mark Bourne said the region's quality shone through, despite the wealth of wines from the coast.
Bronze medallists included Greenbrier Park and Bousaada Vineyard for their Rieslings, as well as Centennial Vineyard, Southern Highland Wines and Eling Forest.
Altogether, 140 wines slid across the discerning palates of judges in the region's first celebration of the achievements of the industry.
"You don't get trophies very much, they are hard to come by, so we're going to talk about it when we do," Mr Bourne said.
Full story in Wednesday's Southern Highland News.
Email a friend