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South Australian wines win Jimmy Watson memorial trophy for Australia's best reds 40 times in first 60 years

South Australian wines win Jimmy Watson memorial trophy for Australia's best reds 40 times in first 60 years
Metala Claret Type (cabernet/shiraz) 1961 from South Australia's Langhorne Creek, produced by Stonyfell Wines, was the first winner of the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy in 1962.

Hentley Farm winery in the Barossa Valley, with its Old Legend Grenache (2021) in 2022, and Stoneyfell Wines Metala Claret Type (cabernet suavigon/shiraz, 1961) in 1962 bookended South Australia’s dominance of 60 years of the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for Australia’s best red wine. South Australian wine had won the trophy 40 out of those 60 years.

A memorial to Jimmy Watson (died 1962), who set up the iconic Jimmy Watson's Wine Bar in Melbourne’s Carlton, the trophy was awarded annually at Royal Melbourne Wine for the best one- or two-year -old dry red wine. South Australian winners and their regions were:

2022         Hentley Farm                     The Old Legend Grenche 2021                            Barossa Valley
2019         Bleasdale Vineyards          The Wild Fig, SGM, 2018                                     Langhorne Creek 
2017         Turkey Flat Vineyards        Grenache 2016                                                    Barossa Valley
2014         S.C. Pannell Wines            Adelaide Hills Syrah 2013                                    Adelaide Hills
2006         Shingleback                       D Block Reserve Cabernet Sauvigon 2005          McLaren Vale
2005         Geoff Merrill Wines            Reserve Shiraz 2004                                            McLaren Vale
2004         Casella Estate                   Yellowtail Premium Cabernet Sauvignon              Wrattonbully
2003         Saltram Wine Estate          The Eighth Maker Shiraz 2002                             Barossa Valley
2001         Pepper Tree Wines            Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 Coonawarra
2000         Punters Corner                  Spartacus Reserce Shiraz 1999                            Coonawarra
1999         Wolf Blass                         Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 1998                  Barossa Valley
1998         Katnook Estate                  Prodigy Shiraz 1997                                              Coonawarra
1996         Hardy's                               Eileen Hardy Shiraz  1995                                    McLaren Vale, Padthaway
1995         Leasingham                       Classic Clare Shiraz                                              Clare Valley
1994         Rouge Homme                  Richardsons Red Block Cabernet/
                                                                  Sauvgon/Malbec/Frac 1993                            Coonawarra
1993         Elderton                             Cabernet Sauvignon 1992                                     Barossa South
1990         Peter Lehmann                  Show reserve Shiraz 1989                                    Barossa Valley
1989         Jamiesons Run                 Shiraz/Cab Sauv/Franc/Melbec  1988                   Coonawarra
1988         Hardy's                              The Hardy Collection Cabernet sauvignon 1987   Padthaway
1987         Riddoch                             Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 1987                          Coonawarra
1986         Lindemans                         Pyrus Cabernet Sauvignon/
                                                                     Merlot/Franc/Malbec 1985
1985         Hollick                                Cabernet Sauvignon 1984                                     Coonawarra
1982         Hamiliton's Ewell
                              Vineyards             Dry Red Claret (Cabernet/ Shiraz) 1981                Coonawarra
1981         Lindemans St George
                               Vineyard              Cabernet Sauvignon 1980                                      Coonawarra
1980         Krondorf Wines                  Dry Red Burgundy (Cabernet Sauvignon) 1976    Australia
1979         Orlando Wines                   Dry Red Claret (Cabernet Sauvignon) 1978          Australia
1977         Wynns Connawarra
                                Estate                  Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 1976                  Coonawarra
1976         Wolf Blass Wines               Dry Red Claret
                                                                   (Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz) 1975                  Langhorne Creek and Barossa Valley
1975         Wolf Blass Wines             Dry Red Claret
                                                                   (Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz) 1974                   Langhorne Creek & Coonawarra
1974          Wolf Blass Wines             Dry Red Claret
                                                                   (Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz) 1973                   Langhorne Creek & Eden Valley
1973          Berri Co-op Winery
                          & Distillery                Dry Red Claret/Burgundy (Cabernet/Shiraz) 1972     Riverland
1972          B Seppelt                          Dorrien TT 147, Cabernet Sauvignon 1971               Barossa Valley
1971          Gramps Orlando              Dry Red Claret (Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon) 1970    Barossa Valley
1970          Basedow Wines               Dry Red Claret/Burgundy
                                                                      (Bin 15, Cabernet/Shiraz) 1969                        Barossa South
1969          d'Arenberg                        Claret Type (Cabernet Sauvignon) 1968                    McLaren Vale
1968          Penfolds                            Claret Type (Grange) 1967                                         South Australia
1967          Saltram Wines                  Burgundy Type (Cabernet Sauvignon) 1966              Barossa Valley
1966          Penfolds                            Penfolds Claret Type 1965                                         South Australia
 1964         Penfolds                           Claret Type (Bin 64 Kalimna,
                                                                           Cabernet Sauvignon) 1963                          South Australia
1963           Hardy's Tintara                 Burgundy Type (Reserve Bin C404,
                                                                            Cabernet Sauvignon) 1962                          McLaren Vale
 1962         Stoneyfell Wines Metala    Claret Type (Cabernet/Shiraz)1961                            Langhorne Creek

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