LOCAL WINERY WINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

The Halliday Wine Companion Awards sets the industry benchmark for Australian wines each year and is widely considered one of the country's most prestigious and hotly contested awards.

With a gold medal score of 95 points, local winery Briar Ridge Vineyard has been announced as the Winner of the 2023 "Other White (& Blends) Wine of the Year" awarded to their 2021 Limited Release Albariño, created by up-and-coming local winemaker Alex Beckett.

Alex also recently took out the Riedel 2022 Hunter Valley Young Achiever of the Year award, recognising exceptional talent and contribution to the wine industry by winemakers under 35. Currently studying in the Institute of Masters of Wine Study Program (one of only 13 students in the country), he is passionate about his innovative work at Briar Ridge and excited about receiving the recognition.

"It is an absolute honour to have our Hunter Valley Albariño be recognised as the best other white in Australia by James Halliday and the Wine Companion Tasting Team," said Alex.

Considered a niche variety with less than ten producers in Australia, Albariño is from the Northern part of Spain in an area called Rais Bixas, where it is one of the country's most fashionable white wines. Lovers of Sauvignon Blanc should enjoy Albariño.

"It's the melding together of the old and the new that makes Briar Ridge so interesting – it's certainly why I enjoy doing what I do. I have the creative freedom to play and experiment and build upon that tradition, respecting what has been done but also improving it as we move on," said Alex.

Owner of Briar Ridge Vineyard, Jaclyn Davis, is excited about the winery's future with Alex as winemaker.

"This is a humbling recognition of the work our family and the Briar Ridge team have been putting into experimenting with new varieties and wine styles," said Jaclyn.

"With an ever-changing climate, varieties like Albariño will be an important component of the Australian wine landscape in the coming decades. We are proud to be part of the forefront, championing these varieties of the future and preserving our country's heritage through classic varieties and wine styles."

Stop in for a tasting at Briar Ridge Vineyard, located at 593 Mount View Road, Mount View.