The Great Australian Shiraz Challenge has become Australia’s most pre-eminent, single class wine competition
The Challenge, Chaired by Tahbilk Group Director, Alister Purbrick AM, is a unique opportunity for Australia’s premier red Winemakers to showcase their Shiraz, benchmark winemaking and regional points of differences and assist with reinforcing the reputation of the variety as a National and International wine icon.
Nationally, Shiraz plantings are considerably more than any other red varietal, the challenge for Australian Winemakers is to effectively promote this iconic variety. Over the past 31 years, The Great Australian Shiraz Challenge has played an important role by raising industry, press and consumer awareness both Nationally and Internationally.
The 2025 Challenge continues the spectacular evolution of the event over the last 31 years; wines entered are classed and tasted based on climate and regional points of difference, this ensures all entries are judged fairly and objectively. In 2016, individual State based trophies and the best Shiraz over 5 years old were introduced; in 2021, the Best Organic Shiraz Trophy acknowledged Winemakers commitment to this category and in 2022, a Sparkling Shiraz class was introduced, further enhancing the broad appeal of the Challenge.
“I commend the 2025 Great Australian Shiraz Challenge, to you as one of Australia’s most prestigious and highly respected wine awards. The event has also played an important role in creating considerable consumer awareness in this iconic Australian grape variety. I encourage you to take up the challenge and enter one or more of your Shiraz in this year’s event.”
Alister Purbrick AM
Chairman, Great Australian Shiraz Challenge
Testimonials
Evans & Tate
2025 Best of Show Trophy
Shiraz is such an iconic wine on the Australian and International stage so for our Redbrook wine to take centre stage at this year’s Great Australian Shiraz Challenge was so rewarding for the team here at E&T. For 31 years, the Challenge has been identifying benchmark Australian Shiraz wines whilst celebrating regional style diversity which has seen some extraordinary wines been identified and awarded by the Judges over the years.
The pedigree of our Redbrook Shiraz shone through as it comes from 50yr old vines planted in some of the best dirt on the property that was normally planted to Cabernet and friends back in those early days in Margaret River. The cool, dry 2023 vintage conditions further amplified the elegance of our style with perfume, spice and pepper from whole bunch and rachis contribution adding lift and complexity whilst enduring old vine flavour and silky tannin being effortlessly woven into the heart of the wine.
It’s an exciting time for Shiraz in Margaret River as vines are maturing and the best sites rewarding those that know when planted in the right spot, we have the conditions to grow and make world class Shiraz wines with genuine diversity of style. Although these sites are rare and subsequent volumes are low, the rewards are there for those that seek them out and major accolades such as this from the Great Australian Shiraz Challenge supports us so much in supporting and telling this story.
Cheers, Matt Byrne; Winemaker, Evans & Tate
