MEDIA RELEASE: FOR IMMEDITATE RELEASE
4 AUGUST 2022
AUSTRALIA’S BEST OF THE BEST BRIAR RIDGE 2021 LIMITED RELEASE ALBARIÑO WINS ‘OTHER WHITE (& BLENDS) WINE OF THE YEAR’ AT HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION AWARDS 2023
The Halliday Wine Companion Awards were announced on Wednesday August 3 at an event held at the distinguished Stokehouse in St Kilda, Melbourne. A glittering affair with the who's who of the wine industry in attendance, the awards are one of the most prestigious and hotly contested in the country. This year, the Halliday Wine Companion Tasting Team tasted over 8000 wines from 50 different wineries in their search for the best of the best, setting the benchmark for Australian wines in 2023.
Winner of the 2023 “Other White (& Blends) Wine of the Year” with a gold medal score of 95 points was the 2021 Limited Release Albariño by young up and coming winemaker Alex Beckett for Briar Ridge Vineyard in the Hunter Valley.
Winemaker Alex Beckett also recently took out the Riedel 2022 Hunter Valley Young Achiever of the Year award and is 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. “The last few years have seen our team put tireless work into evolving the viticulture and winemaking behind our wines so to have that quality recognised is a wonderful feeling. Albariño is fast becoming to us, one of the key varietals for our region and we look forward to seeing the variety’s future success around Australia.”
Judge Ned Goodwin MW (Master of Wine) originally reviewed the 2021 Limited Release Albariño in October last year and had this to say in praise, “Maker Alex Beckett has a good handle on this … Everything done right … Albariño’s pithy stone, frangipani, saline oyster shell to white pepper riffs are not subsumed, but accentuated. Fine textural detail, energetic trajectory and succulent length, the whirl of acidity whetting the palate for the next glass. This is exceptional. Kudos!”
After a difficult entry to the Australian market, Albariño is still considered a niche variety with less than ten producers in Australia. Grown primarily in the Northern part of Spain in an area called Rais Bixas it is one of that country’s most fashionable white wines.
“Albariño as a varietal has all the aromatics, texture, weight and flavour concentration yet always finishes very clean,” said Alex Beckett. “The 2021 Limited Release Albariño in particular, is really floral and super aromatic with a freshness and vibrancy that on the palate is just incredible.”
This is the fourth release of wine from this variety for Briar Ridge and the vines are now 6 years of age. Typically, they’ve only been able to produce 100 cases per year which sells out within months of release. The team are working at increasing volume through innovative viticulture including the implementation of diverse pruning techniques and new plantings. The 2021 release benefited from a longer, cooler growing season.
“I think what makes the 2021 a standout vintage for us is that it was quite cool and quite protracted so there was a build-up of all this flavour in terms of the actual fruit juice inside the skins, but it also retained the high acidity which gave it freshness and weight all melded together.”
Briar Ridge Vineyard is a small boutique winery situated in the idyllic Mount View area of the Hunter Valley. It is a James Halliday 5-star winery that enjoys a different micro-climate and soil to the rest of the Hunter Valley. Taking full advantage of this, the winery is winning awards with wines that are unique and fully reflective of their terroir.
“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.”
Owner of Briar Ridge Vineyard, Jaclyn Davis is excited about the future of the winery 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 as well as preserving the heritage of our country through classic varieties and wine styles.”
Briar Ridge Vineyard is celebrating their 50th Jubilee this year in November with a members only Long Lunch in the Dairy Hill Vineyard, where it all began in 1972. For those keen to experience everything Briar Ridge has to offer, including the award winning Albariño, the cellar door is open 7 days per week with live music on Sundays. There is also Osteria, an Italian home-style restaurant and winter fireside picnic packages available. It’s also not too late to become a member and join in the 50th Jubilee celebrations later in the year.
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For all media enquiries or to organise an interview with winemaker, Alex Beckett, please contact Grace Eglit at Briar Ridge Vineyard on 0448 030 624 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.