The winners of the Australian Small Wine Show (ASWS) were announced at a presentation in Stanthorpe on Wednesday 24 October, with the trophy for Champion School Produced Wine awarded to local winery Banca Ridge.

The ASWS was originally established in 1987 by the wine sub-committee of the Stanthorpe Agricultural Society and has grown to be the most prestigious wine show for small winemakers in Australia and New Zealand. The show is run by a dedicated group of volunteers who share an interest in the promotion of the Queensland wine industry and the appreciation of Queensland wines.

Banca Ridge Cellar Door and Winery is located at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism (QCWT) in Queensland’s Granite Belt Wine Region. Tastings at the venue are led by tourism students and offer a full range of Banca Ridge wines. The wines are produced using fruits largely grown in the surrounding Stanthorpe Sate High School and QCWT vineyards. Prices range from $18-$25 per bottle.

Entries to the ASWS cost only $50 with a four bottle requirement. This year saw a total of 1033 wines entered into the competition, coming from 200 wineries in all states of Australia as well as from New Zealand. Banca Ridge won the award for Champion School Produced Wine after scoring the highest points for wines produced by a school for their 2017 Gateway Tempranillo. Tempranillo is a classic Spanish grape variety, producing a wine that is deep cherry red in colour with a nose of redcurrant and cranberry.

Other ASWS winners include Two Rivers Wines (Champion Winemaker of Show and Champion White Wine of Show), Hunters Dream Estate (Champion Chardonnay Wine of Show) and Stockman’s Ridge Wines (Champion Sparkling Wine of Show).

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