Top Wine Award for Harvey River Bridge Estate

One of Australia’s most prestigious wine awards, the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, was awarded to Harvey River Bridge Estate with its Joseph River Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2009.

Becoming the first Geographe winery to win this prestigious award, Estate head winemaker Stuart Pierce said the trophy had a history of drumming up interest in new wineries or wine regions.

Believing his wine was only an outside chance to win, Mr Pierce decided to attend the awards at the last minute, more for the reason that it wasn’t everyday he had the opportunity to go to Melbourne.

The wine sold out within 24 hours of the award being announced, despite sales being limited to six bottles per customer.

The wine is a blend of grapes from two vineyards in Geographe and Margaret River. It is only the fourth West Australian wine to win the award since its inception in 1962.

Harvey River Bridge Estate has won other awards, but winning the Jimmy is a high point for the winery that will also elevate Geographe’s profile as a premier wine region.

Wine enthusiasts who missed out on getting their hands on the award-winning drop will have to wait until next year to try the 2010 vintage.