“The Best Canberra District Riesling was awarded to Gundog Estate. This was a most interesting wine – the bouquet had liquorice and citrus, and a finish of fennel seeds and anise. Complex yet delicate, it was splendid,” says wine writer RICHARD CALVER.

A balmy evening saw me attending the 24th International Canberra Riesling Challenge Awards at the Hotel Realm.

The first thing I noticed was an improvement in the hors d’oeuvre over prior award ceremonies’ tucker. 

To start, glorious small bites of food accompanied a tasting of prior award winners such as the 2024 Brindabella Hills Riesling, which remained a gorgeous, citrusy palate cleanser.

The awards ceremony saw Ken Helm give a speech about the origins of the Challenge from its start in 1999, as he presented the Best Provenance Riesling (awarded basically for consistently good wines over time) to Peter Lehmann Wines for the Wigan Riesling, 2014, 2018, 2025. I mentioned to him that he was like a God of Vintages Past: ubiquitous at Canberra wine functions.

The Best Canberra District Riesling was awarded to Gundog Estate 2025 Canberra District Riesling. This was a most interesting wine, available for taste at the close of the ceremonies. The bouquet had liquorice and citrus. For a 2025 wine it had good balance with a finish of fennel seeds and anise, a complex yet delicate wine. It was splendid.

The overall winner that was awarded the Best Wine of the 2025 Challenge Perpetual Trophy was 2025 Best’s Great Western Riesling.

Again, after the awards ceremony we were offered a sample. The nose was floral with a hint of lime. On taste, it was balanced, fruit and acid in harmony. It was a wine that will keep well, the clean acid finish excellent.

I spoke with Ben and Nicole Thomson from Best’s Wines. They were stoked that it won best in the Challenge but also the Best Dry Riesling and the Best Australian Riesling trophy.

The Thomson family has owned Best’s since 1920. Ben is the managing director and vineyard manager for Best’s.

He has worked with the family business for more than 30 years and brings passion and viticultural experience to his role and on the night a great level of excitement: “We are elated to win against worthy competition from around the world.” 

Chief Minister Andrew Barr, in handing out the award, indicated that he had refrained from singing a Tina Turner song: I suppose because Best’s was best, simply the best.

When I spoke with him later I asked about the ACT government’s $25,000 sponsorship of the Challenge. He said: “We have been a longstanding sponsor. Riesling is an icon of Canberra wines and it’s a relatively modest sponsorship. It was good to see Albert Hall full of the public, using that facility and celebrating riesling.” 

After that I exited a very well run function. That reminds me, I once had a girlfriend who threatened to leave me because I kept on pointing out random exits. I told her: “There’s the door.”