General News
24 October, 2025
The best of Best’s
BEST’S Wines has claimed three major awards at the 2025 Canberra International Riesling Challenge, one of the largest single-variety wine competitions in Australia. This year’s challenge featured 318 Rieslings from 151 wineries across six countries, celebrating excellence in the iconic variety. Great Western based Best’s Wines took home the top honours of Best Wine of the 2025 Challenge, Best Dry Riesling, and Best Australian Riesling.
Best’s Nicole Thomson said the results came as a complete surprise.
“It was a bit of a shock. Last Thursday, we got a call from the head of the Canberra International Riesling Wine Show. They said, ‘We’d recommend that you get someone here tomorrow night.’
“I found out that we were at least up for a trophy. So Ben and I got up the next morning and drove to Canberra.
“Lo and behold, we had won Best Australian Riesling. That was the first one, we didn’t know we were going to get it. And then we were announced for Best Dry Riesling in the show. And then after that, we got Best Wine of the 2025 Riesling Challenge, which is the worldwide one.”
Competing against entries from Germany, France, China, the United States and New Zealand, Best’s achievement marks a significant milestone for the Grampians region.
“We were both very overwhelmed with the whole evening, to be honest,” Ms Thomson said.
“Just to have a Grampians Riesling win such an honourable award against some amazing other regions in Australia, which are known more for Riesling. We’ve been making great Riesling for a long time, but we’re known for Shiraz. To now have it recognised that this region is not all about Shiraz, it’s a good boost to Grampians Riesling.”
She said the win had delighted everyone involved at Best’s Wines, including the company’s patriarch Viv Thomson.
“The winemakers are just over the moon,” she said.
“I brought the trophies in on Saturday, and the girls said (Viv) came out about twice to have a look at them during the day, so he was absolutely chuffed.”
Read More: Great Western, Ararat, Stawell