8 drinks that dominate the awards year after year

Sure, the Oscars are entertaining, and we’re always buzzing after watching the stars perform at the Grammys, but it’s the drink awards, locally and abroad, that really tickle our fancy. We know just how much time, energy and passion go into crafting wine and spirits, so when the producers get their time in the spotlight (and we can taste the award-winning fruits of their labour), it’s something to be celebrated. When it comes to drinks awards, there are plenty of shiny medals and impressive scores thrown around, but what do they actually mean? 

We recently announced our Dan Murphy’s Best in Glass Wine Awards, so we know all about those top gongs, but there are loads of others that roll out each year. From local wine awards like the Royal Adelaide Wine Show to global events like the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, these accolades are a way to benchmark craftsmanship and quality against other producers. It’s more competitive than the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (with way less lip syncing, weirdly). They’re often judged by industry experts, sommeliers and critics, and commonly tasted blind to ensure no one knows exactly what’s in the glass, which also removes any bias. 

Even so, an award doesn’t always mean a product is the best of the best – it means it out-performed those that entered. Not every winemaker, producer or distiller puts their drinks forward, perhaps due to timing, philosophy or budget. Still, taking home a trophy (or two) is a pretty good indicator that what’s inside the bottle is worth your time. And it seems some brands consistently come away with a swag of awards from every show they enter. Impressive stuff. 

With that in mind, we’ve looked at eight drinks that are running out of room in their trophy cabinets, and what to expect from each one.