Australian red wine in running to be world's best

A fledgling Tasmanian winery has been named the best producer of red wine in Australia at the prestigious International Wine Challenge, nudging ahead of established names such as Penfolds and De Bortoli.

Tolpuddle Vineyard's 2013 vintage of pinot noir, produced at the Coal River Valley near Hobart, was the best of more than 50 other Australian reds that were awarded gold medals by judges.

It is now on a shortlist with nine other international wines for a chance to be crowned the best red wine in the world - an honour to be announced at a ceremony in London in July.

The winery had its first vintage in 2012 after it was bought by Michael Hill Smith and Martin Shaw, of South Australian winemakers Smith + Shaw, in 2011. The 20-hectare historical property, named for convict unionists the Tolpuddle Martyrs, produces pinot noir and chardonnay, varieties planted at the property since 1988.

Smith said the recognition for the wine, which also took out gold medals for "best Australian pinot noir" and "best Tasmanian pinot noir", was a wonderful result.

"Our aim is to establish Tolpuddle as one of Australia's great single vineyard wines," he said.

"This vineyard produces wines of amazing aromatic intensity and flavour."

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Australian wineries picked up a total of 825 medals at the competition, including 91 prestigious gold medals. The only country to be awarded more medals was France.

Wine critic Charles Metcalfe, who was one of the judges and helped found the competition in 1984, said Australia's wine industry remained among the best in the world.

"Australian wine continues to go from strength to strength, as its native winemakers demonstrate their star quality," he said.

""Overall, it has been a vintage year for Australia at the IWC."