A Margaret River Shiraz has taken Australia’s shiraz heartland by storm. Howard Park’s Leston Shiraz 2023 has won the coveted Max Schubert AM Trophy for Most Outstanding Red Wine at the 2025 Royal Adelaide Wine Show. In a remarkable sweep, it also secured trophies for Best Shiraz 2023 Vintage & Younger and Best Shiraz in Show.
Crafted from select batches grown on the Leston vineyard in Wilyabrup, the $40 shiraz is celebrated for its rich concentration, plush expressive fruit, and seamless integration of oak. It reflects the precision and passion that define Howard Park’s winemaking philosophy.
Howard Park’s Chief Winemaker, Nic Bowen, couldn’t be prouder: “This win is a recognition of the dedicated and persistent effort of our team at Howard Park. To win a trophy at the Royal Adelaide, in Shiraz, is a high honour in Shiraz heartland. To win three trophies is a dream. We’re so happy that others can see the same beauty in our Leston estate fruit that we see on a daily basis.”
The Royal Adelaide Wine Show is one of Australia’s most respected wine competitions, featuring over 2,500 entries from 300 wineries nationwide. Judging is led by more than 30 of the country’s top wine experts, with internationally acclaimed winemaker Samantha Connew serving as Chair of Judges.
Connew praised the diversity and quality of this year’s Shiraz entries: “This class generated a swag of gold medals, awarded to wines of very diverse styles and from eight different regions across the country. This shows why this variety, although sometimes taken for granted, has such a stronghold in this country; there is some very good (and serious) drinking here.”
Howard Park’s success was part of a broader Margaret River triumph. Evans & Tate’s 2023 Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay won Most Outstanding White Wine, meaning the region claimed two of the three top trophies. Stella Bella, Deep Woods Estate, and Millbrook Winery also earned accolades.
This national recognition follows Margaret River’s recent global success at the IWSC, where it won more awards (9 out of 40) than any other wine region worldwide.
Howard Park Leston Shiraz 2023 is available from burchfamilywines.com.au for RRP $40.
