Lowestoft 2020 La Maison crowned ‘Pinot Noir of the Year’ in the Halliday Wine Companion 2023
We are thrilled to announce that the Lowestoft 2020 La Maison has been named ‘Pinot Noir of the Year’ in the Halliday Wine Companion 2023.
On this incredible achievement the Halliday tasting team said, “Lowestoft’s win is a credit both to this historic vineyard in the Derwent Valley and to the new injection of life that it has received from the Fogarty Group.”
The Halliday Wine Companion is the ultimate accolade in the Australian wine awards. Each year the Halliday tasting team spend thousands of hours tasting through a vast quantity of wines from around the country, with only the most exceptional being listed in the Companion. To be crowned Australia’s Best Pinot Noir by Halliday is the highest honour and we are exceptionally proud of Chief Winemaker Liam McElhinney and the whole Lowestoft team.
Chief Editor for the Halliday Companion Tyson Stelzer highly reviewed the 2020 La Maison with 96 Points and said: “The 2020 vintage secures Lowestoft among Tasmania's A-league…The coiled potential on display here is something to behold, with pristine and precise black and red cherry fruit intricately woven with the perfumed allure of whole bunches and the fine-grained framework of top-class French oak. Brilliant.”
The Lowestoft 2020 La Maison has won a wealth of awards recently: Top Gold and Trophy for Pinot Noir of Show at the National Wine Show of Australia 2021; a Gold Medal at the Australian Pinot Noir Challenge 2021; and a Gold Medal and The James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards 2021.
On winning Best Pinot Noir in the Halliday Companion Chief Winemaker Liam said, “We are absolutely thrilled that our 2020 La Maison Pinot Noir has been awarded this prestigious accolade. The Lowestoft vineyard is a truly magical site, and throughout the blending of our 2020 Pinot Noir wines, we knew there was something special in the making. This award reflects the immense dedication of both our vineyard and winery teams, and their relentless pursuit of Pinot Noir perfection.”
This Halliday award yet again cements Lowestoft at the forefront of exceptional Tasmanian wine. Established in October 2021, Lowestoft wines have been awarded seven Gold Medals and twelve Trophies in just ten months – including all of the Best Pinot Noir Trophies at the last four major Australian wine shows. The Halliday Companion Pinot Noir of the Year award highlights the world-class calibre of Lowestoft wines on the Australian wine stage.
On these incredible results, Fogarty Wine Group founder and Executive Chairman Peter Fogarty said: “We are incredibly proud to have had the 2020 Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir named as the Best Pinot Noir in the 2023 James Halliday Wine Companion Awards last night.
"We purchased the Lowestoft site and vineyard in 2019 as we believed it had the potential to be one of Australia’s great Pinot Noir producers. To have had the 2020 Pinot Noir recognised as the best in Australia, following awards for best Pinot Noir at the last four consecutive capital city wine shows, is beyond our wildest dreams. We are honoured that James Halliday and his team chose the Lowestoft above all other Pinot Noirs in Australia.”
A huge congratulations to Chief Winemaker Liam and the whole Lowestoft team.
Although the Lowestoft 2020 La Maison Pinot Noir is yet to be released, to celebrate this Halliday award we are offering limited quantities of the 'Pinot Noir of the Year' to be purchased through a mixed six-pack of the highly awarded 2019 and 2020 La Maison Pinot Noir. To secure your pre-release allocation of this award-winning wine, click here.
La Maison Awards
Lowestoft 2019 La Maison
- 97 Points – Ray Jordan, The West Australian 2021
- 96 Points – Winestate Magazine 2021
- 95 Points – Huon Hooke, The Real Review 2022
Lowestoft 2020 La Maison
- 96 Points – Tyson Stelzer, Halliday Wine Companion 2023
- Top Gold – National Wine Show of Australia 2021
- Trophy – Pinot Noir of Show, National Wine Show of Australia 2021
- Gold – Melbourne Royal Wine Awards 2021
- Trophy – James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir, Melbourne Royal Wine Awards 2021
- Gold – Australian Pinot Noir Challenge 2021
Halliday Wine Companion 2023 awards
- Lowestoft 2020 La Maison – Pinot Noir of the Year, 96 Points
- Lowestoft 2020 Estate Pinot Noir – 95 Points
- Lowestoft 2020 Estate Chardonnay – 95 Points
- Lowestoft 2016 Grand Reserve – 95 Points
- Lowestoft 2017 Rosé – 95 Points
- Lowestoft NV Reserve Brut - 91 Points
- Lowestoft 2020 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir - 94 Points