Wine of the Year, Winemaker of the Year & Producer of the Year at the WAGFG Wine Awards!

We are in celebration mode following last night's WA Good Food Guide Wine Awards where we were crowned 'Producer of the Year', received 'Wine of the Year', 'Best Single Vineyard Wine' & 'Best Regional Wine' for our 2022 Single Vineyard G2 Cabernet Sauvignon and our very own Julian Langworthy was named 'Winemaker of the Year' - what a night!

All up, we had 3 wines included in the Top 25 Wines of 2024, including:

• Deep Woods Estate 2022 Single Vineyard G2 Cabernet Sauvignon - Number 1
• Deep Woods Estate 2023 Cabernet Franc - Number 4
• Deep Woods Estate 2024 Single Vineyard Albariño - Number 24

WA Good Food Guide's Wine of the Year 2024

Introducing the WA Good Food Guide's Wine of the Year, Best Single Vineyard Wine and Best Regional Wine (Margaret River): Our 2022 Single Vineyard G2 Cabernet Sauvignon 2022! The judges said:

"This 2022 Deep Woods ‘G2’ Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a profound wine, one that speaks eloquently of both Margaret River and of its variety. In a line-up of the top 50 wines in Western Australia, it stood head and shoulders above the rest for its exacting balance of supple fruit and pliable tannin. It is fresh and detailed and delivers the uncompromising experience that is singular to great cabernet sauvignon. The warm, ideal conditions of the 2022 vintage in Margaret River, expressed via this cooler site, put the final feather in its cap. This is a wine to collect and to cellar, but most importantly, it is a wine to drink and enjoy. What a thrill it is."

On accepting this award, Julian said:

"Emma and Matt are there making sure the barrels are topped, making sure the cellar hands behave themselves and just generally being epic, awesome winemakers. They are the defining feature in why the attention to detail of the Deep Woods wines are so good.  And John Fogarty - to have a partner in crime that is such a talented viticulturist, that has great insight into vine health and what it takes to grow delicious fruit is a massive boon.

"Single Vineyard wines are super exciting ones, and we couldn't be more thrilled to win this award for such a cool wine. 

"You what else is exciting? It's Cabernet. Cabernet for me has been the one truth in this vinous journey of mine, which is 25 years now... The thing about great Cabernet is it takes amazing fruit in great sites and realistically as a winemaker, all you try to do is not mess it up. When you get great seasons and great sites, with great viticulture and attention to detail in the winery, you get some really special wines. 

"And that's what we are doing in Margaret River, producing wines which stand really tall, shoulder-to-shoulder with the best wines in the world. They are their own personality, their own distinct sites within this region."

WA Good Food Guide's Producer of the Year 2024

Speaking on selecting the Producer of the Year 2024, MC and judge Mike Bennie said:

"If you were to judge 270 wines with their labels revealed, you’d surely attempt to award an array of regions, producers and varieties, so that a little bit of everything got a little bit of something. It is a natural tendency, and it’s why wine shows – which are judged blind – will often display extraordinary clean sweeps by some producers. Sometimes, it’s just your year, your show, your week. There’s an unpredictable beauty in that. This year, the dominance of Deep Woods Estate was undeniable. With two of the top five wines, and a total of three wines in the Top 25, the judges were left with little choice but to award Deep Woods with a thoroughly deserved Producer of the Year award. The bigger the company, the taller the poppy, and when it comes to tall poppies and wine awards, Deep Woods is one of the loftiest in this country."

We are honoured to have been recognised as the state's best producer for 2024.

WA Good Food Guide's Winemaker of the Year 2024

And last, but definitely not least, Julian Langworthy was awarded Winemaker of the Year 2024. On announcing this award, Bennie introduced Julian and said:

"Five wines in the Top 25 makes for 20 per cent of the total haul: that’s a big deal for a single region, let alone a single person. Julian Langworthy is responsible for those five, the three Deep Woods Estate wines – including our Wine of the Year – as well as the Nocturne Wines ‘SR’ Chardonnay and the Goon Tycoons ‘Red Headed Step Child’. Langworthy is a prolific winemaker, whose jocular nature is only surpassed by his prowess and deep understanding of the Margaret River wine region. As if being chief winemaker at the family-owned yet significantly sized Fogarty Wine Group wasn’t enough, Langworthy has a successful label of his own, Nocturne. With a focus on chardonnay, cabernet and rosé (he did crown himself the “Prince of Pink” one year), Nocturne has found its way onto wine lists and into quality wine shops around this country. Goon Tycoons, meanwhile, is the project he shares with John (viticulturist) Fogarty and Mark (cash counter) Fogarty, focusing on a range of distinctly tongue-in-cheek wines that deliver the (seriously good) goods. He’s a busy guy, he’s a clever guy, he’s our Winemaker of the Year in 2024."

Congratulations to our King of Cabernet and rockstar winemaker and a huge congratulations to Emma Gillespie, Matt Buchan, John Fogarty and our whole team on these epic results. 

WA Good Food Guide's Best Single Vineyard Wine 2024

"To be a single vineyard wine is not a thing to behold or celebrate in and of itself. The quality of the site is all-important, and indeed, the vintage helps to shape its expression. But for a single vineyard wine to succeed, the stars must align: the season must suit, the viticultural decisions leading up to that year must support the vintage that evolves. There really is no room for error or vagary, meaning that when they’re on, they’re on. “The [Gibb Road] vineyard is a pretty interesting one,” says Langworthy. “It is in Treeton [eastern Margaret River], and it’s a cool site, so it really performs in warm vintages.” The reason this wine is so special is that it leaps beyond the traditional paradigm of Margaret River cabernet as we know it, offering drinkers a texturally fine, perfectly resolved wine, which is so specifically and alluringly of place. An unmissable cabernet experience."

WA Good Food Guide's Best of Region - Margaret River 2024

"Cabernet Sauvignon from Deep Woods is nothing short of monumental, representing a collection of wines that exude greatness and deserve the highest distinction. The ‘G2’ is a quintessential example of modern Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River, demonstrating a level of craftsmanship that speaks volumes. What sets the ‘G2’ apart is its immediate drinkability; the wine’s freshness and alluring perfume are compelling, while its powerful concentration delivers immense satisfaction with every sip. The tannins are masterfully managed, offering a structured and framed palate experience. This wine has the potential to age gracefully, rewarding those with patience; however, its shiny, vivid fruit and modern, stylish feel make it incredibly hard to resist now. Simply put, it’s insanely delicious."

We would like to extend our congratulations to all of the wineries awarded last night. Western Australia is producing world-class wines, and we are excited to be a part of such an exciting region.

Shop all Top WAGFG Wines for 2024 here.