Chardonnay was the world’s favourite white wine grape variety in the early 1980s, which coincided with Rosemount’s 1980 Show Reserve Chardonnay winning a rare Double Gold Medal at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London, England. Rosemount’s multi-award winning Chardonnay quickly established the company’s reputation for quality in Australia and overseas.
The accolades soon extended beyond Chardonnay. In 1999, Rosemount Estate was awarded Winery of the Year at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. In 2000, Rosemount Estate was awarded Winemaker of the Year and Best Australian Producer at the IWSC in London and Best Australian Producer at the International Wine Challenge (IWC). These early accolades were followed up in 2011 with New World Winery of the Year from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
As the Rosemount Estate range evolved, the winemaking team were sourcing more and more fruit from McLaren Vale, a region which was an essential part of Rosemount since the 1980s.
In 1991, Rosemount purchased the 100-year-old Ryecroft winery and vineyards and Rosemount’s focus on McLaren Vale grew. Rosemount Estate continues to source fruit from these vineyards today.