Australian wine continues to impress at the Expovina Wine Trophy in 2026. Among 1,474 wines submitted, the Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 achieved the highest rating of the entire 2026 Wine Trophy with an outstanding 93.8 points. At the same time, Wyhus Ryf wins the Best of Trophy for Overseas Wines for the fourth consecutive time with this wine.
But that's not all: The Cabernet Sauvignon from Bowen Estate was also awarded Best of Business. In addition, three more gold medals and two silver medals were awarded to wines from our range. This result particularly pleases us and once again confirms that our many years of experience with Australian wines are paying off. For many years, we have been searching on-site in Australia for special producers and wines that we can confidently bring to Switzerland. This expertise, built up over years, directly benefits our customers, who can count on carefully selected wines of exceptional quality at Wyhus Ryf.
93.8 Points: Bowen Estate Achieves the Highest Rating Among 1,474 Wines
The Expovina Wine Trophy is one of Switzerland's most important international wine awards. In 2026, a total of 1,474 wines were judged. The average score for all evaluated wines was 87.4 points, while gold wines achieved an average of 89.7 points. Topping the official ranking is the Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 with 93.8 points. No other submitted wine achieved a higher rating.
For us, this result is exceptional. Bowen Estate has been a firm fixture in our range for many years and is an excellent example of what distinguishes Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra.Â
Bowen Estate is not a large producer, but a small family winery with a long tradition. It was founded in 1972 by Doug and Joy Bowen. Today, daughter Emma Bowen also works in the business and is responsible for winemaking, while Doug continues to intensively care for the vines. Only three wines are produced, and all grapes are harvested by hand. It is precisely this personal dedication and consistent focus on quality that has made Bowen Estate a special producer from Coonawarra for us over the years.
Learn more about Bowen Estate and the wines from Coonawarra
Best of Overseas Wines for the Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
In addition to the Gold Trophy, the Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 receives the Best of Trophy for Overseas Wines.
The Cabernet Sauvignon originates from Coonawarra in South Australia, a region internationally renowned for its Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine displays intense aromas of raspberries and cassis, an elegant structure, and fine tannins that gain additional depth from aging in French oak.
Also Awarded Best of Business
The Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon also impressed with its price-performance ratio. Expovina recognizes wines that offer a particularly strong connection between quality and selling price with various Best of categories. In 2026, the Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was additionally awarded Best of Business.
93.8 points, Gold, Best of Overseas Wines, and Best of Business: A single wine can hardly achieve more at a Wine Trophy.
Four Consecutive Years Best of for Wyhus Ryf
The result becomes even more remarkable in retrospect. For the fourth consecutive year, the Best of winner in the overseas wines category comes from the Wyhus Ryf assortment.
What sounds like a nice streak means one thing above all to us: The quality of Australian wines is confirmed year after year by an independent panel of experts.
Already at the Expovina Wine Trophy 2025, John's Blend Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 was delighted to receive the Best of New World award and Gold. In 2024, numerous Australian wines from Wyhus Ryf were among the big winners. The success streak goes back even further: In 2023, we already reported on numerous awards for our Australian wines.
This continuity is more important to us than a single award. Beat and Sandra Eichmann have been regularly traveling to Australia for many years, personally visiting the wineries and maintaining relationships with many winemakers that go far beyond business. We therefore know the wines that ultimately end up in the Wyhus Ryf assortment not only from the label or a catalog, but often directly from the vineyards and cellars of their producers.
An insight into these personal relationships and our latest trip through South Australia can be found in the article In Search of the Taste of Australia: Wyhus Ryf Traveling Through South Australia.
Australia's Wine Regions Show Their Strength
Australian wine can hardly be reduced to a single style. This year's Expovina results impressively demonstrate this.
With Bowen Estate, Coonawarra is represented, a region particularly known for elegant and structured Cabernet Sauvignons. Further north lies the Barossa Valley, home to Lost Penny Wines in the Ebenezer region. Here, powerful Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and characterful wines from grape varieties like Grenache are produced.
It is precisely these differences that make Australian wine so exciting for us. There isn't just one typical Australian red wine. Origin, soil, climate, grape variety, and the winemaker's signature result in completely different styles.
This year's medal tally impressively shows this diversity.
Our Gold Winners of the Expovina Wine Trophy 2026
Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022: Best of, Best of Business, and Gold
The big winner of the year. The Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 combines the classic Cabernet style of Coonawarra with elegance and structure. Intense raspberry and cassis aromas meet a precise tannin structure and fine notes from aging in French oak.
With 93.8 points, it not only achieves Gold and the Best of Trophy for Overseas Wines but also the highest score of all 1,474 submitted wines. Additionally, it receives the Best of Business Award.
Discover the Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon at Wyhus Ryf.
Order the Lost Penny Coin Selection Cabernet Sauvignon comfortably online now.
Lost Penny Coin Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2022: Gold
The Lost Penny Coin Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 also convinced the expert jury with its Cabernet Sauvignon.
The careful selection of grapes gives this wine its fruity and accessible character. Ripe plums and blackcurrants meet the typical structure of a South Australian Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Coin Selection shows something we particularly appreciate about many Australian wines: high quality does not necessarily have to be in the highest price range.
Order Lost Penny Almond Row Shiraz online now
Lost Penny Almond Row Shiraz 2022: Gold
The Lost Penny Almond Row Shiraz comes from Lost Penny's family vineyard in Ebenezer, Barossa Valley.
On the palate, it reveals rich aromas of blackberries and blackcurrants, complemented by liquorice and dark chocolate. The sweet spice of French oak gives the wine additional depth and ensures a complex, elegant character.
With the gold medal for the 2022 vintage, the Almond Row once again confirms why it has been one of the most popular Shirazes in our range for years.
Lost Penny 1891 Shiraz 2022: Gold
The Lost Penny 1891 is among the top of Carol and Nick Riebke's range.
Dark red with garnet reflections characterizes its color. Dark red and black fruits meet sweet spices, earthy nuances, and a powerful yet elegant structure.
With its Gold Trophy, the 1891 also joins Lost Penny's impressive track record at Expovina 2026.
Order the Lost Penny 1891 Shiraz here in the Wyhus Ryf online wine shop.
Sandra and Beat Eichmann from Wyhus Ryf with the winemaking couple from Lost Penny Wines in Australia.
Lost Penny Wines: Five Awards for a Family Winery from Barossa Valley
Hardly any producer from our range was as successful this year as Lost Penny Wines.
Carol and Nick Riebke are deeply connected to the Barossa Valley. Nick grew up in the vineyards in Ebenezer, from which some of the grapes for Lost Penny now come. Some of the oldest Shiraz vines in this area were planted over 100 years ago.
However, tradition is not an end in itself for them. They combine their family's history with sustainable viticulture, modern methods, and their own vision of how the Barossa Valley should taste today.
We have known Carol and Nick personally for many years. During our trips to Australia, joint tastings, conversations, and meals have long been part of the routine. In our travel report In Search of Australian Wines, we also report on our visit to Lost Penny Wines in the Barossa Valley.
It gets even more personal in our earlier travel report Australia Trip: We're Testing the New Wines for You. There, among other things, we talk about our reunion with Carol and Nick and our long-standing friendship.
That Lost Penny is awarded three gold medals and two silver medals in 2026 is therefore a special result for us too.
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Our Silver Winners of the Expovina Wine Trophy 2026
Lost Penny Four Coins Quartet 2023: Silver after Gold for the 2022 Vintage
Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure, Shiraz brings fruitiness, Merlot gives the wine its soft side, and Grenache adds spice and character. The Lost Penny Four Coins Quartet is a blend that combines four classic grape varieties into a fruity and elegant wine.
The 2023 vintage receives Silver in 2026.
Interesting for those who already know the wine: The 2022 vintage was awarded Gold at Expovina 2025 and also won the ExpovinArt prize for its exceptional label. You can find more about this in our review of the Expovina Wine Trophy 2025.
The 2022 vintage is also currently available.
Lost Penny Fire Cart Grenache 2022: Silver
With the Lost Penny Fire Cart Grenache, Lost Penny reveals another side of the Barossa Valley.
The wine presents itself brick red with violet reflections. On the nose, cherries meet spices and a hint of liquorice. On the palate, juicy cherry and plum aromas dominate with a pleasant spice and medium structure.
The Silver Trophy completes an exceptional Expovina result for the family winery from Ebenezer.
Why Australian Wine Has Been Convincing at Wyhus Ryf for Years
Medals are nice. But what's crucial for us is what lies behind them.
For many years, we have been intensively involved with Australian wine and regularly travel to our producers ourselves. There, we taste new vintages, discover new wines, and observe how vineyards and wineries develop.
We have known many of our winemakers personally for decades now. If you want to see how this selection is made on-site, our travel report through South Australia offers numerous impressions of the wineries and the people behind our wines.
That is precisely why we are particularly pleased about the Expovina Wine Trophy 2026. The awards independently confirm the wines, producers, and regions that we ourselves have believed in for many years.
Bowen Estate with the highest score of all 1,474 wines. Four Best of Trophies for overseas wines in four consecutive years. Three more gold medals and two silver medals.
For us, this is above all a strong confirmation of the high quality that Australian wine offers today.
Discover award-winning Australian wines at Wyhus Ryf
Would you like to see for yourself? You can find the award-winning wines from the Expovina Wine Trophy 2026 at Wyhus Ryf and in our online shop.
Discover the Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, the gold winners from Lost Penny Wines, as well as our silver-awarded wines, and get to know some of the most exciting aspects of Australian winemaking.
And if you don't know which winner suits you best: visit us in Wabern or at one of our tasting events. We would be happy to advise you personally.
One point I corrected: Lost Penny has a total of five awards in 2026, not four, namely three gold and two silver. In the previous draft, it incorrectly stated "four awards" at one point. I have verified the German blog pages for 2023, 2024, 2025, and the 2026 travel report.
