McIntosh Estate named Cellar Door and Vineyard of the Year
McIntosh Estate has received two awards at the 2026 CCL Mudgee Wine Show, being named Cellar Door of the Year and Vineyard of the Year.
“This is a huge achievement for our winery. To win not just one, but two, major trophies is a testament to the quality of our offering, the strength of our wines, and the love and care we’ve poured into our vineyard,”
Owners Curt Oppegaard and Janet Donovan received the awards at the annual wine show dinner, held at Di Lusso Estate on 10 September.
The Cellar Door of the Year award recognises the highest rated Mudgee cellar door, with visitors voting via QR code.
The Vineyard of the Year award is judged by Vitibit viticulturist Liz Riley, who provides viticulture services in the Hunter Valley and was named 2017 ASVO Viticulturist of the Year.
The award recognises vineyards that demonstrate best practice viticulture across areas including innovation, vine regeneration, infrastructure improvements and capital investment.
The awards follow a season that included six medals for McIntosh Estate at the 2026 Mudgee Wine Show, comprising one silver and five bronze, as well as three bronze awards at the 2026 NSW Small Winemakers Awards.
“This is a huge achievement for our winery. To win not just one, but two, major trophies is a testament to the quality of our offering, the strength of our wines, and the love and care we’ve poured into our vineyard,” said Oppegaard.
“The Cellar Door of the Year award acknowledges our outstanding service at our cellar door, and the many locals and visitors we’ve welcomed over the past two years. We pride ourselves on offering meet-the-maker tastings, where people get to talk to us about the wine-making process and hear the stories behind the grapes. It’s clear that this warm, personalised offering is resonating with guests.
“The Vineyard of the Year award is recognition of the hard work we’ve dedicated to our vineyard. We’ve spent countless hours reviving our 60-year-old vines – it hasn’t been easy, but it’s absolutely been worth it. To win this award is an incredible honour, particularly given the calibre of wine available in the Mudgee region.”
McIntosh Estate opened its cellar door in 2024 and is located in the Mudgee wine region. The business produces several wine varieties, including Blanc de Blanc, Rose de Noir sparkling and Cabernet Sauvignon.