Our Artizan Rare Muscat has made history at the 2025 Sydney Royal Wine Show, awarded the J.C.M. Fornachon Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Fortified.
This is a first for Western Australia — in the trophy’s 54-year history, it has never before been awarded to a West Australian winery, nor crossed the Nullarbor. For Gralyn Estate, the recognition arrives in a year of great significance, marking our 50th anniversary in Margaret River.
A Defining Trophy
The J.C.M. Fornachon Memorial Perpetual Trophy is one of the most prestigious awards in Australian wine. Rather than a cup, the trophy is a Fred Williams oil painting — Wooded Landscape, depicting Lindeman’s Vineyard — donated in 1971 by art dealer Rudy Komon. The giltwood frame carries the engraved names of every winner since 1980, a roll call of Australia’s most celebrated fortified producers. To now see Gralyn Estate inscribed alongside these icons is both humbling and historic.
Artizan Rare Muscat
The Artizan Rare Muscat is drawn from our oldest and rarest casks, with an average barrel age of over 20 years. Concentrated and complex, it reveals layers of dried fruit, roasted nuts, and spice — the hallmarks of extended solera ageing. Already the recipient of 16 major trophies, the Artizan has become one of Australia’s most awarded fortifieds. The Sydney Royal trophy stands as its most prestigious achievement yet.
A Golden Year
This landmark win comes during Gralyn Estate’s 50th year. Founded in 1975 by Graham and Merilyn Hutton, Gralyn was among the first vineyards established in Wilyabrup, Margaret River. Today, the estate continues under the stewardship of the second generation, Annette and Scott Baxter, who remain committed to crafting wines of pedigree and longevity.
