WINEMAKERS are being urged to get their entries in this week for what is arguably Australia's premier benchmarking chardonnay event.
Entries for this year's James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge close on Friday.
In the short two-year history of the challenge, 960 wines from 350 wineries representing 60 different Australian regions have been judged, with 95 points or higher awarded to 40 chardonnays to date.
Named in honour of Australia's leading wine writer and Yarra Valley resident, James Halliday, the Challenge awards the top wine for each region and the best chardonnay of the year.
Mr Halliday said Australian chardonnay had never been better, and the event aimed to empower winemakers to continually improve their approach to chardonnay and not to rest on their laurels.
Flametree's Cliff Royle has been a judge at the challenge since its inception in 2012 and Xanadu was a big winner last year, scoring 97 points for its 2010 Xanadu Chardonnay.
Wineries can enter their wines online at chardonnaychallenge.com.au.