Barossa Valley, South Australia — June 2025

Barossa winery Chaffey Bros Wine Co. has continued its extraordinary run of form at the world's most prestigious wine competitions, with the 2023 La Résistance Barossa GSM (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) awarded a coveted Gold Medal and 96 points at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) — making it the highest scoring GSM blend in the entire competition.

The Gold Medal is the latest in a remarkable string of major trophies and international accolades that have established Chaffey Bros as one of the most exciting "new wave" wineries emerging from Australia's Barossa Valley.

A New Wave Barossa Winery on the World Stage

In a stunning run of form, Chaffey Bros Wine Co. has amassed an extraordinary collection of major wine competition trophies and accolades recently across reds, whites and aromatics — a breadth of recognition that would be the envy of wineries many times their size:

Best Shiraz Trophy — Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2023 (for Omnia Nova Barossa Syrah 2022)
Best in Show — 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards (for Evangeline Eden Valley Syrah 2021, named a global Top 50 wine)
Best Semillon Trophy — 2024 Barossa Wine Show (for Salvis Gratia Barossa Old Vine Semillon 2022)
Best Winery (Medium Size) Trophy — 2024 Barossa Wine Show
Matthew Jukes' 100 Best Australian Wines 2026 (for Düfte Punkt Eden Valley Field Blend 2024)
Gold Medal + 96 points — 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards (for La Résistance Barossa GSM 2023, highest scoring GSM)

The breadth of these wins — spanning Shiraz, Syrah, Semillon, an aromatic field blend and now GSM — reflects a winery firing on all cylinders, with a winemaking philosophy that is redefining what the Barossa and Eden Valley are capable of.

The inclusion of their Düfte Punkt Eden Valley Field Blend (a co-fermented blend of Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Kerner from a single vineyard in the Eden Valley) in Matthew Jukes' prestigious annual list of Australia's 100 best wines further underscores the winery's versatility and willingness to champion unconventional varieties alongside the Barossa's traditional strengths.

About the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards

Now in its 22nd year, the Decanter World Wine Awards is firmly established as the world's largest and most influential wine competition. At the 2025 awards, wines from 57 countries were evaluated by 248 international experts from 35 countries, including 72 Masters of Wine and 22 Master Sommeliers — the most in the competition's history. Gold medals were awarded to just 732 wines, representing the top tier of quality from thousands of entries judged blind.

What the Judges Said

Decanter's judging panel awarded La Résistance 96 points, noting: "Bountiful fresh cherries and raspberries burst over the vanilla chocolate intensity. Weighty and complex with lush tannins and a vibrant acidity woven into the frame."

A Decade in the Making

Chaffey Bros co-founder Daniel Chaffey Hartwig says the Gold Medal is the culmination of a ten-year quest to craft the definitive Barossa GSM.

"For ten years we've been on a mission to make the perfect Barossa GSM, and with the 2023 vintage, we believe we've nailed it," said Mr Hartwig.

"Old vine Grenache is the hero of our Barossa GSM. Elegant Syrah and spicy Mourvèdre add their signature definition and structure to this harmonious ensemble. The result is generous, juicy, balanced and refined — a wine fit for any occasion and any crowd."

"It's been an incredible run. Winning Best Shiraz at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show with our Omnia Nova Syrah, then Best in Show at Decanter with Evangeline, Best Semillon and Best Winery at the Barossa Wine Show, Düfte Punkt making Matthew Jukes' 100 Best Australian Wines list, and now the top-scoring GSM at Decanter — it tells us that our 'new wave' approach to Barossa winemaking is resonating with judges and wine lovers both at home and around the world."

"We're part of an exciting movement within the Barossa Valley. There's a new generation of winemakers championing elegance, texture and site-specific expression alongside the region's legendary power and generosity. The Barossa has always been world-class — we're just showing people a different side of it."

About La Résistance Barossa GSM 2023

La Résistance is a Rhône-inspired Barossa blend built on old vine Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre contributing structure and complexity. The 2023 vintage spent nine months in seasoned (3–8 year old) French oak hogsheads, resulting in a deep-fruited palate of dark cherry, strawberry and graphite minerality with supple, fine-grained tannin and refreshing acidity.

Wine: La Résistance Barossa GSM 2023
Varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
Alcohol: 14.4%
Winemakers: Daniel Chaffey Hartwig, Huon Fechner, Theo Engela
RRP: $30 AUD

Additional Critical Acclaim — La Résistance 2023 Vintage

Gold Medal + 96 points — Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 (Highest scoring GSM)
Silver Medal — London Wine Competition 2025
95+ points — Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion: "What a cracking grenache, shiraz and mourvédre blend!"
95 points — Andrew Caillard MW & Ken Gargett, Vintage Wine Journal
92 points — James Suckling

About Chaffey Bros Wine Co.

Chaffey Bros Wine Co. is a Barossa Valley winery founded by brothers-in-law Daniel Chaffey Hartwig and Theo Engela, joined by winemaker Huon Fechner. Widely regarded as one of the Barossa's most exciting new wave producers, the winery is known for its obsession with texture and aromatics, crafting site-specific expressions of place from distinctive vineyards across the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley subregions.

Their philosophy centres on championing the Barossa's extraordinary old vine heritage — from Grenache and Shiraz to Semillon — through a modern, minimal intervention winemaking approach that prioritises elegance, fruit purity and drinkability. Alongside these traditional strengths, the winery has earned recognition for championing unconventional varieties, with their Düfte Punkt Eden Valley Field Blend (Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Kerner) named in Matthew Jukes' 100 Best Australian Wines 2026. The cooler Eden Valley subregion is home to nine of their single vineyard wines, while old vine Barossa Valley fruit forms the backbone of their acclaimed red blends.

Recent major accolades include the Best Shiraz Trophy at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show, a Decanter World Wine Awards "Best in Show" (global Top 50 wine), the Best Semillon Trophy and Best Winery (Medium Size) Trophy at the Barossa Wine Show, selection in Matthew Jukes' 100 Best Australian Wines, and a Decanter Gold Medal for the highest scoring GSM at DWWA 2025.

Food Pairing

La Résistance Barossa GSM is the perfect partner for spaghetti bolognese, chargrilled and barbecued meats, slow-roasted lamb, or roast vegetables elevated to new heights.

The Story Behind the Name

La Résistance is a vinous rematch of the famous 1811 Battle of Barrosa Ridge, where Spain and France collided. The wine takes up the fight for the traditional French varieties of the Barossa — pitching gnarly old vine Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre into defence against the invading foreign marauders.

PURCHASE 2023 LA RÉSISTANCE GSM HERE