Coal River Valley winery wins national trophy at the 2026 Australian Pinot Noir Challenge

Young Coal River Valley winery Decades has been named the 2026 Australian Pinot Noir Challenge national trophy winner with its 2025 Pinot Noir, emerging from 319 entries across 20 regions. The challenge brings Pinot Noir from across the country into a single national field. In order to win the trophy, a wine must first stand out among its regional peers, then prevail against the other regional winners. This year’s final field spanned Tasmania, six Victorian regions and Western Australia. “With 319 entries from 20 regions across Australia, this year’s Challenge showcased the exceptional quality of the 2025 vintage and the strength of Australian Pinot Noir,” said Tom Carson, chair of judges.