Team Australia third place at the World Tasting Championships 2025

McCaffrey’s Estate representing Australia on the world stage

Representing Team Australia

In 2025, Hunter Valley wine producer Declan McCaffrey had the honour of representing Australia at the prestigious World Tasting Championship 2025 in France — one of the most challenging and respected blind wine tasting competitions in the world.

Selected as one of just four Australians to form Team Australia, Declan joined three fellow wine tasters to compete against national teams from across the globe. Hosted in France and organised by La Revue du Vin de France, the World Tasting Championship brings together some of the sharpest palates in the international wine community.

For a family-run winery from the Hunter Valley wine region of New South Wales, it was an extraordinary opportunity to showcase Australian wine knowledge on the global stage.

The Challenge: Precision Under Pressure

This is not your average wine tasting.

Teams of four are given 12 wines to taste completely blind. With no labels, no hints and no prior knowledge, each team must work collaboratively to analyse and identify key details about every wine poured.

For each wine, competitors are required to determine:

• The grape variety (including proportions in blended wines)
• The country of origin
• The specific wine region or appellation
• The vintage year

Points are awarded based on accuracy, with partial points given where appropriate. Success depends on deep knowledge of global wine styles, structure, climate influences, winemaking techniques and ageing characteristics.

Over the course of several intense hours, teams swirl, sniff, taste and debate — drawing on experience, memory and instinct. It is a true test of both individual skill and collective teamwork.

A World-Class Result

Competing against 40 international teams, Team Australia delivered an outstanding performance, finishing third in the world and securing a bronze medal.

To stand on the podium in France — the spiritual home of fine wine — is an extraordinary achievement. It reflects not only personal dedication and preparation, but also the depth and sophistication of Australia’s wine knowledge on the global stage.

For a small winery from the Hunter Valley, being part of a team that reached the podium at a world championship is a moment of immense pride.

Representing Australia with Pride

For Declan, being part of Team Australia was about more than competition. It was an opportunity to showcase Australian expertise, passion and commitment to the craft of wine.

Experiences like the World Tasting Championship highlight the level of knowledge and dedication that exists within the Hunter Valley wine community, one of Australia’s most historic and respected wine regions. They even got a mention in Federal Parliament by our local member Dan Repacholi.

Visitors to McCaffrey’s Estate in the Hunter Valley can experience this passion for wine first-hand when visiting our cellar door, where wine tasting is as much about learning and discovery as it is about enjoying what’s in the glass.

We are immensely proud of Declan and the entire Australian team for their remarkable achievement at the World Tasting Championship 2025.

An unforgettable experience. A world-stage accomplishment. And a moment that will always be part of the McCaffrey’s Estate story. 🍷