Diamond Trophy Triumph + Gold Medal Success: Tamburlaine Shines at the Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards 2026
We’re absolutely thrilled to share some fantastic news from the world stage: Tamburlaine Organic Wines has achieved multiple awards at the 13th Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards 2026 – Asia’s largest wine competition and the only major international event judged exclusively by women.
Our 2026 Sakura Award winners are:
- Diamond Trophy / Double Gold – 2023 Point 65 Barrel Ferment Chardonnay
- Gold Medal (Yakitori Pairing Award) – 2024 Point 65 Pinot Noir
This recognition feels particularly special as we approach International Women’s Day on 8 March. The Sakura Awards bring together expert female judges from across Japan to evaluate wines not just for quality, but for how well they pair with Japanese cuisine and everyday enjoyment.
What makes this win even more remarkable is the incredible global pedigree and geographical diversity of the competition. This year’s Diamond Trophy recipients hailed from iconic regions including California (USA), Tuscany and Puglia (Italy), Bordeaux and Alsace (France), Rioja and Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), Coonawarra and South Australia (Australia), Marlborough (New Zealand), Champagne (France), and many others. The lineup featured centuries-old European estates alongside innovative New World producers – a true celebration of winemaking excellence from every corner of the globe. For our cool-climate Chardonnay from the Orange Wine Region of New South Wales to rise to the top among this stellar international lineup speaks volumes about the purity, balance, and drinkability we strive for every vintage.
The judges were captivated by the vibrant stone fruit aromas, creamy texture from thoughtful barrel fermentation, crisp acidity backbone, and elegant finish of the 2023 Point 65 Barrel Ferment Chardonnay, and the perfect food-friendly balance and silky red fruit of the 2024 Point 65 Pinot Noir.
These 2026 successes build on Tamburlaine’s strong track record with the Sakura Awards:
· 2025 Sakura Awards: Gold Medals for Wine Lovers Pinot Gris and Reserve Orange Syrah
· 2024 Sakura Awards: Diamond Trophies for Wine Lovers Sauvignon Blanc and Reserve Orange Chardonnay, plus Gold Medals for Wine Lovers Super T and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2023 Point 65 Barrel Ferment Chardonnay also carries a strong domestic performance, having earned recognition as Best Chardonnay at the 2024 Orange Wine Show, Silver Medal at the 2025 Royal Queensland Wine Awards and Bronze Medals at the 2025 NSW Wine Awards, 2025 International Cool Climate Wine Show, and National Wine Show.
At Tamburlaine Organic Wines, women are integral to every step of our journey. From the dedicated women who prune and tend our certified-organic vines through rain, heat, and harvest, to the skilled women in the winery who carefully craft these wines with precision and passion, the talented women in our back office who keep the business thriving day-to-day, and the warm, knowledgeable women who welcome visitors at our Hunter Valley and Orange cellar doors – this award is a celebration of all of you.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the judges at the Sakura Awards for recognising the quality and integrity of our organic, vegan-friendly wines. Your discerning palates inspire us to keep pushing boundaries in sustainable winemaking.
As one of Australia’s longest-established and largest certified-organic producers (family-owned by the Davidsons since 1985), we remain committed to Contemporary Organic practices: low- and no-added sulphur options, plant-based fining since 2017, innovative tools like BioScout for disease monitoring, and sustainable packaging partnerships such as Great Wrap. The Point 65 range embodies this philosophy – premium, terroir-driven wines made to be pure, approachable, and seriously delicious.
Here’s to the women in wine, to global excellence recognised across borders, and to wines that bring people together.
Cheers! 🥂
