Margaret River vineyard rewarded with uncommon 100-point excellent rating as area cleans up in worldwide awards

A small Margaret River vineyard has achieved the seemingly unattainable with a first-ever excellent 100-point rating in worldwide competitors for its 2025 chardonnay.

Travis and Liz Wray, who personal and run House of Cards vineyard, achieved the history-making feat with their $100-a-bottle ‘Ace High’ chardonnay on the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s world tasting, judged within the Margaret River for the primary time final week.

The label additionally picked up two different gold medals: its 2025 ‘The Royals’ ($52) chardonnay earned 98 factors and its 2024 ‘Kings in the Corner’ ($32) cabernet merlot achieved 95 factors. No different wine has ever achieved an ideal rating on this competitors.

The vineyard additionally scooped up the 2026 IWSC WA wine producer trophy – in what was a exceptional 29 gold medals haul for regionally made Margaret River wines. Cape Mentelle’s viticulturalist Annabel Angland was named the younger wine producer of the yr.

Mr Wray stated his chardonnays have finished nicely in earlier years of the IWSC – incomes as much as 96 factors. After a chilly 2024, 2025 had the sort of gentle climate completely suited to a “magical vintage”.

It meant the grapes could possibly be handpicked on time on Valentine’s Day, to be juiced straight right into a barrel with minimal stirring, wild fermented after which aged in 100 per cent new oak for about 9 months.

“I knew, when we made it, this one was probably better than what we’ve done before. The 2025 vintage is definitely a lot more balanced and has an incredible intensity of fruit,” Mr Wray stated.

“I thought it would do alright but the 100 points definitely blew me away. It was definitely a bit of a Goldilocks year.”

Competition co-chairmen Andrew Caillard and Freddy Bulmer stated Ace High stood out for its depth, complexity, excellent steadiness and “sheer class”.

“When Andrew suggested 100 points, I thought: there’s nothing more that this wine could do,” Mr Bulmer stated.

“We tasted it again, blind, alongside all the golds and both agreed that 100 points was absolutely justified. It was an absolutely beautiful wine – absolute perfection.”

Mr Wray, who grew up visiting farms as a toddler in South Australia, turned to winemaking after a five-year stint within the Navy. He met Liz whereas finding out at college and so they have been collectively ever since, together with two years travelling and dealing in Canada and New Zealand to be taught and hone their craft.

“We were getting inspiration from all across the world at all these different wineries but we knew we wanted to come back to Margaret River and start our own brand,” he stated. “We just wanted something that was going to be true to what we believe in and House of Cars was born from that.

“Because we are young winemakers, we have the ability to showcase difference cards and elements with different wines and obviously there’s the link with farming. We are very much farming focused.”

The Wrays purchased their Margaret River winery 15 years in the past and produce a variety of whites, reds and a fortified shiraz that showcase grapes grown throughout 12 hectares and a small 3ha undertaking block throughout the highway. They started specializing in natural farming in 2020.

After a tricky few years post-COVID and a ‘too cold’ 2024, Mr Wray stated the native wine trade was beginning to search for. Last yr’s gentle climate meant fruit had ripened “as they should” and 2026 was nearly as good or higher.

“We had heaps of water, which was great for the vineyard, not too much bird pressure and it was just an easy vintage,” he stated.

The Wrays largely promote by their cellar door and a well-supported wine membership. They hope to quickly be exporting to Indonesia and that the hype across the IWSC win will jumpstart expanded gross sales within the UK.

“Receiving 100 points for our 2025 Ace High chardonnay has put us front and centre on the international stage and has allowed our brand exposure we could only dream of,” Ms Wray stated.