NSW Governor David Hurley and key members of his staff at the stately residence on Sydney Harbour have sampled some of the finest gold medal-winning wines from across the state and decided the local top drop would be included on their wine list.

It’s the type of news that has well-known local vigneron Mark Renzaglia grinning from ear-to-ear. He is fully aware of what it means to his label and the kudos it will bring.

The letter with the good news from Governor Hurley to Mr Renzaglia, dated Friday, February 26, 2016 states:

“In early 2016, we conducted our annual wine review. With the assistance of the NSW Wine Industry Association we received Gold Medal winning wines for consideration. 

“Together with key staff at Government House, I recently undertook a structured and objective review of these wines. I was extremely impressed with the quality and value of the produce tasted.

“I am pleased to advise you that your 2013 Renzaglia Wines Bella Luna Bathurst Chardonnay has been included on the list from which I will select wines to be served at vice-regal lunches and dinners over the coming year.

“Mr Craig Kitchen, manager household, will be in touch with you shortly with more information, but I wanted to write to you in the first instance to extend my congratulations.”

Mr Renzagalia told the Western Advocate “it was the type of news you dream of”.

“It’s certainly a feather in our cap,” he said. “The Chardonnay grapes used to make the wine were 100 per cent grown at our small Bella Luna Vineyard off Bosworth Falls Road near O’Connell.

“I must say it was a beauty, but the process to make it onto the table at Government House was an extensive one.

“First of all you had to win a gold medal at last year’s NSW Wine Awards and there were about 800 or so wines entered and about 60 gold medals awarded, of which our Chardonnay was one.

“Those 60 gold medal winners were the whittled down for inclusion on the Government House wine list and we made the cut. They obviously had tasted the wine and decided it would be a good one for them. We sure were tickled pink.”

Mr Renzaglia said they initially received an email from Government House letting them know the good news, with the actual letter arriving not long after.

The bad news for local wine buffs is that the Renzaglia Wines 2013 Bella Luna Chardonnay is already sold out, apart from the stocks reserved to go to the Governor.

“I think something like this will help promote all the wines that come out of Bathurst and not just our label,” he said. “We are an area that’s still really not recognised as an area that produces top quality wines.

“We all get great support locally, but outside of the Bathurst region the competition is really stiff.”