The Bushing Monarch is an annual title awarded in the Australian state of South Australia to the winemaker of highest scoring individual wine at the McLaren Vale Wine Show. Established in 1973, the winner is crowned the "Bushing King" or "Bushing Queen" until they are disrobed when the next winner is announced.

Controversy Greg Trott was crowned Bushing King in 1984 following the abdication of Geoff Merrill after the winning wine was found to be outside the parameters for entry.

Wassail Part of the "coronation" tradition has been the local singing of a Wassail:

List of Bushing Monarchs

Year Bushing King Bushing Queen Producer Wine2025Giles Cooke MW and Patrick GilhoolyThistledown2024 Thistledown Sands of Time Blewitt Springs Grenache2024Paul CarpenterAlexia RobertsPenny's Hill2023 Penny’s Hill Single Vineyard Grenache2023Tom HarveyRenae HirschChalk Hill Wines2022 Chalk Hill Tempranillo Grenache2022Malcolm Leask and Richard LeaskHither & Yon2021 Hither & Yon Aglianico2021Zar BrooksElena BrooksDandelion Vineyards2020 Dandelion Vineyards Lion's Tooth Shiraz Riesling2020Tom HarveyRenae HirschChalk Hill Wines2019 Chalk Hill Wines Alpha Crucis Old Vine Grenache2019Malcolm and Richard LeaskHither & Yon2018 Hither & Yon Nero D’Avola2018Stephen PannellFiona LindquistS.C. Pannell Wines2016 S.C. Pannell Cabernet Malbec2017Duncan KennedyElspeth KayKay Brothers2016 Kay Brothers Griffon's Key Grenache2016 Stephen PannellFiona Lindquist S.C. Pannell Wines 2015 S.C. Pannell Touriga Cabernet Mataro2015 Stephen Pannell Fiona Lindquist S.C. Pannell Wines 2014 S.C. Pannell Grenache Shiraz Touriga 2014 Matt Caldersmith and Nic Bowen Chateau Reynella 2012 Chateau Reynella Basket Press Shiraz 2013 Matt Koch & Randall Cummins Rosemount Estate 2012 Rosemount Estate District Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Matt Koch & Andrew Locke Rosemount Estate 2011 Rosemount Estate Nursery Project Mataro 2011 Stephen Pannell Fiona Lindquist S.C. Pannell Wines 2010 S.C. Pannell Tempranillo Touriga 2010 Michael Fragos & Bryn Richards Chapel Hill 2008 Chapel Hill Vicar Shiraz 2009 Paul Carpenter Alix Hardy Hardy's Tintara 2004 Eileen Hardy Shiraz 2008 Brian Light Rose Kentish Ulithorne Wines 2008 Ulithorne Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz 2007 Scott Rawlinson Maria Maglieri Serafino Wines 2006 Serafino Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Wayne Thomas Bev Thomas Wayne Thomas Wines 2005 Wayne Thomas Shiraz 2005 Ben Riggs Annie Riggs Penny's Hill 2004 Penny's Hill Shiraz 2004 Wayne Thomas Bev Thomas Wayne Thomas Wines 2003 Wayne Thomas Petit Verdot 2003 Dan Hills and Tony Walker Fox Creek Wines 2002 Fox Creek Short Row Shiraz 2002 Sparky Marquis Sarah Marquis Shirvington 2001 Shirvington Shiraz 2001 Grant Harrison and Mark Lloyd Coriole Vineyards 1999 Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz 2000 Ben Riggs Annie Riggs Wirra Wirra Vineyards 1998 Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 1999 Michael Fragos and Justin McNamee Tatachilla Winery 1997 Tatachilla Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 Sparky Marquis Sarah Marquis Fox Creek Wines 1997 Fox Creek JSM Shiraz-Cabernet Franc 1997 Michael Fragos Tatachilla Winery 1996 Tatachilla Chardonnay 1996 Sparky Marquis Sarah Marquis Fox Creek Wines 1994 Fox Creek Shiraz 1995 Brian Light Kay Light Merrivale Wines 1994 Brian Light Reserve Shiraz 1994 Mike Farmilo Diane Murphy Seaview Winery 1992 Edwards and Chaffey Shiraz 1993 Nick Haselgrove James Haselgrove Wines 1992 Haselgrove Futures Shiraz 1992 John Loxton Maria Maglieri Maglieri Wines 1990 Maglieri Shiraz 1991 Pam Dunsford Chapel Hill 1990 Chapel Hill Reserve Shiraz 1990 Chester Osborn Julie McEwen d'Arenberg Wines 1987 d'Arenberg Noble Riesling 1989 Brian Light Kay Light Normans Wines 1986 Normans Chais Clarendon Shiraz 1988 Bill Hardy Merrilyn Hardy Thomas Hardy & Sons 1975 Hardys Vintage Port 1987 Walter (Bill) Clappis Kerry Clappis Ingoldby Wines 1985 Ingoldby Cabernet Sauvignon 1986 Scott Collett Anne Tully Woodstock Winery 1985 Woodstock Chardonnay 1985 Graham Stevens Marie Stevens Stevens Cambrai Wines 1984 McLaren Heights Hermitage 1984 Geoff Merrill abdicated Greg Trott (replacement) Janet Merrill Chateau Reynella 1977 Chateau Reynella Vintage Port 1983 Peter Dennis Marg Dennis Daringa Cellars 1980 Daringa Cabernet Sauvignon 1982 Iain Riggs Janice Riggs Hazelmere Estate 1982 Hazelmere Estate Chardonnay 1981 Geoff Merrill Janet Merrill Chateau Reynella 1975 Chateau Reynella Vintage Port 1980 Ken Maxwell Margaret Maxwell Maxwell Wines 1980 Maxwell Shiraz 1979 Steve Maglieri Letizia Maglieri Maglieri Wines 1979 Maglieri Shiraz 1978 Ken Maxwell Margaret Maxwell Daringa Cellars 1978 Maxwell Cabernet Sauvignon 1977 Ian Wilson Joylene Thorpe Southern Australian Vintners 1977 Burge & Wilson Cabernet Sauvignon 1976 Graham Beenham Jenny Beenham Southern Vales Co-Op Winery 1975 Graham Stevens Marie Stevens Coriole Vineyards 1975 Festival Shiraz 1974 Hugh Lloyd Molly Lloyd Coriole Vineyards 1974 Coriole Shiraz 1973 David Hardy Helen Hardy Thomas Hardy & Sons 1970 Eileen Hardy Shiraz

Multiple Coronations The following have been crowned on multiple occasions: Times Name Years6Hardy’s-Reynella1973, 81, 84, 88, 2009, 14 4 Stephen Pannell 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 3 Sparky Marquis 1996, 1998, 2002 3 Sarah Marquis 1996, 1998, 2002 3 Brian Light 1989, 1995, 2008 3 Michael Fragos 1997, 1999, 2010 3 Fiona Lindquist 2015, 2016, 2018 2 Ken Maxwell 1978, 1980 2 Margaret Maxwell 1978, 1980 2 Geoff Merrill 1981, 1984 2 Janet Merrill 1981, 1984 2 Graham Stevens 1975, 1985 2 Marie Stevens 1975, 1985 2 Kay Light 1989, 1995 2 Ben Riggs 2000, 2005 2 Annie Riggs 2000, 2005 2 Wayne Thomas 2004, 2006 2 Bev Thomas 2004, 2006 2 Maria Maglieri 1992, 2007 2 Matt Koch 2012, 2013

See also

Australian wine

References