The Whish Family Shield for best wine of show went to a 2007 cabernet sauvignon exhibited by Thomas New England Estate.

The award was accepted by Anita Johnson.

Thomas New England Estate was started in 1996 by Anita's grandparents Ross and Rae Thomas, who have been on the property near Delungra for 30 years and the operation of the vineyard is a family affair, with three generations involved in the running of the property.

Anita handles sales and marketing and her mother Lyn Gillholme manages the cellar door.

"We got into the wine making business when my grandparents were looking for ways to diversify their property," Anita said.

"The first vines were planted in 1996, and we are now the biggest vineyard in northern NSW, with about 60,000 vines and 6,000 going in this week."

New England Estate Wines specialises in red wines, working closely with winemaker John Cassegrain to come up with blends and wines from their Shiraz, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay vines.

Thomas New England Estate mainly enters local wine shows, and have had a deal of success at the New England Wine Show in the past, but also won Best Young Red in NSW a few years ago with a blend John Cassegrain made using 40 per cent Shiraz grapes from New England Estate.

Anita said the lack of frost and non-reliance on rainwater the vineyard has contributes to its success.

"We aren't really faced with that many challenges here, we are in a predominantly frost-free area and aren't reliant on rainwater thanks to irrigation.

"Also being isolated is an advantage, as in areas where there are a lot more vineyards, like the Hunter Valley, if your neighbour is slack and gets disease, you are likely to as well."

Ever-improving wines and the strong community spirit of organisers is cementing the New England Wine Show as one of the best small shows in the nation, chief judge Mike de Garis believes.