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If you’re the type of oenophile who plans your weekend getaways around wine tasting and cellar doors, consider your itinerary sorted. Australia’s top wineries have just been crowned by the trusty Halliday Wine Companion – and Victoria’s vineyards claimed a good handful of titles.
For 2027, the Halliday Wine Companion Awards recognised Australia’s top wineries across seven major categories – including Wine of the Year and Winemaker of the Year – alongside 18 varietal categories. Deciding the winners was no easy feat, with the Halliday team swirling and sipping their way through more than 7,000 of the finest drops from 1,000 wineries before crowning this year’s champions.
In this year’s awards, Victoria was a standout state, named home to the highly anticipated Wine of the Year – the soon-to-be-released Mount Mary Triolet 2024. Yarra Valley’s Medhurst was crowned Best Value Winery for having the highest-rated bottles starting from $30, while Victoria swept nine of the 18 varietal awards, including best white, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris.
Tasmania was a major winner, too, with House of Arras taking out the most-anticipated award of the night, Winery of the Year. Best known for its bubbly, the dedicated sparkling producer is globally renowned for its traditional method wines, crafted through founder and chief winemaker Ed Carr’s signature extended maturation in tirage programme.
Another Tassie winery, Decades, took out the title of Best New Winery, with co-founder Steve Flamsteed recognised as Winemaker of the Year. Despite having just two wines in its range and two vintages since its inaugural vintage wines debuted in 2025, Decades is rapidly becoming one of the state’s most exciting wine offerings.
In major news, a Queensland winery has won a major trophy for the first time in Halliday Awards history. Located in one of Australia’s highest wine regions, the Granite Belt-based Balancing Heart was awarded Dark Horse Winery. Raise a glass to all the 2027 winners and see the full list below.
The 2027 Halliday Wine Companion Winners:
- Winery of the Year: House of Arras, TAS
- Winemaker of the Year: Steve Flamsteed, Decades, TAS | Salo, VIC | Eldridge Estate, VIC
- Viticulturist of the Year: Ashley Ratcliff, Ricca Terra, SA
- Best Value Winery: Medhurst, Yarra Valley, VIC
- Best New Winery: Decades, Tasmania
- Dark Horse Winery: Balancing Heart, Granite Belt, QLD
- Wine of the Year: Mount Mary Triolet 2024, Yarra Valley, VIC
- People’s Choice Award: Down the Rabbit Hole, McLaren Vale, SA
Varietal Awards:
- Red Wine of the Year & Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year: Xanadu Wines Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Margaret River, WA
- White Wine of the Year & Other Whites & Blends of the Year: Mount Mary Triolet 2024, Yarra Valley, VIC
- Shiraz of the Year: Jim Barry Wines The Armagh Shiraz 2023, Clare Valley, SA
- Chardonnay of the Year: Kooyong Faultline Single Block Chardonnay 2024, Mornington Peninsula, VIC
- Cabernet & Blends of the Year: Yeringberg Yeringberg 2024, Yarra Valley, VIC
- Riesling of the Year: Best’s Wines Foudre Ferment Riesling 2025, Great Western, VIC
- Sauvignon Blanc of the Year: Gembrook Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Yarra Valley, VIC
- Pinot Gris/Grigio of the Year: Tar & Roses Pinot Grigio 2025, VIC
- Grenache of the Year: Yangarra Estate Vineyard Ovitelli Grenache 2024, McLaren Vale, SA
- Pinot Noir of the Year: Hardys Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir 2024, TAS
- Sparkling Wine of the Year: House of Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged 30th Anniversary 2006, TAS
- Other Reds & Blends of the Year: Margan Wines Saxonvale Mourvèdre 2024, Broke Fordwich, NSW
- Wildcard Red of the Year: Ballandean Estate Wines Saperavi 2023, Granite Belt, QLD
- Sweet Wine of the Year: Dal Zotto Wines Vin Pretto 2015, King Valley, VIC
- Fortified Wine of the Year: All Saints Estate Museum Muscadelle NV, Rutherglen, VIC
- Wildcard White of the Year: Lethbridge Wines Radikal 2020, VIC
- Rosé of the Year: Koomilya Mataro Rosé 2025, McLaren Vale, SA
- Fiano of the Year: Dalwood Estate Fiano 2025, Hunter Valley, NSW
- Semillon of the Year: Tyrrell’s Wines Johnno’s Semillon 2025, Hunter Valley, NSW
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