An hour from the hubbub of Melbourne’s Central Business District, turning off the freeway and heading into rolling hills, the suburban sprawl falls away in the rear view mirror and the Yarra Valley opens before you like an oil painting.

The landscape is bucolic, the terrain undulates as it does in Tuscany, and birdsong supplants the distant din of the metropolis.

Not only is the Yarra Valley one of Australia’s most celebrated wine regions, chiefly famed for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it is also one of its most accessible, with more than 80 cellar doors, award-winning restaurants and accommodation to suit most budgets, all a short hop from the country’s second biggest city.

Officially a cool climate region, there’s an abundance of varieties, from Italian grape émigrés to Bordeaux blends and a fresh, modern style of Shiraz.

The Yarra Valley is Victoria’s oldest wine region, but it has succumbed to the vagaries of fashion over its history.

Vines were first planted in 1838, but less than a hundred years later they had all gone, falling victim to the trend for fortified wines from warmer climes and making way for more lucrative crops.

The region’s renaissance began in the early 1960s, with the revival of heritage properties like Yeringberg, alongside new wave wineries including Yarra Yering.

Broadly divided into the Upper and Lower Yarra, based on the path of the Yarra river, the relaxed pace, Mediterranean flavour and spectacular scenery reward a few leisurely days touring, though it is perfectly possible to make a day trip from Melbourne, should time dictate.

Once in the valley, distances between wineries are short and there are handsome small towns, such as Healesville and Yarra Glen, to while away time over a flat white.

Wineries to visit:

Giant Steps

Established in 1997 by drinks industry pioneer Phil Sexton and named after his favourite John Coltrane album, Giant Steps has forged a reputation for single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that showcases a profound sense of place.

The tasting room sits on the main street in Healesville, the team are lovely, booking is encouraged, though walk-ins are welcome.

Yarra Yering

A pioneer of the Yarra Valley renaissance, established in 1969 by an eminent botanist, Dr Bailey Carrodus, the winery’s first Merlot cost more than Penfold’s Grange at the time of its release.

These days the winemaker is Sarah Crowe, who crafts a mostly Bordeaux-inspired portfolio of wines that balance power, structure and understated finesse.

Ten minutes from Healesville, the tasting room is cosy so book ahead.

De Bortoli

The Yarra Valley outpost for a family-owned winery, run by Leanne De Bortoli and her winemaker husband Steve Webber.

The portfolio is impressively broad, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir rubbing shoulders with newer arrivals such as Gamay and Grenache.

Located at Dixon’s Creek, there’s a large tasting room with commanding views and a popular Italian restaurant, ‘Locale’.

Levantine Hill

If money is no object then you can choose to fly to this state-of-the-art winery by helicopter from central Melbourne.

Most will choose to drive the 10 minutes from Healesville for a tasting flight or classy wine-paired lunch.

Veteran winemaker Paul Bridgeman oversees a prestige portfolio showcasing the elegance and finesse that defines the Yarra Valley’s fruit.

Soumah

Set up by a hospitality veteran, Brett Butcher, the theme is Mediterranean, the colour scheme a blazing azure, while every detail seems to have been meticulously thought through.

The wines are an eclectic and compelling range of mostly Italian varieties, including some Decanter medal winners and there’s a top notch trattoria, so food pairing is a no-brainer.

My perfect day in the Yarra Valley:

Start the day the Aussie way, with a flat white. It’s almost impossible to find bad coffee in these parts, but I’d recommend Montesanto Coffee Roasters in Healesville, where owner Mario knows his beans.

For the best introduction to what the Yarra Valley has to offer, head across the road to Giant Steps for a plot-specific, premium tasting flight, focused on the region’s signature varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

A short drive along the Maroondah Highway, treat yourself to an al fresco lunch at Levantine Hill Estate, with a Mediterranean-inspired menu and paired wines against the backdrop of the valley’s rolling hills.

Book an afternoon tasting at Yarra Yering, just five minutes away, to experience some of the region’s modern history and award-winning cuvées in its homely tasting room.

For a brief diversion, head back into Healesville for a tasting and tour at the famous Four Pillars gin distillery on the edge of town.

Continue the Yarra-meets-the-Med theme with delicious pasta or wood-fired pizza at Soumah, an Italian specialist nestled on a knoll in the Warramate foothills, and stay the night in one of its well appointed vineyard cottages.

Where to stay:

Soumah: Four luxurious cottages and the four bedroom Villa Sophia sit alongside the vines at this Italian-inspired winery near Gruyere.

Chateau Yering: Step back in time at this grand Victorian mansion set amidst a 250 acre estate, with stunning views over the Yarra Valley and 32 suites.

Yarra Gables Motel: A restored farmhouse-turned-motel, with friendly, wine-loving owners, set in beautiful manicured gardens on the edge of Healesville.

Where to eat:

Jayden Ong: Locally-sourced dishes are served alongside the barrels at this Healesville winery and restaurant, which also has a seasonal outdoor barbecue.

Soumah: The culinary theme is Italian at this relaxed trattoria tribute featuring a pizza oven and pasta, while the vineyard views are sublime.

Levantine Hill: High end Mediterranean cuisine, with wine pairing, in a swish restaurant boasting beautiful views of the Yarra Valley from the outdoor terrace.

How to get there:

Melbourne is the nearest international airport, served by Qantas and (from January 2027) by British Airways, around one hour’s drive from the Yarra Valley.

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C yril Henschke took the extraordinary step in 1952 of citing the source vineyard on a wine label: Mount Edelstone Shiraz.

It was unheard of in Australia at the time, but Henschke realised that this 16ha site in South Australia’s Eden Valley produced Shiraz grapes that stood apart from its neighbours and deserved to be celebrated as a unique entity.

Mount Edelstone Shiraz, which celebrates 70 vintages in 2026, provides an important landmark for Australian wine by identifying site and terroir as a defining feature.

While other famous wines capture a distinctive Australian character through multi-regional or multi-variety blends – such as Penfolds’ Grange, Yalumba’s The Signature, Hardy’s Eileen Hardy and Wendouree’s wines – the action that Cyril Henschke took to highlight a single vineyard introduced a new, rarefied Australian fine wine story.

Within two years, Henschke had issued a second single-vineyard Shiraz – from the 4ha Hill of Grace Vineyard, planted in 1860 – which commanded a higher price because of its extremely limited production.

It declared a powerful statement that linked prestige to place. By the early 1980s, key vineyards that provided integral components to famous brands were being mentioned on the labels of a number of elite Australian wines – including Orlando’s St Hugo (from Coonawarra), Centenary Hill and Steingarten (both from Barossa), and St Hallett’s Old Block Shiraz (also from Barossa).

It placed great value on a league of century-old vineyards and their specific characteristics.

Singing their praises

By the 2010s, more Australian winemakers believed these deserved to be vinified and issued as single-site wines, rather than being labelled as ‘Reserve’ wines – a movement that underlined growing ambition to earn more plaudits on the world stage.

Talent and ideas matched this ambition, signalling the emergence of a ‘grand cru’ status in Australian wine – an important refocusing on specific sites that highlights the continuing maturity of Australian winemaking and wine marketing.

Recent historical tastings reveal the distinct personalities of superior locations – most notably Yangarra’s examination of all 15 vintages of its High Sands Grenache, vindicating the winery’s decision to reserve this extraordinary parcel, which defines the best of elite Australian Grenache.

Plenty of flagbearers are capturing specific aspects of the best old vineyards to produce wines of specific character.

Beyond the 10 sites listed here, Cullen’s 1971-planted Margaret River vineyard stands as a leading light of biodynamic viticulture. Brokenwood’s Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz provides a definitive Hunter Valley wine expression.

And also in Margaret River, the Vasse Felix home vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec produce the exemplary Tom Cullity.

Sites in the spotlight

More winemakers are being inspired to pursue single-site expressions of excellence, and to place renewed focus on historic sites in prime locations.

Toby Bekkers spent five years reviving a Clarendon vineyard (planted between 1842 and 1848) that had been the initial poster-site of South Australian wine, but since the 1970s had become derelict through neglect.

Now Bekkers Wines is producing single-site Clarendon Vineyard Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache of outstanding quality.

Sites are flourishing after careful research to maximise the potential of superior terroir. Shaw & Smith’s Lenswood Vineyard introduced intensive vine planting (about 4,800 vines per hectare) to naturally reduce crop load, resulting in exceptional Chardonnay.

In Western Australia’s Franklin River region, Swinney’s bush-vine Mourvedre is planted alongside Grenache and Shiraz on an ironstone gravel hilltop at the family’s Powderbark vineyard – and winemaker Rob Mann is producing three single-variety wines of extraordinary finesse.

Such celebrated outcomes don’t happen by accident. Meticulous, intelligent viticulture and vine health and soil restoration programs ensure these vines continue to produce extraordinary fruit that sits in idyllic balance – many in better shape now than ever.

The best is probably still ahead of us.

Henschke Mount Edelstone Vineyard

Eden Valley, South Australia

The 16ha Mount Edelstone Vineyard was an anomaly when pastoralist Ronald Angas planted only Shiraz vines on its rocky red loam soils in 1912, rather than follow the Barossa tradition of mixing several varieties.

His neighbour Cyril Henschke recognised the unique characteristics of this east-facing, 400m-high site when he started making wine from these grapes in the 1950s, and purchased the vineyard in 1974.

Now, viticulturist Prue Henschke nurtures the network of 1,300 old vines with biodynamic practices that have dramatically improved fruit quality from its 11 blocks – with Blocks G and H in the lower southeast portion of the vineyard being the winemakers’ favourite parcels.

From 1989, Prue introduced an upright trellis system to allow more even light onto ripening fruit.

‘This had an immediate effect on the wines,’ she says. ‘It amplified colour and brought great clarity and purity to the fruit flavours and subtle aromas. Vineyard attention led to sharper wine definition.’

This ensures great acid retention in the grapes and promotes an earthy savouriness to the palate, evident during Henschke’s February 2026 tasting event, hosted at the historic cellars in Keyneton, Eden Valley to examine key Mount Edelstone vintages between 1952 and 2022.

Highlights included the sprightly, lean 1958, sustained by the Mount Edelstone vineyard’s characteristic gentle tannins; and the recurring terroir hallmarks that showed off the vineyard’s twin personalities, with warmer vintages showing red earth and red spice as prominent features, and cooler vintages revealing lively sage and bay leaf herbal aromas over lush blackberry and black pepper.

Henschke Hill of Grace

Barossa, South Australia

Success for Mount Edelstone Shiraz inspired Cyril Henschke to elevate another single-site wine, this one produced from an even more precious vineyard resource – the small Hill of Grace Vineyard, with its gnarled Shiraz vines from the 1860s.

Planted on original rootstock, these fragile sentinels are among few surviving ancient relics to have avoided the impact of the destructive vine-root louse phylloxera – and they produce fruit of extraordinary intensity and unique character.

Dry-grown on clay-rich alluvial soils overlain by a layer of fine, sandy-silty loam, Shiraz from a 4ha portion of the Hill of Grace vineyard is treated with reverential care, benefiting from careful organic composting and mulching to ensure maximum microbial activity in the soil and optimal vine health.

Each portion of the vineyard is handpicked at different times around the full moon at Easter (significantly later than neighbouring Eden Valley and Barossa vineyards), yielding only about 2.5 tonnes of tiny berries per hectare, compared to 4 tonnes or so at Jim Barry’s Armagh vineyard, one of South Australia’s elite Shiraz sites.

It provides coiled power in a dark, inky wine that unfurls slowly over time in the cellar to scale monumental peaks.

These include the phenomenal 2010 and 2015 vintages, which best capture characteristic Hill of Grace signatures of dried sage, Chinese five spice and black pepper notes atop vibrant blackberry, dark plum and juicy cranberry.

Tolpuddle Vineyard

Coal River Valley, Tasmania

Soon after Tolpuddle Vineyard in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley was planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines in 1988, it was commanding respect as one of Australia’s elite cool-climate sites, yet Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw saw potential to do a whole lot more when they purchased the vineyard in 2011.

‘It has that special something,’ says Hill Smith, who is also one of the five Co-Chairs at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

‘Tolpuddle has very deliberate focus – but we felt it could be significantly better.’

The revitalisation programme saw a dam installed to help manage frost, ripping of the soil between vine rows to alleviate compaction of the silica-rich, stony ground, and new clones introduced within more intensive vine plantings to increase diversity and complexity of grape flavours and textures.

Through this focused attention to detail, Tolpuddle Chardonnay won immediate acclaim, but careful patience has also seen Pinot Noir flourish, as the influence of clonal diversity from new vines across the site has reached maturity.

‘Pinot Noir is capricious,’ says Shaw. ‘It reacts so sensitively to vintage and yield differences that it took time for Tolpuddle Pinot Noir to show site familiarity, but we have now arrived at a very strong place.’

Distinctive, prominent acidity comes as a consequence of the site’s typically very cold, very dry ripening season – an asset that gives these wines sharp flavour definition and extraordinary longevity.

Yangarra High Sands

McLaren Vale, South Australia

When Yangarra winemaker, the late Peter Fraser, identified as a result of the 2010 vintage that the specific terroir of this site – with Grenache bush vines planted in 1946 on a 1.7ha block of deep, ancient sand at Blewett Springs – produced a parcel of exceptional fruit with unusual delicacy and intensity, he boldly argued that it should be vinified separately and promoted as an elite, single-location Grenache expression.

No one else in Australia at that time had considered elevating Grenache to such a lofty pedestal, but Fraser’s astute observation set in place a movement that has rightly brought a league of superb McLaren Vale Grenache to international attention.

Yangarra High Sands remains the standard bearer for elite Australian Grenache, and a 15-vintage retrospective tasting demonstrated that its fragile beauty captures vintage variation with keen subtlety.

‘I always knew this block was very special. I had something that everyone else wanted, so I gave it my very best attention,’ said Fraser at the tasting.

The site provides fruit of exquisite purity, but minimal-intervention winemaking deserves praise for exercising poise and bringing every component into ideal balance – a talent amplified in more recent vintages, especially the magnificent 2024 High Sands Grenache.

It’s easy to be immediately seduced by its waft of wild herbs framed by fresh plum and wild raspberry, but it’s the lean muscle of a complex mid-palate that marries beauty with power, with its fine-boned frame carrying extraordinary persistence of pure flavours.

Alkina Estate Vineyard

Barossa, South Australia

When Chilean soil expert Dr Pedro Parra examined Alkina vineyard in the Barossa’s Greenock subregion, soon after Argentina’s Alejandro Bulgheroni bought the site in 2015, he confirmed its excellent pedigree – but also dug pits that identified a series of different soil outcrops within the 43ha vineyard.

These ‘polygons’ became the source of tiny fruit parcels that have been vinified separately and delicately in concrete vessels, with no oak influence, to accentuate their different character.

Polygon 1 Shiraz – sourced from a mere six rows of 70-year-old vines planted in granite-flecked schist and iron-rich clay over limestone – shows Barossa Shiraz in a dazzling fresh light, slender and nimble, yet supported by subtle, supple tannins and a lick of savoury minerality that guides a long palate line of rare finesse and purity.

Polygon 1 shows but one facet of Alkina’s studied Shiraz and Grenache output, as there are now 20 polygons defined within the vineyard’s Old Quarter – and more new sections are being identified to produce a suite of exemplary ‘polygon’ wines.

‘These are all significant micro-sites, all with significantly different geologies that introduce vastly different characteristics in the wine,’ explains Parra, ‘and it would be a crime if they were not identified individually and celebrated.’

Bastard Hill Vineyard

Yarra Valley, Victoria

Surrounded by dense temperate rainforest in the remote upper reaches of Victoria’s Yarra Valley, the 13ha Bastard Hill vineyard earned its harsh nickname from the workers who toiled in the especially difficult terrain.

Planted in the 1980s by the region’s leading cool-climate viticulturist, Ray Guerin, this was regarded as one of the great Chardonnay sites in Australia, being a source for Eileen Hardy Chardonnay.

The clearing is flanked by towering eucalyptus trees and giant tree ferns, and scales up from 300m to 400m above sea level.

With vines planted on gradients of up to 32%, riding farm machinery here is fraught with danger. Such difficulty and high labour expenses saw previous owner Accolade lose interest in maintaining such a gnarly site to the highest standards.

When Giant Steps Wine, owned by Jackson Family Wines, purchased the vineyard in August 2022, extensive vineyard restoration work commenced.

Winemaker Melanie Chester didn’t expect the neglected Bastard Hill site to respond immediately to viticultural attention and produce fruit of a standard befitting Giant Steps’ esteemed suite of single-vineyard wines.

But an exceptional 2023 Bastard Hill Chardonnay won immediate accolades, and the quality keeps improving.

A key factor is a rare soil type – rich red basalt that points back to the region’s volcanic activity of 500 million years ago – which produces fruit with an exciting concentration of flavours without sacrificing strident natural acidity.

Jim Barry Wines Florita Vineyard

Clare Valley, South Australia

Racy, citrus-driven Clare Riesling is now a globally recognised style, built on the historical success of the famed Florita Vineyard.

Pioneer wine merchant Leo Buring bought land at Watervale in 1946 and called the site Florita (Spanish for ‘little flower’) because he initially planted Palomino and Pedro Ximénez grapes to make fino-style ‘sherry’.

He then planted Riesling vines in 1962 and his winemaker John Vickery created a benchmark style, winning 50 trophies and 400 gold medals over subsequent decades.

Jim Barry Wines purchased the 32ha Florita site from corporate owner Philip Morris in 1986, but although the Barrys immediately began making superior wines with this stellar resource, they couldn’t use the trademarked Florita name for another 18 years.

‘It was maddening that we couldn’t use the name for so long, because we wanted to shout from the rooftops that we had the most famous Riesling vineyard in Australia,’ says retired managing director Peter Barry.

Jim Barry Wines finally issued its own Florita Riesling in 2004. In this wine, the site’s shallow, loamy soils provide a delicate floral beauty coupled with a rich citrus line, firm acidity promoting sharp, clean flavours with unusual length and persistence.

It boasts the unusual dichotomy of being both pretty and fragile, yet resolute and sturdy – factors that amplify with age.

To highlight this, Jim Barry has been issuing a 10-year-old cellar release of Florita, with the recently reissued 2015 showing gorgeous, developed honeysuckle, toasted cashew and lime marmalade characteristics, without sacrificing the primary citrus zestiness that defines Watervale Riesling.

Grosset Polish Hill River Vineyard

Clare Valley, South Australia

The single-minded pursuit of purity in Riesling expression is Jeffrey Grosset’s winemaking obsession, which led him to plant three different Riesling clones (two German and one rare local variety) on an 8ha vineyard in the stony, austere Polish Hill River region of Clare in 1996.

The site’s 500 million-year-old bedrock of blue slate produced a distinctive type of Riesling wrapped in dark, pensive flavour tones and spiky minerality – far removed from the neighbouring Watervale district’s lively lemon-lime characteristics.

Its austere personality reflects the struggle endured by such close-planted vines on tough soils, with each producing just two bottles of wine per vine.

‘I saw such particular attributes in the fruit from each site that I saw no point blending them together. I wanted people to see them side by side, so I just went ahead and bottled the Rieslings from both sub-regions separately,’ says Grosset.

This started a new, serious conversation about Riesling in Australia, which Grosset escalated as he honed more fine-chiselled flavour profiles after adopting organic viticulture principles, then achieving biodynamic certification in 2019.

Pursuit of this painstaking vineyard-care model has seen Grosset applauded as an early adopter of sustainability practices, but he simply points to the finished wine, and its extraordinary cellaring life, as his raison d’etre.

‘Quality over quantity,’ he says with an earnest stare, ‘is always the answer.’

Brokenwood Oakey Creek Vineyard

Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Semillon from the Hunter Valley carries unique characteristics that relate directly to site.

As Australia’s most northerly fine wine location, within a sub-tropical zone but also influenced by coastal breezes, the Hunter has produced Semillon for almost 200 years.

Its modern-day expressions of this grape variety combine seemingly disparate elements of bright, citrus-driven fruitiness with steely acidity that allows flavours to develop over time in bottle.

Semillon has thrived thanks to being planted in exactly the right locations – and Oakey Creek Vineyard, from which Brokenwood has sourced Semillon grapes since the early 1990s, ranks among the best.

In 2021 Brokenwood moved decisively to purchase the vineyard from the Drayton family, who planted it in 1982 on free-draining but fertile alluvial soils located close to the creek.

This vineyard is a primary source for Brokenwood’s elite ILR Reserve Semillon (first produced from the 1992 vintage, and released after six years of bottle age) – yet incredibly Brokenwood had never owned a Semillon vineyard.

‘We had always relied on local growers, so to take control of such an important vineyard gives us an opportunity to improve and invest in the vineyard’s future,’ explains chief winemaker Stuart Hordern.

He believes the importance of this vineyard will be more vigorously promoted, suggesting ILR will be labelled as a single-source wine, in addition to the Oakey Creek Semillon as a current-vintage expression.

‘It’s unmistakable where this wine comes from – and that’s rare.’

Giaconda Estate Vineyard

Beechworth, Victoria

The emergence of Giaconda, with its distinctive mineral-driven personality, proved pivotal in shaping the understanding that the best Australian Chardonnay should be defined by site rather than style.

When winemaker Rick Kinzbrunner left Brown Brothers Wines in 1981, he chose to plant his own vineyard on a tiny outcrop of 450 million-year-old granitic loam over clay and decomposed gravel near Beechworth in northern Victoria’s elevated sub-alpine region.

He had a specific goal – to produce rich but balanced Chardonnay in a powerful Burgundian style – but he needed to locate the right geological site. He found exactly what he wanted.

Chardonnay is planted on a relatively cool south-facing slope at more than 400m, providing a slow ripening period, enhanced flavour complexity and elevated natural acid levels.

It provides Giaconda Chardonnay with a robust frame, yet also unique poise and dignity.

Kinzbrunner remains a staunch advocate for a low-intervention winemaking style – pressing the grapes in a basket press, fermenting the must in oak, using no cultured yeasts, and not fining or filtering before bottling.

He believes this ensures the most accurate and authentic representation of his organically managed vineyard.

This supports a confident wine style that hasn’t changed with fashion, showing its personality with pride.

10 great Australian wines from 10 great Australian sites

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The road west out of Melbourne isn’t dramatic. The city quickly gives way to the Docklands, and on to the Westgate Bridge where you’re met with the seemingly unending sprawl of the western suburbs.

But as you drive into the low lying Werribee Plains, the landscape shifts into a distinctly ‘Australian vista’.

Here, the roads are lined with moonah bushes and eucalyptus trees, and expansive, open fields with sheep grazing; the occasional farm windmill.

And, beyond, the granitic You Yangs, formed from molten magma over 200 million years ago, and with them, the promise of something more interesting.

This is the road to Geelong, Victoria’s second city, and the route out to The Great Ocean Road, one of Australia's – and indeed the world’s – greatest highways.

But before that, if you’re a wine lover, there are wine adventures to be had. You just need to know where to look.

The overlooked region

Geelong is one of Victoria’s smallest wine producing regions with approximately 466 hectares under vine and is often overlooked for the larger and more famous Melbourne-fringe wine regions of the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula.

The GI (geographical indication) is one huge expanse of land, covering three unofficial regions, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast and the Moorabool Valley, with large distances between them.

It’s arguably home to some of Australia’s greatest winemakers. So why don’t more people know about it?

One of Australia’s oldest wine regions

The first plantings in the region were recorded in 1842, and by the 1860’s Geelong was the largest producing region in Victoria, making some of Australia’s finest wines.

This all came to a dramatic halt in 1875 when the first ever phylloxera louse in the country was discovered in Geelong.

By 1893, after comprehensive uprooting, there was no wine industry left in the region.

There was replanting in the 1960s, but there were already more established areas in Victoria including Yarra Valley, Rutherglen, Heathcote and Mornington Peninsula.

In the 1970s glimmers of brilliance started to emerge when Stuart Hooper, with the invaluable wine excellence of Gary Farr, established Bannockburn.

Impossible to generalise

But it’s this that makes it inherently interesting. It’s a region of juxtaposition, one that includes the tourist-friendly cellar doors of wealthy Melbournites’ wine projects, all the way through to emblematic producers.

And neither type of producer would exist without the other. They are truly the pioneers of quality and excellence not only of the region, but Australia as a whole.

It’s a thrilling place where Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Shiraz can all flourish.

It’s all in the soil

The scope of its capability is in part down to its breadth of geographical area and a real geological patchwork.

As Maree Collis of Lethbridge told me: ‘We’re on the edge of the volcanic plains of Victoria and the soils are built by ancient geology, a limestone base and then lava flows creating rocky outcrops and bluestone veins.

‘And across our region of Geelong, there is such varied geology and soil, from basalt derived clay soils, sandy loams, limestone marle to granite soils.

‘The structure in the soil is reflected in the wines, great tannin, texture and acidity with remarkable aging potential.’

Bigger rarely means better

The wineries are small scale, and family owned with no corporate behemoths.

While this might make regional growth slower, it does mean that it’s likely to be more sustainable.

Allowing for thoughtful and reactive practices to not only reflect the eclectic geology of the region, but the environmental challenges facing growers.

It’s not just about growth for growth's sake as Gus Pollard, third generation of the family-owned Bannockburn, explains: ‘[We’re] excited to continue to refine our ability to make wines with a real sense of place, that honestly express the uniqueness of this small corner of the world.

‘It feels like we’re now in a period where there’s a new level of purity and clarity in what we’re producing.’

Even as Bannockburn celebrates its 50th anniversary, new winemakers are being attracted to the region too.

Ben Mullen, winemaker and co-owner of Mulline Vintners told me: ‘One of the reasons I moved down to Geelong, is that I can make premium Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Syrah all in the same place, from three very separate sub-regions.

‘The vine age is all getting to 25-30 years on average, so perfect for the quality I want to produce and the style I want to make them.’

An exciting future ahead despite the challenges

There is a palpable energy from many of the producers. Pollard says: “It’s a challenging region to farm and make wine in. Water availability is always a consideration, yields are naturally low, and producing high quality wine here is labour intensive.

‘It’s not the easiest place to get established, but those challenges are also a big part of what defines the wines.’

This sentiment is echoed by Mullen. He says: ‘We don’t get large crops but we do get great fruit concentration and quality, and with more people starting to find out about the region, visiting and drinking the wines, it’s really exciting!’

Focusing on single sites and individual blocks seems to be consistent with everyone I spoke to.

Collis explained: IIn recent years other producers from the region are beginning to showcase their individual sites and I think it’s very exciting to see the influence of site and maker, “the hand of god versus the hand of man”. I think that Geelong is emerging as a very exciting region for Pinot Noir especially.’

As Bannockburn looks forward to another 50 years, Pollards says that, ‘what’s exciting is that we’re still a relatively small and sparsely planted region with a strong group of dedicated producers.

‘There’s real potential for growth, both in terms of size and recognition. The individuality of the region is a big part of the appeal. The wines have a clear identity on the world stage, which isn’t something every region can claim.’

In a time where provenance and stories are at the centre of wine, no region can better express both of these than Geelong, it’s an exciting time for this often overlooked area.

Wines from Geelong

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While it takes an astute sense of smell and taste to make a great winemaker, there’s no question that Samantha (Sam) Connew has an excellent nose, both literally and metaphorically.

Soon to celebrate the 15th vintage of her wine label Stargazer, the New Zealand-born, Tasmania-based winemaker tells me that her career has been founded on instinct and passion.

‘I’ve just followed my nose, I suppose,’ she says. ‘A lot of it has been going in the direction of what popped up at the time.’

But there’s more to her career than good timing, with a list of achievements that highlight an unshakeable work ethic and a streak of gritty resilience.

During her decade at Wirra Wirra in South Australia’s McLaren Vale, she was named the 2007 International Red Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge and most recently, she was named the 2025 ASVO (Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology) Winemaker of the Year.

Back in 2014, she became the youngest judge to serve as chair of judges at the Sydney Royal Wine Show, and the first woman to hold the position, helping to pioneer change in the Australian wine show system.

Finding her path

Connew grew up in Christchurch and wine wasn’t the obvious career path. For most New Zealand students in the 1990s, a job in hospitality supplemented their meagre student allowance, which, in Connew’s case, was for a degree in arts and law.

‘Even back then, I was living beyond my means,’ she says with a laugh.

She worked at the now-shuttered Annies Wine Bar & Restaurant, which served a whopping 70 wines by the glass and introduced her to the joys and diversity of wine.

‘It was the early ’90s, right when the New Zealand wine industry was really starting to go ballistic, not just for Sauvignon Blanc, but also for the smaller producers,’ she recalls.

‘Wineries like Ata Rangi and Felton Road were becoming established around that time.’

She wasn’t actually that keen on practising law, but it wasn’t clear what the alternative would be until a post-degree trip to Adelaide.

‘I had access to the incredible wine regions there,’ she says, ‘which convinced me to study wine back in Christchurch.’

On completion, she jumped at an invitation to work her first vintage in Oregon.

‘I just loved the physical part of it, dragging hoses, doing punchdowns, and the vineyard,’ she recalls. ‘It was great. That was it. I thought, “Yes, this is what I want.” And the rest is history.’

After stints in McLaren Vale and the Hunter Valley, it was while working vintage at Bay of Fires in 2012 that a half-joke of ‘you should start your own label’ from Peter Dredge (profiled in the Decanter January 2026 issue) turned into a reality.

Connew bought some Huon Valley Pinot Noir grapes, heralding Stargazer’s first vintage in Tasmania.

Branching out

Fast-forward to 2016 and increasing problems with gaining access to fruit led to a vineyard purchase in the Coal River Valley.

‘I moved down here at the beginning of the year and started picking at the beginning of March 2016,’ Connew says. ‘It was boots on the ground and let’s get cracking.’

The vineyard checked all the boxes: not too far from Hobart, not too large, and with water security – essential in a region where 600mm of rain is a good year.

The tasting room opened late last year, hosting a 10-year retrospective tasting of the Palisander Riesling and Pinot Noir that revealed a through-line of expression.

‘I think we’ve got a pretty special piece of dirt that we’re taking care of in Tea Tree [sub-region] in the Coal River Valley,’ Connew says.

‘The joy of having my own label is that it can reflect that site, but also reflect that year as well.

‘We’re not trying to do what Australia is renowned for, which is consistency and uniformity from vintage to vintage.

We’re aiming for the wines to honestly and transparently reflect the site and the vintage, and to be able to celebrate the differences each year. We’re trying to be nonconformist and anti-uniformity in a way.’

Stargazer might have been intended as a side project, but it has already cemented its place among the best wineries in the state.

Stargazer Wines

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Most people who travel to Sydney hit the beaches for the most quintessential Aussie itinerary. Bondi is iconic, Byron is a must and Crescent Head is for surfers who want to catch a gnarly wave.

But jump in a car and head south from Sydney and you’ll find some of the most pristine beaches in the country, with more than 100km of coastline featuring protected coves, inlets and lagoons. The area known as the south coast of New South Wales is so untouched and miles away from the hustle and bustle of Sydney that there are even chances of spotting whales and dolphins.

On the wine trail

The small but mighty Shoalhaven Coast Wine Trail takes you from Kiama down to Bawley Point. The region is blessed with a unique maritime climate and cool coastal winds give Shoalhaven wines freshness, subtle elegance and complexity.

The main varietal here is Chambourcin, a versatile red French-American hybrid grape that’s highly resistant to the strong winds and fluctuating temperatures. However Chardonnay is also popular among winemakers, as is Cabernet Sauvignon, made in a lighter style thanks to the coastal climate.

‘What makes Shoalhaven special is that it’s still a relatively young wine region in New South Wales, and it’s largely made up of independent, family-run businesses,’ says Libby Cupitt, second generation winemaker at Cupitt’s Estate. ‘There’s a real sense that everyone is shaping it in their own way, often tied closely to the lifestyle here. Here you can finish work and then head for a swim, a surf or a snorkel,’ she adds.

Heading inland

I stuck to the coastline during my south coast wine tour, but if you go further inland, you will hit Yarrawa which overlooks Kangaroo Valley; Lyrebird (between Kangaroo Valley and Nowra); and Cambewarra Estate at the foothills of the Cambewarra Mountain.

Husband-and-wife Mark and Sue Foster founded the intimate Yarrawa winery in 1998. Chardonnay aged in new French oak barrels and a sustainably grown, peppery Chambourcin are on offer here. But it’s hard to beat the fresh and velvety Sierra Rosé, also made from Chambourcin.

Directly on the Princes Freeway is Silos Estate. Since 1984, the small vineyard just outside of Berry has been a destination for art-lovers, families and gourmets. The estate has sculpture by Elyssa Sykes-Smith, alpacas for kids to cuddle and a fine-dining restaurant. Much like all the boutique wineries in the region, sustainability is high on the agenda here.

The estate has been self-sustaining since 2010 with all the energy for the winery, accommodation and cellar door generated from solar or wind power. Alongside the award-winning Chardonnay and dessert wines such as Shiraz-based Sticky Wicket, you’ll also find charging stations for vehicles.

Coastal wineries

Off the Princes Highway and close to the beach on Shoalhaven Heads, you’ll find three more wineries worth a visit: Two Figs Vineyard, Coolangatta Estate and Mountain Ridge. All estates offer a tempting array of wines to taste from Chamboucin to Semillon – and there’s even a gin at Two Figs.

But if there’s just one winery to visit in the region, head further south to Cupitt’s Estate in Ulladulla. Originally a working dairy farm, the estate is now owned by entrepreneurs Rosie and Griff Cupitt, who wanted to bring a European flavour to the south coast of New South Wales. So rather than your regular Semillon and Shiraz, the Cupitts make wines with Italian varietals. Single-vineyard expressions include Vermentino, Arneis, Fiano and Montepulciano – all sourced from growers in the cool-climate Hilltops region of southern New South Wales.

‘We’ve spent a lot of time travelling through Italy and what has stayed with us is how much the Italians prioritise joy, food, friends and family. That really resonates with how we live here,’ says Rosie. ‘Varieties like Fiano, Vermentino, Arneis and Sangiovese just fit our coastal lifestyle. They also make sense from a growing perspective. We need varieties that can handle dry conditions, but also cope when we get high rainfall. Mediterranean grapes are well suited to that, which feels important as the climate continues to shift.’

Where to stay

Bangalay Villas

Sitting on Seven Miles Beach, there are 16 private luxury suites with kitchenettes and a large lounge area overlooking a private golf course.

Bannisters By The Sea

A beachside resort perched high on a hill with panoramas of the sea. Treat yourself to a stay in the penthouse, styled by Aussie designer, Collette Dinnigan.

The Oaks Ranch

A bit of Palm Springs in the heart of country New South Wales – why not? A delightful family-run boutique retreat in Mossy Point with a private golf course and top-notch restaurant.

Where to eat

Arlo

Enjoy kangaroos hopping in the countryside as you relax in the award-winning restaurant at The Oaks Ranch, sipping local wines and eating wagyu beef sourced from nearby farms.

Cupitt’s Estate Dining Room

The seasonal farm-to-table menu pays homage to local producers with a slight European twist.

Rick Stein at Bannisters

A local seafood-focused restaurant by celebrity chef Rick Stein, with dishes such as stir-fried Jervis Bay mussels and grilled Ulladulla snapper.

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What shall we do with the drunken sailor? In the early 1800s, the answer would have been to keep him sailing to whichever far-flung destination the British Empire was attempting to expand into. One such destination was Van Diemen’s Land – now Tasmania – where a penal colony was established in 1803, marking the beginning of the long history of the Tasmanian spirits industry.

In the early days, coins were scarce and booze plentiful, leading to spirits playing an essential role in trade and payment for goods and services. Distilling was legalised in Tasmania 1822, and Australia’s first legal distillery, Sorell Distillery, was established by Thomas Haigh Midwood in Hobart. In fact, Sorell Distillery produced Tasmanian whisky a full two years before Scotland's first legal distillery, Glenlivet.

Over a dozen distilleries followed suit, but not for long. Tasmania’s whisky industry was halted in 1839 with the introduction of the Distillation Prohibition Act, introduced by Governor John Franklin. His teetotaling wife famously declared: ‘I would prefer barley be fed to pigs than it be used to turn men into swine.’

A new era

It would take another 154 years until the distilling industry was rebooted and there’s one name we have to thank for the modern Tasmanian whisky industry: Bill Lark. It was Lark’s lobbying (along with his wife, Lyn) that resulted in legislative change in 1990 to legalise small-scale craft distilling in Tasmania.

The pair launched Lark Distillery in 1992, distilling from the family home in the suburb of Kingston, just south of Hobart. ‘I grew up with the still outside my bedroom door,’ shares Kristy Lark-Booth, Jack and Lyn’s daughter, who is now owner and distiller of Killara Distillery, as well as president of the Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits Association. ‘That's where the name Killara comes from. It’s the name of the street where we lived.’

Shortly after Lark’s inception, in 1994, Tasmania Distillery was founded by Robert Hosken in Sullivans Cove, changing its name to the latter with new ownership in 1999. Patrick Maguire, a friend of Bill Lark, then purchased Sullivans Cove with several investors in 2004. It was under his management that the distillery transformed the trajectory of Tasmania’s whisky industry.

Making history

In 2014, the distillery was the first outside of Scotland and Japan to win the World’s Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards with its French Oak Cask expression. The distillery has since gone on to take home the title of Best Single Cask Single Malt three times: in 2018, 2019 and 2026.

The 2014 accolade inspired a swath of new producers, and the figure has continued growing. ‘Killara was about the 16th licensed distillery in 2016. So it was roughly 25 years between the first distillery and the 16th,’ says Lark-Booth. ‘And now we’ve got about 80 or so distilleries in Tasmania.’

It’s difficult to establish the exact figure in terms of whisky producers, as distilling licences don’t differentiate the type of spirit distilled. However she estimates that around 60 distillers produce whisky throughout the island state.

A sense of place

Distilleries are dotted throughout the island, all benefiting from its diverse microclimates, fresh air, pure water, and high-quality barley. Tasmania sits between 40-44° latitude south; Scotland between 55–59° degrees north.

‘There’s not much between Antarctica and us,’ says Lark-Booth. ‘We get huge pressure systems from the south, creating a perfect environment: warm days, cool evenings, but not too hot or too cold. Whisky interacts with the cask through those pressure changes,’ she adds.

‘In Scotland's stone warehouses, the temperature is very even year-round, so maturation takes much longer, also because they use larger vessels than the ones most people here use,’ she adds. This, alongside the industry’s youth, is why age statements are not the norm for Tasmanian whisky.

Quicker maturation

The Tasmanian climate and greater temperature fluctuation are responsible for another unique difference in the cask ageing process. At most Tasmanian distilleries, the angel’s share (the portion of whisky that naturally evaporates through the porous wood of the cask as the spirit ages) is at least double the amount in Scotch production, consisting of higher amounts of water evaporation versus alcohol evaporation.

‘In Scotland, casks are generally laid down at 63.5% and lose 1-2% volume annually to evaporation, primarily alcohol, as alcohol has a lower evaporation point than water. Colder, humid conditions mean whisky slowly drops in strength,’ Ashley Pryor of Sullivans Cove explains.

‘In Tasmania, warmer and drier conditions mean losses of 4-5% annually, but what evaporates is primarily water. Tasmanian whisky gets stronger in the cask, concentrating inside the barrel with the temperature fluctuating around 20 times a day, driving exacerbated interaction with the wood. In short, it matures at roughly double the pace of Scotch.’

A Tassie signature

Tasmanian whisky is spelled without an ‘e’, reflecting a style and production method closer to Scottish than American or Irish whiskey. But several hallmarks set it apart from Scotch and other global whiskies. Predominantly, you’ll find single malts, not blended expressions, and many distillers produce single cask releases.

Distillers take pride in local ingredients: locally grown and malted barley, Australian fortified casks, Tasmanian Pinot Noir casks, Tasmanian peat, and local coopers and still-makers. Tasmanian peat differs from UK peat, shaped by local botanicals such as gum trees, pepperberry and more, giving it a distinct character that carries through to the spirit.

‘The formula for Tasmanian whisky is making sure you care about each part of the process,’ shares Rob Polmear, co-founder and head distiller at Waubs Harbour. ‘Brew it yourself, using Tassie barley and water, things that make it provenance-based, but also because the barley here is great; it’s a brewer's barley meant for high flavour,’ he adds.

‘Then distilling involves using stills like Bill Lark chose in those early days. Pure copper, short-necked stills, which are hallmarks a lot of distilleries share, pushing for big, oily whiskeys,’ says Polmear. Finally there’s maturation. ‘A lot of Tasmanian whiskeys use tawny, and all three of our core lines have it. As you go up in price, you see more. That’s a hallmark of Tasmanian style.’

Tasmanian whisky: five to try

Killara KD91 ex Tawny Whisky Abbey 2025 Release – Bonnie ‘Breath of Fire’

A single cask, small-batch release, matured in a 100-litre tawny Port cask and offering up caramelised malt, Christmas cake, sea spray and salted caramel. Fruity and smooth on the palate with a creamy, spiced custard apple finish. Also available at cask strength. Alcohol 52%

Lark Fire Trail No 151

From Tasmania’s founding and largest distillery, which is now a publicly traded company. Single malt aged in Port and Sherry casks, then finished in ex-bourbon and American oak wine casks. Vanilla bean toast, orange blossom, creamed honey and subtle smokiness. A smooth, balanced, easy-drinking whisky with a generous finish. Alc 41.5%

Overeem Port Cask Matured Distiller Strength

From the fourth distillery in Tasmania, founded in 2005 by Casey Overeem and now run by his daughter Jane Overeem and her husband Mark Sawford. The Port Cask is their flagship, always a single-cask release, yet with a consistent house style. Mid-caramel toast, a lick of sea salt, white gum honey and creamed pear. Smooth and approachable. Alc 43%

Sullivans Cove TD0348 14 Year Old Single Cask American Oak Second-Fill

This single-cask, small-batch distillery placed Tasmanian whisky on the map with global accolades. The core range is centred on American oak, French oak and a double cask blend. An emerging Tassie category, second-fill casks allow the spirit to shine without the influence of a fortified predecessor. Bright citrus and orchard fruits, crème caramel, a dusting of dried sage and an impressive finish. Alc 48%

Waubs Harbour Founder’s Reserve Batch 11

A maritime distillery located in Waubs Harbour and founded in 2018 by head distiller Rob Polmear (ex-Lark and Overeem), and his brother and sister-in-law, Tim and Bec Polmer. Matured in older tawny Port casks and offering up layered spice, molasses, lamb fat umami and deep complexity. Rich and oily, a cask-strength cigar malt style. Alc 62%

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The use of ‘Old World’ and ‘New World’ as terms might be increasingly redundant as descriptors in the global landscape of wine, but they remain useful when discussing geographical wine regions.

There is little question that a place that has produced wine commercially for less than 70 years is a new kid on the block, compared to one that has hundreds (or thousands) of vintages under its belt.

When exploring a newer wine region, I find it interesting that, without question, one or two names are always synonymous with it.

Sometimes, those names were the region’s founding wineries. Sometimes, they were the first to buck the trend and see potential for greatness – rebels, you might say.

And sometimes, it’s a little of both, along with such a deep commitment to excellence that a name itself becomes congruent with the place.

Ed Carr’s name has been synonymous with House of Arras since its inception in 1995.

And House of Arras is a name intrinsically bound to Tasmanian wine, a shining beacon for the possibilities that abound for Australian sparkling wine.

The beginnings

Tasmania was a fledgling wine industry with just 46ha under vine when Carr visited in 1988 and earmarked the state for sparkling wine production.

It was while working at Hardys that Arras was founded by the business in 1995, and Carr was appointed chief sparkling winemaker.

‘I started with what was then BRL Hardy in 1994, and we had the plan to extend our premium sparkling wine winemaking to expand into new cold climate areas,’ says Carr, over a hydrating glass of bubbles. ‘I mean, it was still pretty new stuff then, most of the colder regions.’

Other cooler regions at play included Pemberton, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Tumbarumba and Macedon.

‘But we knew that what we wanted to do moving forward was to create a world-class wine. In 1995, we proved our theories that Tasmania would be the best to suit our style.'

Why Tassie?

Ever the master of understatement, Carr adds: ‘We didn't have a name for a brand at that stage; we were just making wine, really.’

The original Arras releases – 1995, 1996 and 1997 – were blends of fruit from Tasmania and the upper Yarra Valley.

Carr explains: 'We liked the structure of the higher latitudes, so the more southerly vineyards [of Australia] as opposed to the high altitude vineyards. Or a combination of both. And Tasmania offered the southerly latitude and the maritime climate.'

By 1998 Arras had accessed several more vineyards in Tasmania beyond the initial Tamar and Pipers River sites.

‘We found that we had the diversity of fruit coming from within Tasmania, so we didn’t need to step outside it,’ says Carr. ‘In fact, if we blended something else in [from another region], it seemed to sort of blow the structure a bit down the track.’

Thirty years on

Over the course of the past three decades, the brand has changed hands several times and is now owned by boutique Australian producer Handpicked Wines.

But Carr has remained a constant. A guardian of the cellar reserves, he has gently guided the growth of Arras from a single label, the Grand Vintage, to a portfolio.

‘We spent the last 30 years fine-tuning our style and planting or purchasing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, in all seven or eight regions [in Tasmania], then seeing where they fit in a matrix of base wines,’ he says.

‘It’s interesting how those different sub-regional terroirs express themselves with the different varieties and how we’ve managed those into the various blends.’

The house style is one that sings clearly from the glass. Lengthy tirage and a sophisticated oak regime are hallmarks of the Arras style, with fermentation of up to 10% in oak introduced from 2007 onwards.

Carr adds: ‘We've always gone for the more robust sort of style, the richer style. Our use of 100% malolactic fermentation and oak probably enhances that. We pick it quite ripe compared to other people.’

Patience is a virtue

‘If anything has amazed us over the course of time, it's how well these wines age,’ continues Carr.

‘Initially, we thought four years was a very long tirage time. But now we’re thinking 20 years is achievable with all the cuvées. We just have to choose when and how we want to sell them.’

One of the biggest learning curves has been the management of stock, as there is nothing that can replace what time adds in traditional-method sparkling wines.

As confidence in the Arras brand grew, there’s been a progressive build-up in the tirage age.

‘Making the wines, keeping tirage stocks and finished goods in museum and assessing them over time; it’s a business model you'd be hard-pressed to find anybody to fund,’ notes Carr.

‘Essentially, you’re saying I’m going to pick some grapes this year and you're not going to see a wine on the shelf for six.’

The favourite child

So, over 30 years, are there any standout vintages or wines for the man who has made them all?

‘Oh, 2008 stands out really strongly,’ he says. ‘And the Late Disgorged is one of my favourites for being a classic. We’ve just disgorged the 2013 and that’s looking very strong.’

More recently, 2015 was a favourite. ‘The 2015 Grand Vintage really is just a killer. It’s just been so successful and very, very strong.

'So probably the 2015 for overall appeal. I almost can’t wait for the 2015 to come out as the Late Disgorged, but that’s still three years away yet,’ he adds.

Where to from here?

30 years is a milestone for a Tasmanian wine label, but there are plenty of plans and aspirations ahead.

Carr says: ‘We’re looking back at some wines which have had three, four and five years of cork age. I love that style, but that really comes back to the consumer holding on to them. So we might hold back some bottlings for release with extra cork age. That would be interesting.’

Other possibilities include a blanc de noir with oak reserve influence; ‘but that’s not in tirage yet, so that's a long wait’.

More magnums in the market are a reality, as is an increased focus on the international market.

‘The feedback from international markets is very, very positive about Tasmania in general. It’s like it’s a discovery of something entirely new,’ says Carr.

While there have been many stalwarts of the Tassie wine industry over the years, including people who planted key vineyards and people who have made great wine, Carr’s name, like the Arras wines, is one that speaks of consistency, persistence and generosity.

Putting Tasmania on the map

The global representation of Tasmanian wine is largely led by the Arras name, for both quality and export reach.

Meanwhile Carr’s international accolades – including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships and the Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge – have placed his name, and thus Tasmania’s, in the spotlight for sparkling wine.

However, Carr never speaks in the singular. It is not ‘I’, but ‘we’. Most importantly, it is his willingness to share his knowledge with the Tassie wine community, with a humble and quiet knowing, that has stitched his name into the fabric of Tasmanian wine.

Top House of Arras wines to try

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Sun-ripened Shiraz. Bold Cabernets. Australia’s modern wine identity has for long been defined by warmth and power.

Yet, in the vicinity of the nation’s capital, a very different story has been unfolding, one shaped by altitude, restraint and terroir expression.

A 35-minute drive from the city leads to the Canberra District wine region, where vineyards sit between 500m and 850m above sea level.

Here, warm days are followed by cool nights, allowing wines to develop slowly, retaining fragrance, acidity, and finesse.

Over the last six decades, the region has quietly become one of Australia’s most compelling cool-climate frontiers.

Medium-bodied Shiraz with spice and restraint, piercing Rieslings with longevity, and an increasingly convincing suite of Italian varieties are redefining what Australian wine can be.

A scientific beginning

Unlike many Australian wine regions, Canberra’s viticultural roots lie not in farming heritage but in scientific curiosity.

The story began in the late 1960s at Clonakilla, when Dr John Kirk, an Irish biochemist recruited by Australia’s national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), arrived in Canberra.

He questioned why a wine industry did not exist in a climate that closely resembled parts of Europe.

In 1971, he purchased a 17ha former wool farm near Murrumbateman and planted vines, undeterred by scepticism that Australian wine belonged firmly in warmer regions.

His son, Tim Kirk, recalls arriving in Australia by sea in 1968, aged nine, and growing up among the vines.

The first commercial vintage – for both the winery and the region – was in 1976. It consisted of a Riesling and Cabernet-Shiraz blend, but the early years were modest.

Growth and development

The first vintage of Clonakilla’s iconic Shiraz-Viognier – now a benchmark for Australian elegance and known for its aromatic lift, spice and silky texture – was made by Tim in 1992.

What began as an experimental bottling in tiny amounts (in 1994 only three barrels were produced) has grown significantly.

Today the winery’s total annual production is around 20,000 cases and exports span Asia, the US, the UK and Scandinavia.

As Clonakilla was getting established, other scientists were also experimenting. In 1973, CSIRO researcher Ken Helm planted vines east of Murrumbateman, followed in 1974 by Dr Edgar Reik, who established Lake George Winery.

Though they did not initially know one another, these early pioneers collectively laid the foundations for a region built on experimentation, restraint and quality.

Today, the Canberra District comprises over 140 vineyards and 50 wineries. Small by national standards, arguably its influence far exceeds its size.

High and dry

Canberra’s elevation plays a defining role in its wines, slowing ripening and preserving acidity.

Meanwhile diurnal temperature shifts, often reaching 20°C during the growing season, allow grapes to rest overnight, locking in aromatics and freshness.

Fergus McGhie, sales and marketing manager at Mount Majura Vineyard and president of the Canberra District Wine Industry Association, notes that the region’s stylistic direction was evident from the beginning.

‘Very early, local makers knew that our fruit was more delicate in character, more aromatic and blessed by higher natural acidity,’ he says. ‘The wines are better suited to subtle French oak influences rather than bolder American oak treatments.’

Soils across the region vary considerably but all contribute to this pared back character. The presence of granite, red clay loams, ironstone and limestone naturally restrain vine vigour.

Emma Shaw, general manager of Collector Wines, describes these as ‘lean, hungry soils’, conditions that bring vines into balance without excessive intervention.

Canberra’s climate is also notably dry, with average annual rainfall of around 600mm, spread evenly across the seasons.

According to McGhie, this results in, ‘lower disease pressure and reduces the need for chemical intervention in the vineyard, allowing growers to focus on fruit purity and site expression’.

Shiraz with restraint

Shiraz has emerged as Canberra’s most visible calling card, though its expression is markedly different from warmer Australian regions.

‘The climate and our natural acidity, as well as fine tannin and variation across subregions, means that our Shiraz winemaking can be almost Burgundian,’ says Shaw. ‘We’re producing elegant, medium-bodied wines of restrained power.’

This style has found increasing recognition. Over the past three years, Canberra Shiraz has claimed top honours at Australia’s major wine shows, culminating in the Four Winds Vineyard Shiraz 2023 winning the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy in 2024. A remarkable achievement for a region producing a fraction of the volume of Australia’s major wine areas.

For McGhie, the region’s signature lies in its freshness.

‘The typicity of the region is very pretty reds and perfumed whites with a lovely freshness of fruit character’ he says.

The quiet constant: Riesling

If Shiraz is Canberra’s calling card, Riesling is its quiet constant. At Helm Wines, Riesling has been central to expressing the region’s identity since the 1970s.

Sourced from a secluded valley east of Murrumbateman, dominated by Mt Ramsay at 730m, Helm’s vineyards highlight how Canberra’s climate preserves citrus purity, balance and longevity.

The combination of warm days and cool nights allows Riesling grapes to retain low pH and crisp acidity, while developing flavour slowly.

That acidity is sharpened by diurnal change and soils of granite and clay adding structure.

Helm’s wines have consistently received high critical acclaim, reinforcing the variety’s natural affinity with the region.

Italian and Spanish flavour

Alongside Shiraz and Riesling, Canberra is also known for its success with Italian varieties, particularly Sangiovese.

At Four Winds Vineyard, CEO Sarah Collingwood explains that the focus has always been on working with varieties that suit the region.

‘Rather than fighting that cool-climate identity, we’ve built our business around it,’ she says. ‘Shiraz with pepper and spice, Riesling with fresh citrus structure, and Sangiovese that shows what this delicious lighter-bodied red grape can do.’

McGhie points to growing quality across the district in both Sangiovese and Spanish grape Tempranillo.

He also notes early promise in white grapes: Italy’s Fiano and Spain’s Albariño.

‘It’s early days, but Albariño could become another signature white for the region,’ he says.

Cellar doors, place and discovery

Despite its proximity to Australia’s capital, Canberra’s wine region still surprises many visitors.

‘People are either surprised that Canberra has a wine region, or that we’re producing such good quality,’ says Shaw, who also runs Canberra Cellar Door, a hub dedicated to showcasing wines from across the district. ‘It’s tasting the wines that convinces them.’

Hospitality plays a central role in communicating terroir. At Four Winds, Collingwood has deliberately embraced simplicity.

‘Guests sit overlooking the vineyard, enjoy wood-fired pizza and wine, and connect directly with the place,’ she says. ‘No unnecessary complexity; just the essentials.’

Meanwhile at Mount Majura Vineyard, guided tastings explore clones, soils and trial plantings, reinforcing the region’s scientific roots and ongoing curiosity.

Looking forward

The Canberra District’s greatest strength, its small scale, is also its biggest challenge.

‘Our greatest opportunity is the quality of wine we’re producing,’ Collingwood says.

‘But being small is also our challenge. Limited volumes restrict our voice nationally and internationally.’

Shaw echoes this tension, noting broader pressures from climate change and declining global wine consumption.

But she remains optimistic. ‘Because we’re producing cool-climate, elegant wines, and artisan wines with a story and culture behind them, I see interest in our wine region growing all the time.’

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History fills your eyes at Seppeltsfield. Barrels storing 147 continuous vintages of Seppeltsfield Para tawny fill the Centenary Cellar. It’s a collection that’s unrivalled in the world of wine, all housed under one old tin roof in the Barossa, Australia.

History fills your nose, too. An incredibly rich melange of heady aromas permeates the cellar, leaching slowly from the oak barrels as an estimated 3% of their contents evaporate into the atmosphere each year.

But history’s most delicious secrets are revealed once you taste the unctuous, concentrated nectar that remains within these old casks. The wines show impossible layers of complexity, compressed within interlocking and sometimes contradictory sweet and tart flavours that unfurl and adhere to your palate.

They are truly unique.

Tasting a legacy

To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Seppelt family establishing Seppeltsfield in the western Barossa ranges, Decanter was invited with selected media and winemakers to taste all of the Para Centenary tawnies – a continuous line of 48 wines, stretching from 1878 to this year’s new release, the 1926 vintage.

It’s a remarkable legacy handed down by Oscar ‘Benno’ Seppelt, who had the foresight to lay down a single 500-litre puncheon of his finest fortified from the 1878 vintage, with instructions that it not be issued for 100 years.

This gesture marked the launch of the magnificent Seppeltsfield bluestone cellar in 1878, a sturdy three-level monument designed and built in 1866 by Benno’s father, Joseph Seppelt, who had brought the family from Silesia in 1849 and established the vineyards in 1851.

Vintage snapshots

Highlights within the historic tawny collection are extraordinary – none more dazzling than the inaugural 1878 Para. This is the rarest of vinous marvels, retaining freshness and vitality but with extraordinary layered complexity in subtle flavours and bewitching nuances.

Also sitting within the top tier of Para Centenary examples is the new release – 1926 Para – showing such vibrancy and intensity with its high, sweet perfume yet deepest baritone notes in the flavour profile.

Rather than provide a narrative about an evolution of a style, the historical tasting highlighted significant outliers – such as the impossibly thick and viscous 1918 Para as almost a parody of the super-concentrated style, or the 1907 Para with especially sharp acidity, and the outrageously dense 1894 Para.

It proved that ancient fortified wines do not settle into a homogenised sameness, but instead show distinctive historical vintage snapshots.

Old vines & historic homestead

History is writ large at Seppeltsfield. It speaks through the estate’s original buildings – from the three-bedroom Seppelt family homestead around which the winery was constructed, to the gravity-fed cellar constructed in 1888.

This was decommissioned in the 1980s but reinstated for winemaking from the 2010 vintage.

It is also evident in the vineyards – especially the Grenache bush vines. First planted in 1855, these were replanted in 1958 as contoured rows that hug the western side of Seppeltsfield estate.

They form the backbone of Seppeltsfield fortified wine production, along with old Shiraz and Mourvèdre vines, although precise percentages of each variety in Para tawny was not recorded until the 1980s.

The creation of Seppeltsfield Para in 1878 is also tied to the historical foundation of Australian wine, which thrived on the success of fortified wine production from the colony’s earliest years.

When Joseph Seppelt arrived in the Barossa, he planned to continue farming tobacco, which had made him prosperous in Silesia, but instead he found growing grapes more favourable and soon set about ambitious expansion that made Seppeltsfield a key Barossa producer.

Legacy of success

Seppeltsfield Para was produced as a statement of the family’s success, a gesture continued on an annual basis through successive winemakers – and eventually different owners.

The Seppelt family sold their shares in 1984 and the winery passed through several corporate ownerships until the Randall Wine Group took control of the estate and its cellars in 2009.

Para Centenary tawny is still nurtured by many hands. Three Seppeltsfield winemakers were present at the tasting – including original family descendent Charlie Seppelt – yet modestly play down their role.

‘These are not my wines,’ says James Godfrey, who joined Seppeltsfield in 1978 and became chief fortified winemaker until Foster’s Group sold Seppeltsfield in 2007. ‘I was fortunate enough to watch them develop and protect them – and for that, I feel enormously privileged.’

For Godfrey, a key to the consistency of Para tawny quality is the spirit chosen to fortify the wine – a grape spirit produced from Seppeltsfield’s own still from 1878 to 1978, when Godfrey closed down its production.

He then oversaw the selection of a complementary spirit from Barossa distillery Tarac, which continues to provide the same spirit to Seppeltsfield.

Preserving the past

The need for consistency and honouring traditional methods is not lost on Seppeltsfield chief winemaker Fiona Donald.

‘We are only custodians.’ she says. ‘Every vintage tells its own significant story, and it’s our duty to ensure that this is preserved – and that the historic Para Centennial Collection will remain relevant to fine wine collectors of the future.’

Most Para Centenary tawnies comprise a single puncheon, and many now contain only about 150 litres of highly concentrated wine.

Donald examines their condition during annual inventories, and decants some into 300-litre hogshead casks to help preserve their freshness.

However, this brings its own set of challenges, with key older vintages at such tiny volumes they can no longer be preserved safely in large-format oak barrels.

Several of the most popular old releases – some down to 40 litres or less, including the Para vintages from 1885, 1884, 1881, 1880, 1879 and 1878 – are now stored in glass air-tight vessels, which has fundamentally changed the wines.

While they still show remarkable agility and focused clarity, much of the dense viscosity and deepest flavour layers have been removed with the complex molecules that drop and settle in a dark sediment layer at the bottom of each barrel.

The absence of continued interaction with oxygen from the oak barrel also affects colour and texture.

‘Tawnies are aerobic beasts, and if they don’t interact with oxygen, they change,’ explains Godfrey.

Fortifying the future

Examining these glass-stored wines raised important discussion points for the Seppeltsfield winemaking team about how best to preserve Para wines beyond 100 years.

One thought is to contain the remaining volumes in small oak casks and store them in a temperature-controlled space, which would prevent further heat evaporation but not remove complex flavour compounds from the solution.

No decision has yet been made.

The previous complete comparative tasting of Para was led by Godfrey in 2003, to mark the 25th anniversary of the first Para Centenary release.

The recent tasting went further, also providing a rare view of future Para centenary releases in progress, showing decade-by-decade development from the 1926 vintage through to the juvenile 2016 vintage.

It reinforced Benno Seppelt’s genius decision to hold this wine in barrel for 100 years, to achieve perfect balance between concentration, complexity and vitality that cannot be contrived in younger fortified wines.

175th anniversary tasting: top wines

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Tasmania is Australia’s smallest state, a coven of those who seek change from the mainland cities, or a cadence away from the mainstream. There is that rare species, too, that was simply born there.

The bucolic undulations of Tasmania’s north, from the Tamar to Pipers River, are juxtaposed against the salt-bitten ruggedness of the east coast and the drier Derwent and Coal river valleys, where consistency of crop and proximity to the state capital Hobart account for a concentration of wineries.

Further south, sunlight jitters between gum leaves, vineyards and the road’s next bend, revealing silver bays-cum-cobalt tributaries in which fishing boats nestle in the Huon valley.

The Apple Isle has long been secure in its moorings as a spectacular place to grow grapes, traditionally those for sparkling wine and still Pinot Noir. Looking at Tasmania’s landscape today, it’s fascinating to ponder the veracity of empirical barometers such as sunlight hours and latitude – solid, sensible and traditional dictates for planting the likes of Riesling, now increasingly being pulled up or grafted over to more commercially viable options, despite superb examples from the likes of Stargazer and Pooley. Sauvignon Blanc, too, is going the way of the dodo.

Today, Chardonnay makes up just over 26% of Tasmania’s total plantings, while Meunier plantings are growing. These varieties are mostly used for fizz, the state’s most popular wine style, but also for still wines, reflecting global trends favouring whites and friskier reds. Of this lighter idiom, but far from the madding crowd of commercial obviousness, is Stoney Rise, Trousseau 2024. Energetic and eclectic, this delicious wine exhibits notes of distilled cherry, bound by a mandala of sinuous tannins, attesting to Tasmania’s capacity for diversity.

When established trains of thought are challenged, we ask whether there is something else; whether there are alternatives to the status quo. Climate change is shattering preconceptions with a velocity that can make established norms feel anachronistic, forcing us to be open to discovery, or to cling doggedly to that sinking ship of hyperbolic scores, rich wines and Boomer affectations.

Factors including soil structure and geology help determine quality vineyard sites and appropriate plantings, yet alignments once benign are increasingly malignant, as shade and elevation find favour in the quest to obviate heat and UV intensity in warmer regions, while peripatetic weather patterns in Tasmania are sublimated to a search for warmer, protected pockets to ripen grapes. What was once a bane is often a virtue as the environment’s variable nature challenges the vinous establishment.

A recent tasting of still Tasmanian wines did just that. While Pinot Noir was the inevitable focus, attendees expressed unsolicited support for Syrah. The irrefutable quality of many wines suggests that this later-ripening variety represents an exciting new frontier as the climate warms. Yet official figures indicate little statistical enthusiasm. Syrah plantings remain stagnant overall, nudging just under 2% of the state’s total. No wonder, since earlier renditions (then called Shiraz) largely bring recollections of ungenerous wines marked by the bitter astringency of an ill-suited climate.

Misguidedly, certain producers sought to emulate headier South Australian bottlings via extraction and oak. But today, a raft of midweight wines dabbed with lilac, tapenade, blue fruits and smoked meat touch on the cracked-pepper vibrato of the northern Rhône, tempered by Aussie generosity.

Impressive examples come from Stefano Lubiana and hughes & hughes, and a ferrous, almost sinewy expression from Grey Sands, parrying with a svelte, fine-boned one from Marion’s Vineyard. Syrah makes sense, perhaps, if Tasmania is understood through a logic of specific sites that combat coldness, rather than the holistic Pinot-centric narrative of the establishment.

In my glass this month

Claudio Radenti of Freycinet Vineyard crafts fine Syrah. His overall parlance is cool climate, yet he focuses on ‘north- to east- facing warmer slopes, sheltered from winds’. The 2017 Shiraz (yes, that word) has now aged impressively, while the younger-vine Louis Syrah 2021 is electric, taut and redolent of souk spices.

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Australia Day, marked on 26 January each year, commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia in 1788, and the raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove by Captain Arthur Phillip. This official national day is an opportunity to acknowledge the country’s complex history – and for wine lovers it’s a chance to drink Australian.

The current crop of Aussie bottles on the supermarket shelves delivers plenty of choice and great quality.

As you might expect, classic Australian styles and regions are well represented. For example, you can find great Clare Valley Rieslings at Sainsbury’s and Tesco that are ‘fantastic value for money’.

Sainsbury’s also has a pair of new Australian Chardonnays that are worth seeking out: a stylish Margaret River bottling with sea-breeze freshness from Vasse Felix and Wakefield’s South Australian Chardonnay, packed with ripe golden apple and peach (both available in-store only).

Classic reds for winter drinking

If you prefer reds, head to Waitrose. The own-label Waitrose No1 Seven Generations Shiraz is made by respected family producer Langmeil and is a ‘poised and polished’ Barossa Shiraz at a very decent price (£14).

There are more big names at Sainsbury’s, where you can buy Penfolds Bin 8, a deeply flavoured red from one of the masters of that truly original Aussie style: the Shiraz-Cabernet blend. It’s ideal for chilly winter evenings.

There’s plenty more for Cabernet Sauvignon fans to enjoy, with appealing bottles from Western Australia. Top Margaret River winery Xanadu has its Point Break Cab on sale at Tesco and also makes the M&S own-label Yarri-Karri Cabernet that’s available in-store or online via Ocado.

Discover something new

Some retailers have also done a great job of tapping into the current trends in Australian wine and adding bottles to their shelves that might not be what you expect from Australia.

At Tesco you can find Nepenthe’s Dolcetto, a gluggable berry-and-cherry take on the native Italian grape. It’s just one example of how Italian varieties are finding a new home Down Under, with grapes such as Fiano and Sangiovese finding new expression in the southern hemisphere.

Austria’s Grüner Veltliner also makes an appearance in the Aussie selection at Tesco. While ‘The Best’ range at Morrison’s includes a delicious Botrytis Semillon, made by De Bortoli in Riverina, New South Wales.

Whatever you choose to buy, enjoy your taste of Australia this January.

Best Australian buys on the high street

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Alex Hunt MW, Roger Jones and Beth Pearce MW tasted 80 wines, with 6 Outstanding and 26 Highly Recommended

Cool-climate Australian Chardonnay: Panel tasting scores

80 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 6

Highly recommended 26

Recommended 39

Commended 9

Fair 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release, 100% Chardonnay still wines produced in any of Australia’s cool-climate regions

Scroll down to see the top-scoring wines from our cool-climate Australian Chardonnay panel tasting

Regionality on show

It has been said that Chardonnay represents one of the clearest and most precise lenses through which we can view terroir, and this impressive tasting offered ample evidence to support that assertion.

The affinity between Australia and Chardonnay is well established, of course, so expectations were high before this tasting.

On the other hand, however, there have been times when this particular lens has proved to be ill-focused, with regional differences blurred either by too-obvious winemaking or by the terroir-masking fallacy of early picking.

Not so on this occasion, with all three of the judges discovering commendably distinct regional expressions.

Beth Pearce MW commented that ‘more than ever, the wines seem to be showing a sense of place rather than simply reflecting the winemakers’ preferences for reduction and/or ripeness’.

This would be academic were the wines not delicious, but happily there was much to enjoy here on a hedonistic level, too.

Roger Jones noted: ‘It was good to see high marks from across the regions,’ and the fact that 40% of entries scored 90 points or above demonstrates that our high expectations were borne out.

A rich and diverse palette

The most reliably excellent region was Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, with wines that combined beguiling texture with a zesty energy and an ability to age.

Jones observed that wines from here ‘need a bit longer to evolve, but when they do, they certainly develop well, balancing perfume, gunflint as well as delicate ripe stone fruit’.

Meanwhile, Margaret River in Western Australia showcased its trademark blend of density, complexity and freshness, which Pearce found ‘very impressive, effortless in its power and quality, particularly in the 2023 vintage’.

At their best, Tasmania’s steely tension and the Burgundy-esque poise of the Yarra Valley in Victoria drew admiration from the panel, while the standout surprise was Geelong, another Victorian sub-region.

Pearce praised its ‘confident balance’, and the entries from here showed that regardless of whether the wines are from a young or more mature vintage,

Geelong offers a characteristic energy, grip and aromatic profile that combine to make these some of the country’s most thrilling expressions of the Chardonnay grape.

What to eat with cool-climate Australian Chardonnay, by Fiona Beckett

Chardonnay is such a blissful pairing for so many dishes that the only question is, how far do you push the boat out with the food?

With the lovely acidity of these cool-climate wines, seafood would be my first port of call, especially for younger vintages – I’m particularly thinking in terms of grilled lobster, langoustines and seared scallops, or a luxurious fish pie.

Chicken, of course, is another reliable go-to. A simply roasted bird with delicious, umami-rich, crisp skin would be heaven for older vintages, as would fried chicken (perhaps American-style rather than Korean), with a cream gravy – in fact, virtually anything creamy is spot-on with Chardonnay, especially when topped with pastry, as in a chicken pot pie. That might sound too homely, but simple is what to aim for with wines of this quality.

There are also, of course, vegetables that are particularly Chardonnay-friendly, such as corn, butternut squash (especially with sage) and braised fennel; and mushrooms, too (especially in a risotto). In short, tomato- and red wine-based sauces aside, it’s pretty hard to go wrong.

See all notes and scores from the cool-climate Australian Chardonnay tasting

The judges

Alex Hunt MW is purchasing director at London-based merchant Berkmann Wine Cellars. He became a Master of Wine in 2010, and was awarded the Bollinger Tasting Medal that year. A seasoned wine judge, his writing has appeared in a number of prominent titles, including Decanter

Roger Jones is the retired former owner of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn restaurant in Wiltshire. He is now a wine writer, judge (including for DWWA) and consultant with a particular interest in the hospitality trade, as well as helping charities

Beth Pearce MW is the recently appointed head of buying at Flint Wines. Her extensive experience in the wine industry includes roles in retail and buying at Majestic and most recently buying director at Lay & Wheeler

Cool-climate Australian Chardonnay panel tasting results:

Wines were tasted blind

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Growth occurs at the edge of one’s comfort zone, and it’s safe to say that Tasmanian winemaker Peter Dredge’s life has remained constantly on the precipice of comfort. While he hails from South Australia, he’s not from a wine family, and his winemaking journey hasn’t followed a conventional path. In fact, there’s nothing conventional about Dredge.

‘I was a bit of a jock. I wanted to play AFL [Australian rules football] and be a physio. Unfortunately, an errant discus got me in the head in my last year of high school,’ he says, while placing a record onto the decks at the tasting table. Rehabilitation followed, but while he (mostly) recovered his balance, the future of a sports career and the hearing in his left ear never returned.

Dredge’s setback cost him an extra year of school, following which (and a gap year) he landed a lab job at Petaluma with Brian Croser in 1997. ‘I fell in love with the wine industry,’ he says.

‘I was in a pretty low place and listening to very dark, evocative 1990s trip hop, mostly based around Massive Attack. I was making the cellar hands listen to this morose stuff. Ironically, it’s called the Headz series, and I’d just been clocked in the head.’

After a 12-year tenure at Petaluma, he leapt to the cooler climes of Tasmania and joined Bay of Fires, staying there for the next five years. ‘We worked with 13 growers around Tasmania,’ he says. ‘I pitched the idea for a bit of sub-regional differentiation between the Bay of Fires Pinot and Rieslings, but that wasn’t the direction they wanted to take.’

Thankfully, they didn’t. ‘When I started Dr Edge, that’s where the north-, the east- and the south-style wines started to eventuate.’

Hitting the right notes

The common thread that runs through Dredge’s entire winemaking journey has been music. ‘To the chagrin of the corporate marketers, I said, “We don’t have stuck ferments if we have hip hop playing.” So I used to have concert speakers set up and would pump it through the winery.’

Dredge has been making wine under the Dr Edge name since 2015. His labels speak to the cultural zeitgeist and the deep connection between music and wine.

‘While playing those tunes in my early days, I thought if I ever started my own label, I’d try to get a similar picture [to those on the Headz album covers]. Lots of the contributing artists on the [Headz albums] were experimental [visual] artists, including Massive Attack’s Robert “3D” Del Naja. I managed to acquire a couple of art pieces from Bristol 15 years ago, and since then we’ve had a very amiable exchange of wine sent to the recording studio in Bristol for artwork or rights to use all the artworks on the labels.’

Del Naja’s philanthropy and generosity inspired Dredge to set up his charity magnum programme, whereby the retail value of all Dr Edge magnums is donated to the Hobart City Mission.

Initially, the wines were made at Moorilla on Hobart’s Berriedale peninsula, so it’s fitting that this 10-year retrospective tasting of 48 Dr Edge wines took place at Mona, the Museum of Old and New Art, which forms part of Moorilla Estate.

Dredge also makes wine for many of the state’s smaller producers and was instrumental in opening a new custom crush facility in Cambridge, on the outskirts of Hobart. The facility is set to close in early 2026, and Dredge will be shifting his winemaking to a nearby winery in the interim.

‘I used to have music speakers set up and would pump hip hop through the winery.’

Peter Dredge

A sparkling future

Tracing the Dr Edge wines’ evolution, it becomes clear that regardless of vintage or site selection, there’s a clear stylistic through line. They all exhibit an expressiveness and innate delicacy, in part thanks to a measured, Old World approach to Riesling and a restrained relationship with oak, leaning towards amphora, tank, used oak barrel and foudre.

Recent vintages have shifted from single-site expressions to blends that capture a broader expression of Tasmania. And on my recent visit to the winery, the tunes set the pace for the disgorgement line.

‘It took me five years of Dr Edge before I could start investing in a sparkling wine program, and I’m continuing down that line,’ Dredge says. ‘With the Croser and Bollinger background [the Champagne house was a founding partner in Tapanappa, Croser’s new project after the sale of Petaluma] I grew up with in Adelaide Hills, then House of Arras here, it would be remiss of me not to make it. Probably 40% of our growth has been sparkling. I’ve always made it for my clients.’

If Dr Edge’s current sparkling releases are anything to go by, the pace is perfectly timed.

Music for the tastebuds: Wines from Dr Edge

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It was a full house for the much-anticipated final masterclass of the day at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter Singapore, showcasing iconic single-vineyard wines from Henschke, one of Australia’s oldest and most revered wineries.

And to make the experience even more special, masterclass guests were guided through the tasting of eight wines, including mini-verticals of Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone, by the family’s sixth-generation winemaker, Johann Henschke.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for all eight wines from the Henschke masterclass

Established in 1868, Henschke is one of Australia’s oldest wineries, founded by Johann Christian Henschke who fled German-speaking Silesia with his family in 1841 due to persecution against their Old Lutheran religion by the Prussian state.

By the time he docked in Adelaide, after the four-month journey by cargo ship, he had lost his wife and two of their four children.

Johann Christian eventually moved to the Barossa, where many German-speaking immigrants had settled, and in 1860 set up his home in the town of Keyneton where six subsequent generations of his Henschke descendants have called home.

The current custodians are fifth-generation Stephen and Prue Henschke, winemaker and viticulturalist respectively.

Since the 1980s, this trailblazing husband-and-wife team have built on the visionary work of Stephen’s father, Cyril Henschke, the fourth-generation winemaker, who pioneered single-vineyard wines.

Location, location, location

The Barossa wine region comprises the Barossa Valley in the west – the fertile bank of an old river, with elevations of about 300m – and the Eden Valley to the east.

Despite its name, the Eden Valley is actually a series of valleys formed within an ancient mountain range that climbs past 600m and has a far more extreme continental climate than the Barossa Valley, with limited areas suitable to plant vines.

But recognising the importance of site isn’t the only legacy the Henschke ancestors have passed down.

South Australia is blessed with ancient, own-rooted vineyards free from phylloxera, with the world’s largest surface area of old-vine plantings found in the Barossa.

Henschke owns several of these, which contribute to their wines’ extraordinary complexity.

This includes a parcel of the 16ha Mount Edelstone vineyard, planted in 1912, and a few rows of vines in the 4ha Hill of Grace vineyard, planted in 1860.

These ancient soils and their vines are nourished and tended by Prue Henschke, who farms organically and biodynamically, and is internationally recognised for her innovations in sustainable grape growing and vineyard management.

While both Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone sit at 380m to 400m above sea level, the former lies about 4km further north and has a mainly northerly aspect, while the latter faces east.

Both the neighbouring Cyril Henschke (planted 1988) and Wheelwright (1968) vineyards are about 10km further south, but in a cooler, rainier site between 445m and 470m.

All have free-draining sandy loam soils over various types of clay, but with different bedrocks: blue slate (Hill of Grace), micaceous schist (Mount Edelstone) and weathering gneiss/micaceous schist.

Single-site immersion

A unique aspect of this Henschke masterclass was the fact it was both a horizontal tasting (tasting different wines across the same vintage) and a vertical tasting (the same wine across different vintages).

Keen golfer Johann likened it to standing on a putting green, with the tasters having the opportunity to look at the wines from several angles – both single vineyards and vintages – and observing the various terrains and altitudes.

The big drawcard was undoubtedly the mini vertical tastings (the new-release 2021s as well as the 2015 and 2005 vintages) of Henschke’s two most famous single-vineyard Shirazes.

Mount Edelstone is arguably Australia’s longest consecutively produced single-vineyard wine, first released in 1952 by Cyril Henschke with the vineyard name proudly on the label.

Cyril made the first single-vineyard Hill of Grace Shiraz in 1958, when the original vines were already almost 100 years old, planted by a Henschke ancestor in 1860.

Tasting terroir

When asked what the biggest difference between the two iconic wines was, Johann’s reply was simple.

‘It’s just the location of the vineyard. That’s what it boils down to,’ he said.

‘Hill of Grace is at the same altitude as Mount Edelstone, but we’re in a warmer place, with a different aspect, and slightly different soils.

‘So there’s a different shape and feel to Hill of Grace. It almost feels like it is not part of the Eden Valley.

‘And if you’ve tasted Shiraz widely across the Barossa Valley you might find some of those characters, but I can guarantee you there are no Barossa Valley grapes in there!’

The Wheelwright Shiraz, launched in 2015, has a different shape and feel again – much more Pinotesque – coming from a vineyard planted at a higher altitude and in contours by Cyril, 100 years after the winery’s founding.

A single-site Cabernet Sauvignon has been made from what is now known as the Cyril Henschke vineyard since 1978.

When a virus struck, Prue and Stephen replanted it in 1988, adding some Cabernet Franc (0.4ha) and Merlot (0.7ha) to join the 2.1ha of Cabernet Sauvignon.

‘My grandfather Cyril never left the Barossa,’ Johann told the audience.

‘He’d never tasted great Burgundies or knew what terroir was, but it’s clear he understood that there was a uniqueness and a distinct character that came from these individual vineyards.’

‘When you’re on your putting green and you’re looking at the wines in different ways, hopefully you can identify that unique vineyard character clearly too.’

Watch the video highlights from the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter Singapore featuring Johann Henschke

Henschke masterclass: tasting the single-vineyard wines

(Wines are listed in the order they were tasted)

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Australian winemakers’ prowess with Shiraz lit up the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) in 2025, and underlined the enticing diversity of premium styles to be explored.

Brilliant Shiraz wines span many growing regions, from the heartlands of McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley in South Australia to the cooler-climate Yarra Valley in Victoria.

Individual sites and old-vine plots add nuance, enabling winemakers to weave a tapestry of subtly diverging styles around this grape variety, which goes by the name of Syrah in France’s Rhône region and elsewhere.

Discover 14 top-scoring Shiraz wines from DWWA 2025

Top Australian Shiraz wines balance richness with elegance and poise. Many display a core of luscious fruit, from blackberry to plum and some red berry notes, which can be complemented to varying degrees by spicy, earthy and mocha-esque tones, along with extra savoury elements.

Well integrated tannins meet a freshening lift of acidity in the best wines, which promise to develop even greater complexity with long-term ageing. Australian Shiraz wines also offer mouth watering options for the table, from comforting, hearty stews on a deep midwinter evening to delicious barbecued fare.

DWWA’s rigorous judging process, underpinned by leading experts in their field, gives wine lovers a perfect platform from which to explore Australia’s Shiraz landscape.

Explore the full results from DWWA 2025 at awards.decanter.com

Best in Show

Barossa Old Vine Co, Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2022

Best in Show, 97 points

pinnacledrinks.com.au

The magnetic appeal of Barossa Shiraz has made it a favourite down the years for the DWWA Best in Show selection. This darkly coloured 2022 seduced our judges with its languid but alluring aromatic wealth, depth of flavour, structural seriousness and the softness of its balance – all very different from the opulent and sometimes over-showy examples most wine lovers will remember. Aromas here (while oaked) suggest underbrush and dry grasses as well as sweet baked plums. The palate is rich, opulent, just a little salty as well as softly fruity; gentle, plump fruit tannins shape that fruit to a greater extent than the admirably understated acidity. You sense as little interference as possible from vineyard to bottle – and this vineyard clearly has much to offer. Alcohol 14.5%

Trentham Estate, Reserve Shiraz, Heathcote, Victoria 2023

Best in Show, 97 points

£19.50-£20.50 Frontier Fine Wines, The Vinorium

Remarkably, out of the 30 Australian reds in the DWWA Best in Show selection over the last decade, this is the first to have come from Victoria. It’s very lively in aroma, with lots of red fruits in peppery, spicy style. On the palate, it’s boisterous and fresh, softly balanced and very pure-fruited. Intriguingly, the spice seems to pull back once the wine is in the mouth; with the warmth of the tongue compelling floral notes emerge. Grace, charm, poise and freshness, with a gratifyingly discreet tannin-acid balance: the craftsmanship conveys a strong sense of natural articulation and an unforced celebration of outstanding raw materials. Congratulations to Victoria and to Heathcote, and well done, too, to the team behind this deft and satisfying wine. Alc 14.5%

Western Australia

Cape Mentelle, Heritage Shiraz, Margaret River 2023

Platinum, 97 points

POA £ Bancroft Wines

Opulent blueberry, black cherry and damson aromas with nuances of violets over plush oak and smatterings of coconut and spice. Assertive and compelling, with finely woven tannins and embracing acidity. Alc 14.1%

South Australia

Heirloom Vineyards, Shiraz, McLaren Vale 2023

Platinum, 97 points

heirloomvineyards.com.au

Sumptuous blackberry, raspberry and bramble fruit aromas merge into the palate and linger over the smooth texture. Fulsome and rich style with lashings of tannin and spicy oak. Hedonistic and lengthy. Alc 14.5%

John Duval Wines, Eligo Shiraz, Barossa 2021

Gold, 96 points

£70 Liberty Wines

Hugely concentrated, with tiers of prune, plum and raspberry jam shrouded in finely toasted oak and a delectably textured crunch of blueberries lining the palate. Alc 14.5%

Sons of Eden, Romulus Old Vine Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2022

Gold, 96 points

POA £ ABS Wine Agencies

An explosion of blackberries, crushed violets, green leafy herbs and plum cake unfurls over a glossy texture and silky tannins, then a supple mocha note to end. Alc 14.5%

Dandelion Vineyards, Firehawk Shiraz, McLaren Vale 2022

Gold, 95 points

dandelionvineyards.com.au

Brooding and sultry with an intensity of plum, mulberry, blackberry and spiced fruit cake. Full-bodied and generous with pleasing tannins, a meaty texture and violet-sweet finish. Alc 14.5%

Monteperle, Reserve Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2022

Gold, 95 points

monteperle.com.au

A wine of phenomenal texture, with brooding, savoury bresaola notes offset by waves of ripe cherry, crushed red florals and chocolate. Lustrous and impressively long. Alc 15.2%

Berton Vineyard, Reserve Shiraz, Barossa 2021

Silver, 94 points

£16-£19.50 Corking Wines, Fintry Wines, Hallgarten Wines, Shelved Wine, Strictly Wine, The Fine Wine Co, The Good Spirits Co, Wine Poole, Wine Republic

Concentrated cassis, sweet vanilla; notes of pepper and crushed violets. Silky, fresh and characterful. Alc 14.5%

Hardys, Tintara Shiraz, McLaren Vale 2022

Silver, 94 points

£14.50 Vinarchy

The nose shows aromas of blue fruits with touches of black olive and dark spices. Fleshy and elegant on the palate. Alc 14%

Victoria

Centare Vineyard, Old Block Shiraz, Yarra Valley 2022

Gold, 95 points

centarevineyard.com

Pristine varietal aromas of blue fruit and black olive tapenade on a bed of sweet spice, with a soft, supple palate and lovely herbal lift on the finish. Alc 13.8%

Barmah Park, Cape Schanck Reserve Shiraz, Heathcote 2022

Silver, 94 points

barmahparkwines.com.au

Bramble and black cherry aromas seasoned by subtle new oak nuances. Robust on the palate, with rounded tannins. Alc 15.5%

De Bortoli, The Estate Vineyard Shiraz, Yarra Valley 2024

Silver, 94 points

debortoli.com.au

Stony nose with aromas of violets, black and red fruits, and savoury undertones. Chalky and mineral, with soft tannins. Alc 13.8%

New South Wales

Tyrrell’s, Winemaker’s Selection Vat 9 Shiraz, Hunter Valley 2023

Gold, 95 points

£55 John E Fells, US$80 Broadbent Selections

Evocative dark berries, violet perfume and peppery spice bustle over strident tannins and lifted acidity. Full-on style with a mouthfilling texture and length. Alc 13.5%

See all DWWA 2025 award winners 

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After a packed trip Down Under at the end of 2024 – when I clocked up substantial air miles between Western and South Australia, plus a trip to Tasmania and visits in Victoria – 2025 was UK-based.

But thanks to Zoom tastings, fantastic generic and merchant tastings in London with producers flying in – plus a revolving door of visiting winemakers at Decanter HQ, it almost felt like I never left.

Choosing the best bits from a year of tasting is a tall order, but in this roundup I’ve focused on the wineries, wines, grapes and styles that have excited me the most. These aren’t necessarily my highest-scoring Aussie wines of 2025 – check out our Wines of the Year reveal in the January issue for more on those.

But these are the wines that I think will give you a taste of the diversity, quality and excitement that can be found in Australia at the moment.

Great Grenache

If there’s one variety that I feel really hit its stride in 2025 it has to be Grenache. The year kicked off with the first-ever Aussie Grenache Decanter panel tasting, where an impressive 63% of the wines were ranked Highly Recommended or above.

The buzz around Grenache continued in April at the Next Generation Australian Grenache tasting organised by Amelia Jukes.

With a mix of familiar names – from Yalumba to Yangarra – alongside new discoveries such as Mark Bulman (see below), it showcased how this Rhône grape is flourishing in Australia.

Site specific

This is due in no small part to a trend I’m calling micro-regionality. In my 2025 Aussie snapshot, published to mark Australia Day on 26 January, I talked about how site-specific winemaking has now become widespread Down Under.

Increasingly single-vineyard – and even single plot – wines are highlighting very specific terroirs, showing the considerable work being done by winemakers to refine their understanding of their own land. A perfect example is the work done at Alkina by Pedro Parra (aka Dr Terroir) to isolate distinct polygons.

While the Australian wine scene has always been gloriously unfettered by European-style appellation rules, thinking in terms of grand cru or premier cru sites is now a genuinely helpful comparison when it comes to talking about top Aussie terroirs.

Australia’s grands crus

Take Blewitt Springs in north-east McLaren Vale, South Australia. In this subregion – championed by producers including the much-missed Peter Fraser of Yangarra – the arid, sandy loess over ironstone soils produce the ethereal Grenaches that are helping to put the variety on the map.

Or Wilyabrup, a premium pocket of Western Australia’s Margaret River, where ironstone soils and a maritime climate fashion long-lived Cabernet and Chardonnay. Or Victoria’s cool Mornington Peninsula, just 967ha of diverse volcanic soils surrounded on three sides by ocean, and home to world-class Pinot and Chardonnay.

Then there’s Tasmanina’s Tamar Valley, source of stunning sparkling wines. I could easily continue the list…

We’ll be exploring this more in 2026 with an article highlighting Australia’s greatest vineyards in the June issue, in celebration of the 70th vintage of Henschke’s Mount Edelstone from Eden Valley, widely considered Australia’s first single-vineyard wine.

Meanwhile you’ll spot a few single-vineyard wines in my highlights list below.

Old and new

Mixing heritage and innovation is something Australian wineries seem to do with ease. I was reminded of this repeatedly through the year as winemakers popped into Decanter HQ with their latest vintages and invariably something new they’d been working on too.

Take Sam Barry of Jim Barry Wines, with the latest 2024 Florita Riesling – and a 2015 that showed just how beautifully Clare Valley Rieslings age (see below).

We also tasted a brand new wine – Slate Hill Riesling 2023, set for release in February 2026 – the result of an ongoing collaboration with Ernst Loosen of legendary Mosel estate Dr Loosen.

Their joint venture LoosenBarry Rieslings both rip up the rule book and pay homage to traditional ways of doing things.

It’s a similar story at Hugh Hamilton Wines in McLaren Vale, as I discovered when sixth generation Mary Hamilton paid a visit in September. Founded in 1837 by Richard Hamilton, today the winery is Australia’s leading producer of Georgian grape Saperavi, a variety pioneered by her father Hugh.

Look out for The Oddball single-varietal Saperavi, but also the compelling Black Ops Saperavi-Shiraz I’ve recommended below – a blend that puts a clever twist on an Australian staple.

One-stop shop

And this is Australia’s USP: it really does deliver anything a wine lover could desire. Do you want archetypal varietal wines – a Hunter Valley Semillon or a Barossa Shiraz perhaps? Then you’ve got it.

Do you want elegant classics as good as anything from Bordeaux, Burgundy or Champagne? You’ve got that too.

Do you want twists on any of those classics? Tick. What about thrilling new wave styles made from Italian, Portuguese or Rhône grapes? Oh yes: Australia can do that too.

And what’s more, all of these wonderful wine styles are continually evolving.

The big picture

My final big tasting of the year proved this point perfectly. Always an annual highlight, Matthew Jukes showcased his 100 Best Australian Wines on a chilly November afternoon. It was a long roll call of Australia’s biggest hitters: Tyrell’s, Penfolds, Yalumba, Grosset, Seppeltsfield, Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate, to name a few favourites on the day.

But there was also the juicy and smashable Pizzini Lambrusco Salamino from Victoria’s King Valley; Pikes Luccio Fiano from SA’s Clare Valley; Swinney’s Farvie Mourvèdre from Frankland River in WA; Valley Vignerons Sangiovese from Payten & Jones in Yarra Valley.

The choices are plentiful – and it’s frustrating that this message isn’t getting out to a wider international audience, who still think of ‘sunshine in a bottle’ Chardonnay and big bold Shiraz as Australia’s calling cards.

As my 2025 tastings proved, that misconception is completely outdated and the picture is so much more kaleidoscopic and joyful. It’s a genuine delight to spend my time exploring Aussie wines and I can’t wait to see what 2026 brings…

Julie’s Australian highlights: 10 wines to try

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A toast to the happy couple

Tina Gellie

Weyborne Estate general manager Ben Abric shared a charming analogy for the difference between the still-maturing 2022 vintage of the West Sussex sparkling estate’s Oriana cuvée and the Oriana Golden Spur, the early release of the same wine.

‘The Golden Spur is your daughter celebrating her engagement. And then in a few months she will celebrate her wedding!’

With low stock of the inaugural 2018 and awarded Oriana 2019 (Silver at DWWA 2025; £46.99 Hay Wines), and no wines released in 2020 and 2021, Abric admitted there was pressure to get a new wine to market.

‘But in tastings we realised Oriana 2022 was at a point of its lees ageing – a fresh, bright point – where we thought it offered something different.’ So some was bottled as Golden Spur in July 2023 and given a 4g/L (extra brut) dosage after disgorgement in August this year.

Golden Spur stays true to the estate’s signature oxidative style, with first fermentation in open tank and 3% in barrel, followed by full malolactic fermentation in barrel. While more time on lees (and lower dosage, says Abric) will give the eventual Oriana 2022 greater opulence, depth and texture, Golden Spur (£45-£48 Farr Vintners, Hawkins Bros, Weyborne Estate, Wine & Earth) shows a soft, youthful side to flavours of grilled lemon, crab apple and apricot blossom.

Five generations of modern tradition

Ines Salpico

A fascinating masterclass in Lisbon, in late October, took attendees on an epic journey through the long history of storied Douro winery Alves de Sousa.

Led by father and son Domingos and Tiago Alves de Sousa, the lineup included wines going back to 1995. Tiago – who has long established his own reputation as a winemaker and academic – joined the family venture in 2002, and has since taken over technical direction and export management.

Rather than allowing his father to retire, this has built a fruitful intergenerational platform that has eased in gentle stylistic innovation while remaining fiercely deferential to tradition. The result of this dialogue between past and future – founded on a shared curiosity for the (sometimes overlooked) viticultural heritage of the Douro – was on show as the pair talked the audience through canonic labels and more recent additions to the Alves de Sousa portfolio.

In the latter camp are the delicious Rosa Celeste, a Tinto Cão-based oak-aged rosé, and the characterful Memórias (£159.99/magnum Delicias UK), a multi-vintage blend of the best plots and years across each decade – signs of the timeless modernity that Alves de Sousa expresses by remaining unassumingly true to itself.

Vermentino discovery at Vinitaly USA

Clive Pursehouse

Decanter is a media partner with Vinitaly USA, and this October I joined the team in Chicago to host a panel on Italy’s next generation. I was enthralled by one of the wines – a late-harvest botrytised Vermentino di Gallura that is fully dry.

‘We can’t make this every year,’ Rafaelle Gregu of Tenute Gregu explained. Called Pitraia, it comes from a small vineyard in northern Sardinia surrounded by a forest of cork trees and flanked on either side by a river. It’s harvested fully botrytised, then spends 18 months on lees with weekly batonnage.

The 2024 Pitraia Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG has soaring notes of mint and pine sap. It carries an undeniable Mediterranean seaside character of salt and stone, with juicy citrus and stone fruits, and a beguiling texture. It’s unlike any wine I’ve ever tasted. 

Dynamic duo

James Button

Two Italian wineries at the top of their game visited the Decanter offices in September. Altesino from Montalcino was the first to introduce a Montosoli cru bottling, with its inaugural 1972 vintage released in 1975.

Montosoli is a cool hill to the north of the town, where a handful of producers farm about 30 hectares of vines.

The current vintage of Altesino’s Montosoli Brunello di Montalcino, 2020 (£105-£115 Noble Grape, London End Wines, Vinvm), is full of succulent blood orange and ferrous notes, lifted yet with depth. A new Rosso di Montalcino from the hill is due to be released next year, too.

Marchesi di Barolo is a historic winery in the town of Barolo. While Barolo is of course a focus, the estate also makes some delicious wines from the likes of Barbera and Arneis. The Sarmassa Barolo 2019 (£82.80 Millésima) stood out for me, however, with its earthy dried oregano and balsamic herb qualities. Its fine structure, minty acidity and floral finish reflect the elevated, steep, rocky site perfectly.

Graceful Australian Grenache

Julie Sheppard

I first tasted Mark Bulman’s wines at London’s Next Generation Grenache tasting in April – and was immediately blown away.

Bulman was the first person ever to win the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for a Grenache, putting the variety on Australia’s vinous map, back in 2017 when he was working for Turkey Flat.

Now focusing on his own project, he works with just two vineyards in Eden Valley and McLaren Vale’s Blewitt Springs. Both wines are made in exactly the same way, avoiding oxygen throughout the entire process, allowing differences in terroir to sing loud and clear.

‘Grenache is such a good medium to show site. It seems to be a variety that doesn’t have much of an ego by itself, so it’s happy to transform into the site,’ he explained as we tasted the inaugural Bulman vintages at Decanter HQ.

Named after grower Gary Whaite, Gary’s Vineyard 2023 (96pts, £50.60 The Sourcing Table) is made from vines planted in 2007 in Blewitt Spings. It’s detailed and dancing, with Negroni-like herbal aromatics and an intricate palate of crystalline red fruit with Nebbiolo-like tannins.

Glen’s Vineyard 2023 (96pts, £50.60 The Sourcing Table) is named for Glen Monaghan, custodian of a vineyard first planted in 1857 in Eden Valley, and has a more savoury edge, with slatey minerality chasing lifted purple-hued fruit, sprinkled with white pepper spice. What a debut! 

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The Australian wine industry is shocked and saddened by the passing of Yangarra Estate winemaker and general manager Peter Fraser, respected and beloved as one of the leading lights in progressive Australian winemaking.

Fraser, 51, was found dead at the scene of a fire at his home in Clarendon on 27 November.

His list of achievements is long and prestigious, including Australian Winemaker of the Year in 2015 and twice winning Halliday Australian Wine of the Year (for the 2016 High Sands Grenache in 2020 and the 2021 Old Vine Grenache in 2024 – making Yangarra the only winery to win this award twice for the same variety). He was also included this year in the Drinks Business Top 100 Global Winemakers.

Fraser applied keen intelligence to his winemaking, working with precision and accuracy in the winery, although in essence he was a painstaking farmer who knew his vines, soils and region in intricate detail. Visiting Fraser at Yangarra would inevitably lead to him driving you to all parts of the estate, to examine soils and the health of ancient vines, then check on new vine plantings and grafts of superior clones that would influence future vintages.

His understanding of terroir propelled Yangarra onto the world stage as a winery of excellence.

Winemaking career

The son of chicken farmers in McLaren Vale, he graduated from the University of Adelaide as a winemaker in 1994, before working at Woodstock Wines in McLaren Vale, then St Hallett Wines in the Barossa. He also worked vintages in Spain – at Villa Robledo in La Mancha – before returning to McLaren Vale, becoming chief winemaker at Norman’s Winery by the age of 26.

When Jackson Family Wines from California bought Norman’s Clarendon vineyard in 2001 and renamed it Yangarra Estate, they employed Fraser as winemaker to oversee their investment.

From 2005, Fraser took the brave step of reserving a component of Yangarra’s already successful Old Vine Grenache, isolating fruit from the estate’s High Sands block in the Blewett Springs sub-region, to produce McLaren Vale’s first elite single-site Grenache wine. It pre-empted a movement that now sees a score of single-vineyard wines from neighbouring Blewett Springs sites that are also celebrated among the world’s best Grenache expressions.

Only a week ago, Fraser hosted Decanter with a select group of media to taste through a retrospective vertical tasting of Yangarra’s High Sands Grenache from 2010 to 2024, serving as a mesmerising tribute to the careful refinement of this distinctive single-site wine.

‘I always knew this vineyard was something special. I knew I had something that everybody else wanted – and that’s why I have loved every moment of working here,’ he said with a modest smile at the retrospective tasting.

The tasting demonstrated clearly that his sublime talent and attention to detail was continuing to rise, with the 2024 vintage showing exceptional poise; its elegant, delicate bouquet is matched by a palate alive with lithe fruit and vitality.

Such an achievement underlined Fraser’s perfectionist streak, which drove him to take decisive steps in vineyard improvement. He was a leader in biodynamic viticulture, taking Yangarra through certification in 2007, and believed firmly in its impact on vine health and wine quality.

He was also innovative in the winery, maturing elite fruit parcels in ceramic eggs and concrete amphoras – with the Ovitelli range of wines remaining on skins for more than 140 days – to capture a relaxed tannin profile that emphasised suppleness on the palate, while simultaneously emphasising textural complexity.

He also applied his transformative methods to Yangarra Shiraz, achieving a distinctively elegant and supple expression that helps redefine Australian Shiraz.

Fraser’s passion for the natural world extended to a love of animals. He always had dogs and farmed everything from cattle to chickens, but his deepest affection was for horses, and he was an accomplished horseman.

Tributes

Winemaker Stephen Pannell, proprietor of SC Pannell Wines in McLaren Vale, was a close friend of Fraser. ‘Winemaking is often such a competitive area, but we both shared a common love – Grenache. Because of that, we talked endlessly and shared information about everything we did with Grenache, so that we could both make better and better wines, and that’s not common in this game.

‘We had a shared goal, to elevate Blewitt Springs Grenache among the world’s great wines – and I think we are starting to see that this is his legacy. His focus was on making Grenache wines that had tannins and longevity, and that is rare among Australian wines.

‘For the past four years, we went around Australia with David Gleave to promote and educate people about the magic of great Grenache, and through that we formed such a special relationship. I’ve lost such a close friend, confidant and muse.’

D’Arenberg Wines owner and winemaker Chester Osborn knew Fraser for 30 years. ‘He was a delightful person, just a lovely bloke,’ he told The Advertiser newspaper. ‘He was a great winemaker. He was perfecting his style all the time and getting better and better.’

Yangarra Estate paid tribute to Fraser’s work in a statement: ‘For more than 25 years, Pete was the driving force behind Yangarra and was an incredible winemaker, thought leader, mentor, and a defining voice in the industry. All of us who had the privilege of working with him are devastated by this loss. He was deeply loved, and his legacy is profound.’

Fraser is survived by his wife Tessa and two children, Jack and Poppy.

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The summer selection at Sainsbury's is well worth investigating this year, with a recent shake-up in the buying team resulting in a much more interesting wine range. The UK’s second-largest supermarket has clearly been keeping an eye on the competition – as well as the latest trends – introducing a raft of exciting firsts.

Following in the footsteps of Aldi and M&S, Sainsbury's has launched an own-label pét-nat (£12) and an own-label orange wine (£11). ‘Our first Taste the Difference orange wine, offering vibrant peach and citrus peel notes with a subtle pithy texture, is a brilliant introduction to the style and a fresh alternative to summer rosé – ideal with olives and sunny day nibbles,’ says Jono Tiffany, who joined the team last autumn as a product development manager.

The latest sparkling selection also includes a new Blanc de Blancs Champagne (£29.50) and a first-ever own-label Discovery Cap Classique (£13). I've recommended it below, but Graham Beck’s Vintner’s Selection Brut is a worthier choice, at £14.50, if you're a fan of this uniquely South African style.

Discover whites you may not know…

The Discovery collection has much more to offer however, and as usual remains a source of good value, unusual and lesser-known grape varieties and styles to explore.

The new white range includes a Gemischter Satz (£10) – ‘A little-known Austrian style I’m excited to champion,’ says Tiffany. ‘Crisp, sherberty citrus and peach meet delicate florals, making this the ultimate summer white – perfect with simple fish or gently spiced dishes.’

Meanwhile product development manager Lauren Ballantyne, another newcomer to the wine team last September, is championing Discovery Custoza (£8.50). ‘A crisp, elegant white from northern Italy, offering bright citrus and white stone fruit with a clean refreshing finish.’

My top picks include the Discovery Marsanne Roussanne, a textured and characterful wine that’s great for food pairing. It’s made for Sainsbury’s by talented Languedoc winemaker Jean-Claude Mas, who has a hand in most of the Sainsbury's own-label southern French wines – look for his name on labels.

Finding value

Several of the Discovery wines I've recommended below come in at around £10 – or less with a Nectar card. But there are bargains to be found right across the Sainsbury's range. One of my great value picks is the fruity Clearsprings Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa (£7).

Or look to Portugal for a fresh Taste the Difference Vinho Verde white (£7.75) and Lisboa red (£8). Both are great for summer parties and barbecues.

Meanwhile from neighbouring Spain, seek out the Taste the Difference Sherries made for Sainsbury's by top producer Bodegas Lustau, which took all three Platinum medals awarded to Sherry in this year's Decanter World Wine Awards. The bone-dry, savoury fino below is perfect as an aperitif or with tapas – and is also among the most competitively priced wines you’ll currently find on the high street.

Summer sips

And of course it wouldn't be summer without a chilled glass of rosé… A highlight of the new selection is the recently launched Queen Côtes de Provence Rosé. Called Cuvée Rock n’ Roll – what else? – it’s produced by Roger Taylor, the drummer of the legendary band, in association with Provence winery Les Caves du Commandeur.

Only available at Sainsbury's and Waitrose, it makes a nice change from Kylie’s Provence Rosé if you like a pink with star power. At the launch Taylor described it as ideal for drinking ‘on the back of a major yacht in hot weather’ – but we think your back garden will do nicely if you don’t have a yacht…

In a hurry? Here's our 'save or splurge' cheatsheet...

Save when you subscribe to Decanter

Best Sainsbury’s wines to drink now

Tasting notes come from the Sainsbury’s spring/summer 2026 tasting. All bottle prices are correct at time of publication.

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Terra rossa. It’s the dense red, iron-rich soil that defines Coonawarra in South Australia and helped to build its reputation as one of Australia’s top regions for Cabernet Sauvignon.

But it’s not the only one…

David’s pick of the 2022 Coonawarra Cabernet listed below

In recent decades, Margaret River in Western Australia has earned highest praise from critics for its Cabernets. While major international trophies have also been awarded to Cabs from the Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and the Barossa.

Against such fierce competition, Coonawarra producers have renewed their intent to stand at the forefront of Australia’s Cabernet conversation.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate, the region’s oldest winery, established in 1891, places an authoritative stamp on each vintage with an annual event to herald its new premium wines. Wynns Day, on the first Wednesday of May each year, provides a valuable barometer of what changes are at play in Coonawarra.

Two years to remember

Wynns Day has been especially telling with the two most recent vintage releases of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Optimal conditions saw the 2021 Coonawarra vintage celebrated as a milestone, thanks to a long, slow ripening period. It produced grapes with high perfume, concentrated and complex flavours, and superb tannin structure that will ensure elegant cellaring.

Good winter rains and a long, slow grape ripening period also placed high expectations on the 2022 vintage. Wynns’ recently released suite of premium 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon wines show this promise has been realised.

Vintages and vineyards

‘We’ve enjoyed two very even, very well balanced vintages that really suit the Wynns style of medium-bodied, aromatic and fruit-forward wines,’ says Wynns senior winemaker Sue Hodder.

She notes the winery keeps reaping benefits from two decades of vineyard revitalisation achieved by the company’s recently retired viticultural maestro Alan Jenkin.

Large-scale vine improvement processes and redevelopment of Wynns Coonawarra vineyards began in 2002. They inspired many other Coonawarra vignerons to also bulldoze vast tracts of diseased old vineyards and replace them with superior new vines.

Going solo

The improvements have now given rise to some superior single-vineyard wines, best illustrated by Wynns’ Single Vineyard series of elite Cabernet blocks, which in 2022 was the Childs vineyard (a portion of which also goes into the elite multi-block cuvee Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon).

Other wineries have followed suit, with launches that highlight special blocks and stand in stark contrast to blended Cabernets.

They include Parker Estate, releasing its taut, muscular Block 95 Cabernet Sauvignon, and also its First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Scarlet North section of the estate’s large Abbey Block.

Creating new styles

New plantings have introduced impressive new grape clones to the region. Balnaves steered trials of Entav Cabernet and Merlot clones from southern France, which capture the charm and heady fruit perfume of classic Cabernet wrapped in lean muscle.

‘It shows the potential for a new path forward in modern Cabernet style,’ says proprietor Kirsty Balnaves.

Attention to detail in the vineyard is translating to new peaks of excellence in the wines, with the work of stalwart winemakers driving recent offerings forward. Veterans such as Paul Gordon at Leconfield are cleverly reading old-vine assets.

Winemaker Emma Bowen continues the rich and luscious Cabernet style favoured by her father Doug at Bowen Estate. While the Zema family ensure generosity and exuberance in their full-bodied, fruit-driven wines at Zema Estate.

Blended expression

Penfolds approaches its Coonawarra output from a different perspective, having both its own vineyards and purchasing fruit from independent growers, to construct the strongest possible vintage expressions in its Bin 707, Bin 407 and Bin 169 wines.

Penfolds chief winemaker, Peter Gago, holds Coonawarra fruit in special regard. ‘When the vintage conditions are right, Coonawarra Cabernet stands apart as being truly unique and immediately recognisable,’ says Gago.

The other important consideration for Coonawarra Cabernet is its dominant presence in blends, especially premium quality Cabernet/Shiraz wines. These include Penfolds, Yalumba with The Caley, and especially The Redman, a superb flagship blend of 79% Cabernet and 21% Shiraz wine from Redman Wines.

‘It’s an important statement from us, involving the best barrels from the winery, to express both power and elegance by pushing Cabernet’s best attributes to the forefront,’ explains winemaker Dan Redman. ‘It demonstrates just how good Coonawarra Cabernet is.’

Vintage report: Coonawarra 2022

After an even fruit set and mild growing season, the 2022 Coonawarra vintage produced high-quality fruit and good yields. With no prolonged heat waves, the grapes ripened at a steady rate, allowing winemakers to pick at optimum levels for ripeness and flavour.

Cabernet picking concluded in the second half of May, with firm tannins that will translate into wines with good cellaring potential. Cabernet Sauvignon was a standout. According to Wine Australia, the reported crush of Coonawarra wine grapes was 36,122 tonnes in 2022 (down 28% from 2021, but in line with the five-year average crush) at a value of more than AU$40.8 million.

Vinehealth Australia data showed the total vineyard area in Coonawarra as 5,831ha, including 29ha of new plantings in 2021-2022, almost all of them Cabernet Sauvignon.

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2022: 15 top wines to try

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Tantalisingly close to Sydney, yet a world apart, Kangaroo Valley lends its name to both a pretty village and one of Australia’s most beautiful river gorges, carving its way through the verdant and vine-covered slopes of the Southern Highlands in New South Wales.

The picturesque scenery is as exciting as the wine produced here. Lush and dramatic with waterfalls like Fitzroy, Belmore and Gerringong pouring over sheer cliffs; sublime swimming spots such as historic Hampden Bridge (below); and panoramic lookouts over unspoilt leafy landscapes to the glittering ocean.

The rolling countryside and fertile farmland would seem very British if it weren’t for gum trees, kookaburra cackles and (as the name suggests) wild kangaroos, bounding across open pastures.

On the wine trail

Encounters with the marsupials soon became commonplace on our three-day road trip of the Southern Highlands Wine Trail during mellow April, with trees turning autumnal and harvests (including grapes) underway.

Our aim was to discover this area’s increasingly renowned cool climate wines, made from varieties including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. With some sites planted at over 700m, with snow possible in winter, grapes ripen slowly with enhanced flavour and intensity.

For those in the know, Southern Highlands vineyards are closer to Sydney and less frequented than the more famous Hunter Valley further north.

Getting started

Bustling Bowral with its homeware shops, bistros and Dirty Janes antiques emporium, is an ideal base as it can be reached by rail. But with quiet roads and wineries often out in the sticks, it’s also fun to hire a car (although tasting is obviously limited unless you have a teetotal driver).

For those without wheels, a choice of guided wine adventures are available, like Tasting Tours Co, sister to the town’s central Bowral Cellar Door on the quirkily named Bong Bong Street, where outdoor tastings and local artisan snacks can be enjoyed.

Around Berrima

Be sure to stop at Bendooley Estate, Berrima, not least because this winery offers luxury lodgings. On a sunny afternoon, we happily sat at an al fresco table for our bargain AU$15 (£7) person wine tasting, served with appetising charcuterie and cheese platters.

After lunch, we browsed the shelves of Berkelouw Book Barn, doubling as an atmospheric and spacious alternative restaurant venue as popular for celebrations as for coffee, cakes and meals. Arty sculptures among the vines include an Insta-worthy giant corkscrew.

It’s a joy to explore Berrima, a preciously preserved 19th-century village with indy shops, an aroma-filled bakehouse and street-side cafés. PepperGreen Estate, in an ivy-covered heritage building with a vintage truck at the cellar door, produces olive oil and Olive Leaf Gin as well as fine wines. Try the mouthwatering menu of in-house experiences from masterclasses to wining and dining.

Concerts and festivals

We were sorry to have just missed Fatboy Slim perform at nearby Centennial Vineyards, where Tom Jones and Rod Stewart headlined in previous years. The first and only five-star Halliday-recommended winery in the Southern Highlands is thus as famous for its legendary concerts and high teas as it is for its award-winning vintages.

Harvest here lasts from late March to early May (autumn in NSW). But other good times to visit include the Winter Wine Festival in June. Bowral’s Midwinter Festival happens in late July; while the annual Tulip Time Flower Festival runs from September to October and Bong Bong Picnic Race Day is in November.

For more information check out visitnsw.com

My perfect day in Kangaroo Valley

Morning

Kickstart the day with a PepperGreen Estate Sparkling Breakfast Experience in the tasting room at Berrima, quaffing Brut 2018, juice and coffee whilst scoffing caramelised French toast, honeycomb butter, toasted pistachios and vanilla extra virgin olive oil ice cream (from AU$100/£47). Stay for a tasting or pop into the region’s ‘oldest’ winery Joadja, converted from a dairy farm in 1983. Drive through pristine rainforest to Beehive Point to encounter native wildlife including curious wallaroos and water dragons wandering the banks.

Lunch & afternoon

Noon is departure time for the glorious guided Canoes, Cool Climate Wines and Canapés experience in double and reassuringly unsinkable canoe rigs seating four (AU$225/£107). You can easily spend two hours on Kangaroo River, paddling and popping open a surprise sparkling Shiraz from Centennial Vineyards or Two Figs Brut Cuvée NV to sip with tasty sandwiches and quiche in the company of kingfishers and koalas. Then it’s a 20-minute drive to quirky Kangaroo Valley village for refreshment in the historic Friendly Inn’s legendary beer garden before pottering around antique stores, bottle shops and the Pioneer Village Museum.

Evening

Check into Paperbark Camp in Jervis Bay, and say ‘G’day’ to wild kangaroos. Relish an apéritif by the Sundowner Deck’s firepit and spotting shy possums before an imaginative paddock-to-plate dinner paired with regional wines at treetop Gunyah dining room. Be spellbound by the Milky Way, under guidance of Jervis Bay Stargazing on a moonlit beach or while soaking in the private outdoor bathtub of your luxury tent.

Your Kangaroo Valley address book

Where to stay

Bendooley Estate

Enjoy picturesque lakeside, valley and vineyard views from luxurious accommodation in studios or two- and three-bedroom cottages.

Wildes Boutique Hotel

Spacious studios and suites with private courtyard or balcony, a restaurant, bar, pool and attractive outdoor terrace at this friendly Kangaroo Valley hostelry.

Paperbark Camp

Inspired by African safaris, this upmarket, eco-friendly glamping site near Jervis Bay has en-suite, all-mod-con tents with baths under the stars, and candlelit, treetop dining.

Where to eat

Leo’s by Night

Located at Bendooley Estate’s Cellar Door, this memorable dining experience combines exquisite flavours with a welcoming ambiance enhanced by crackling fireplaces and a home-grown wine list.

The Friendly Inn

Hearty Aussie pub grub in one of the region’s oldest (1891) and most characterful bars. There’s also a bottle shop and perhaps the world’s best beer garden offering panoramic sunset views over Kangaroo Valley.

The Gunyah

Aboriginal for ‘meeting place’, treetop dining focuses on seasonality and sustainability elevating bush tucker to new heights with a curated selection of regional wines.

How to get there

The nearest international airport is Sydney, from where you can drive in around 90 minutes to Bowral via the M5 or catch a direct train (pre-book in advance) from Central Station, taking 1.5 hours. Slower trains via Campbelltown are also available.

For a more leisurely road trip, visit the Blue Mountains en route, for the unique Buunyal Tour and Scenic World attractions.Then follow the M31 to Bowral. It’s just another 30-minute scenic drive south to Kangaroo Valley, from where you can return to Sydney via Jervis Bay with its white sand beaches and dolphin cruises along the dramatic coastal road.

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Margaret River 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon vintage rating: 5/5

A classic year for Cabernet, slightly on the warmer side; aromatics and vibrancy coupled with structure to go the distance.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The 2021 and 2022 vintages in Margaret River were like chalk and cheese when it comes to Cabernet.

Across the board, 2022 was a great year in Margaret River. It didn’t matter which end of the 213,000ha region you looked at.

From the northernmost vineyards in Yallingup, through to the southernmost plantings in Karridale (about 100km away), the conditions provided minimum challenges to vignerons and ideal ripening conditions for Margaret River’s Cabernet-based red wines.

Fifty-five wines were submitted in this category, and those not included in the final report were largely still good, if not very good, wines.

Those wines that reached greater heights offered finesse and complexity, elegance and nuance, vibrant acidity and fully ripe tannins, as well as a distinct personality in the glass. Of course, wines must also be balanced, have sizeable length and a well-defined structure.

We are talking about Cabernet, after all. If I were to define 2022 in one sentence, it would be highly aromatic and well-structured with plenty of vibrancy.

Pure Cabernet potential

‘Great wines don’t come from perfect weather. They come from consistent flowering, healthy vines, and harmony in the vineyard,’ says Cullen Wines’ Vanya Cullen.

While the season was warm, it was largely a calm one for Cabernet growers, thanks to an even pace of development from flowering, to uniform fruit set and on to a warm summer.

Keith Mugford at Moss Wood adds: ‘On Boxing Day, the temperature hit 41.2°C, our hottest day since 1985, followed by a balmy 24°C night. It was a summer of extremes. Despite the heat, ripening remained steady.’

These drier conditions assisted with disease pressure and a good concentration of flavour in the fruit, and with the ability for winemakers to make considered decisions.

‘We let the fruit hang a little longer in 2022, intentionally, to build flavour. Acidity holds in Margaret River, so we could afford to wait,’ says Flametree Wines’ Cliff Royale.

For Phil Hutchison, Senior Winemaker at Leeuwin Estate, the key word for the 2022 vintage is consistency. He explains: ‘2022 gave us one of the most consistent Cabernet harvests in recent memory. Everything just lined up: the weather, the ripeness, the tannin.’

It’s a word also used by Domaine Naturaliste’s Bruce Dukes, who says: ‘2022 was a clean, consistent year. No real pest pressure, no extreme heat, no rush, just pure Cabernet potential.’

Decanter vintage ratings – Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 3/5: A cooler year with summer rain. Still, wines of beauty and understated elegance from those who were proactive in vineyard management.

2020 5/5: A benchmark year. Near-perfect conditions for Cabernet, it would have taken mismanagement to miss the mark.

2019 4/5: A slightly cooler year, with great, elegant wines of nuanced complexity, starting to shine with time in the bottle.

2018 5/5: Another of the most recent great, classic years in Margaret River. A mild spring followed by a warm and consistent summer ensured good yields and great flavour.

2017 4/5: Slightly cooler conditions with no heat extremes. The best wines are finely detailed and show finesse and longevity.

Vintage comparisons

The vintage has been compared to several other classic vintages, including 2018. ‘It’s probably not as structural,’ says Hutchison. ‘It’s not a blockbuster year, it’s a classical year. And those are often the ones that stand the test of time.’

‘It reminds me of 2019 or even 2012 – a vintage that may not shout early on, but will go the distance in the cellar,’ explains Cherubino.

It’s also a vintage that has taken time to find its voice. ‘It was a quiet vintage,’ explains Cullen. ‘Not loud and showy, but deeply expressive if you take the time to listen.’

Good things come to those who wait, as they say, and the 2022 Cabernets are drinking beautifully at this point.

Stylistic evolutions

While there are regional and producer differences, overall these wines show a more youthful approachability and less oak influence than previous years.

‘Our 2022 Cabernet didn’t see any new oak at all; it just didn’t need it,’ states Cherubino.

A vintage of excellence means less work in the winery.

Fraser Gallop’s Ellin Tritt (pictured, above) sums it up: ‘It was one of those vintages that just flowed. No big challenges, just a joy to work with. The tannins were ripe, the berries were concentrated, and the wines are looking fabulous now.’

Click here for more reviews of the Margaret River 2022 Cabernet Sauvignons

Margaret River 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon

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Margaret River 2023 Chardonnay vintage rating: 5+/5

A ‘perfect’ year for Chardonnay, unanimously considered to be one of the greatest vintages of the past decade.

Chardonnay 2023

If 2022 was a great year for Margaret River Chardonnay, then 2023 proved to be exceptional, thanks to consistent quality across the board.

Wineries that craft reliably excellent wines continued to do so, while ‘solid’ producers were gifted brilliant conditions to elevate their wines.

From a total of 73 wines submitted for tasting, an astonishingly high proportion achieved gold medal level (95-points in Decanter terms) or higher.

And while we can only publish a selection of them here, it’s worth noting that few entries were lower than a silver (90-94pts).

I don’t consider myself a generous scorer, but I’ve given these wines multiple passes and found them expressive, powerful, textural and complex, with persistence and an excellent line of fruit.

Looking for nuance

Undoubtedly, the 2023 Chardonnays are some of the Margaret River region’s best yet – and it’s a vibrant vintage in its youth. I’ve tasted some of these previously, and they’ve unfurled further with just a few more months in bottle.

While many possess fruit sweetness, delicacy and power, in tasting them I was particularly on the lookout for nuance.

Chardonnay is often referred to as a ‘winemaker’s grape’ for good reason, so a diversity of style is justified, as long as there is respect for the fruit, a sense of place in the wine, balance, harmony and clarity.

Margaret River doesn’t struggle for acidity (especially when the Gingin clone is concerned), and philosophies vary on malolactic fermentation, oak regimes and the use of solids in the winemaking process.

Regardless of philosophy, the techniques and choices in the winery should enhance rather than distract, and integrate to complete the wine’s story.

The greatest iterations have an unbreakable harmony and seamlessness to them.

Decanter vintage ratings – Margaret River Chardonnay

2022 5/5: A fantastic year on the warmer side. Effortless, though picking dates proved crucial and yields varied.

2021 4/5: The best wines are outstanding, however there were challenges with rain events and labour shortages due to COVID-19 which didn’t ensure a smooth vintage for all.

2020 5/5: An early, warm, and dry vintage with little disease or pest pressure. Low yields and high quality meant allocations were tight for those in demand.

2019 4/5: A late vintage and little Marri blossom proved challenging for yields, however cooler conditions favoured Chardonnay with intense fruit and acid retention.

2018 4/5: A classic, warm and dry year, providing long hang time. Cabernet Sauvignon really shone this year, but Chardonnay wasn’t far behind.

Conditions & comparisons

While Margaret River is lucky to enjoy a relatively consistent Mediterranean-type climate, the term ‘dream vintage’ has been used by multiple winemakers for 2023. ‘It’s probably one of the standout vintages of the last 25 years,’ says Larry Cherubino of Cherubino Wines.

Growing conditions were near perfect, with even flowering, consistent fruit set and moderate summer temperatures allowing gentle and even ripening.

There were no weather events, there was low disease and pest pressure, decent yields, a wet spring and well-timed top-up rains.

In comparison to other recent vintages, Cliff Royale of Flametree Wines explains: ‘2022 sits just behind 2023 (see vintage box below). Not because it wasn’t good, just because 2023 was exceptional.’

‘We’ve had three great vintages in a row – 2021, 2022, 2023 – ascending in terms of concentration of fruit and balance,’ adds Vanya Cullen of Cullen Wines (pictured, below).

‘2023 had elegance, balance and fruit power, and was great straight away. Whereas 2022 was more reserved.’

‘2023 was a graceful vintage,’ concludes Phil Hutchison, Leeuwin Estate. ‘I think it showcases this beautiful fruit purity, beautiful aromatics.

‘It’s one of those vintages that is going to be talked about a lot more down the track. It will easily be in the top five of the last 20 years, without doubt.’

Looking ahead

Margaret River is a wine region that produces two per cent of the nation’s total wine production, yet this is almost all premium production.

There’s no question that Margaret River is a name that should shine on the international stage.

However, let’s remember that premium does not equal heavy. One evolution I would like to see continue is that of lighter bottles on the tasting table.

While several wineries have made the jump to lightweight, there is scope for the figure to increase substantially in the coming years.

Click here for more reviews of the Margaret River 2023 Chardonnays

Margaret River 2023 Chardonnay

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Warren and Gillian Lilleyman had no idea what they were doing when they planted a vineyard in Margaret River in southwest Western Australia in 1988.

The first vines in the region had only gone in the ground two decades earlier.

Like the region’s pioneer Tom Cullity, Warren was a doctor – an amateur enthusiast with no prior experience in the world of wine. And yet the couple – who live next to the vineyard and still own it – planted a near-perfect parcel of vines.

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Maintaining a rich legacy

‘They just nailed it,’ says Theo Truyts – he and his wife Clare Trythall are the current custodians of the 2.7ha site.

Although the Lilleymans received some guidance from Dr Mike Peterkin (who founded nearby Pierro winery and planted the first vines there in 1980), there seems to have been a lot of luck involved.

Perched on a gentle slope, with richer soils at the foot turning into poorer gravel-loam as you cross the vineyard, it sits at the northwestern edge of Wooditjup National Park, not far outside the town of Margaret River itself.

The vines, many of which are now more than 35 years old, are producing exceptional fruit – in particular Chardonnay (all GinGin, the most common clone in Margaret River, which produces berries of various sizes, lending particular concentration and complexity to wine), but also tiny parcels of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Semillon.

Right place, right time

But the vineyard very nearly disappeared. For a decade, it was leased by Pierro, where Theo used to work, and he saw the quality of fruit the site produced year in, year out.

When he heard in May 2019 that Pierro was giving it up, the vineyard’s fate was uncertain.

The site is painstaking to farm, with the relatively tight 1m x 1.8m vine spacing (reflective of Peterkin’s approach at Pierro) meaning that everything has to be done by hand.

‘It’s just close enough that you can’t do anything with a machine,’ says Theo, laughing. And the age of the vines means the yields are low. Few find such a challenge economically appealing. Theo, however, did.

He firmly believed that it was an important part of Margaret River’s wine heritage that shouldn’t be lost.

Clare evidently knew what was coming (‘You were primed,’ she says, smiling as she recalls her husband’s predictability) and together they decided to take the plunge: they signed the lease, thereby securing the site’s future, and created Trait Wines with the 2019 vintage.

Hard graft

Born in South Africa, Theo has made wine around the world (his impressive CV includes names such as Yves Cuilleron in the northern Rhône, Hartford Family in California and Vasse Felix in Margaret River, alongside Pierro) and settled in Margaret River for good after meeting Clare, who’s British but was born in Japan and spent her early years in Asia, with parents in the shipping trade.

Theo still works full-time at Wildberry Springs, while Clare remains a doctor in emergency medicine – and then there’s the small matter of three young boys and Bertie, the adorably scruffy Labradoodle that completes the family.

Soon after they took the site on, the pandemic hit – not exactly easing them into the project. In late 2020, Theo, Clare and her sister Laura grafted 0.3ha of Sauvignon Blanc over to Chardonnay by hand.

Without the usual influx of labour at the subsequent harvest, Clare recruited medical students to come help pick, bussing them in from Busselton further north. Theo set to work nurturing the site and its soils, which are already showing a notable uptick in health.

The Trait approach is, in a word, ‘pragmatic’: working with what they can to make the most of the vineyard, which is almost entirely worked by hand.

They’re buying in additional parcels to make a little red and rosé, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, so far, to complement the whites made from their own vines.

The winemaking is, Theo tells me, ‘supersimple’. Everything they do is about letting the site shine through – while also wanting to make sure that their wines can age.

Proudly independent

Trait doesn’t have its own winery – the wines are currently made at Aravina Estate in Yallingup.

Theo and Clare are not bankrolled by other ventures or outside investors; the funding here is all blood, sweat and tears. Pair all of that with a special vineyard and you have something rather extraordinary.

The way in which the duo talks about the vineyard and the winemaking reveals just how much they care about the project – and how much they’re pouring into it.

And the results are already exciting. They may only be producing 10,000 bottles a year in all, but the wines are rapidly earning a reputation in Australia – and soon, no doubt, beyond.

Trait Wines’ flagship Chardonnay:

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Surrounded by water on three sides, Mornington Peninsula is undeniably a maritime wine region. The cool coastal climate plays a significant role in the styles of wine produced here. But there’s more to Mornington than sandy beaches and sea breezes.

Located 70km south of Melbourne – about an hour’s drive away – Mornington is one of 21 wine regions in the state of Victoria, nestled in the southeastern corner of Australia. At 976ha, it’s not the largest, but it certainly overdelivers when it comes to wine quality, producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 14 superb wines from Mornington Peninsula

‘Mornington is a very special part of Australia,’ says winemaker Martin Spedding, owner of Ten Minutes by Tractor. ‘It’s obviously right at the very bottom of mainland Australia. It’s got the Southern Ocean on one side: Bass Strait. It’s surrounded by water with Port Phillip Bay and the western port, so it has a very maritime climate,’ he adds.

‘For a very small region, it’s got an incredibly diverse landscape, and that difference in altitude, in aspect, the influence of the water bodies that sit around the peninsula, they really create an incredibly rich tapestry of terroir – which from a Pinot and Chardonnay perspective is fantastic.’

Cool customer

Three bodies of water border the Peninsula. Port Phillip Bay lies on the west side, Western Port Bay is on the east and Bass Strait lies at the bottom. With no vineyard in the area more than 7km away from the ocean and crisp coastal breezes blowing all year round, it’s no wonder that the climate is cool. Indeed, the mean temperature in January – the warmest month of the year – is just 19.3℃.

This comparative coolness means that disease pressure is low in the region. It also helps to create a long and balanced growing season for vines. The maritime influence means the risk of spring frost is also very low, so early-ripening varieties flourish in the mild summer and autumn, producing grapes packed with fruit flavour and with high natural acidity.

In addition, Mornington Peninsula lies at a relatively low latitude for viticulture (38° 35’S) meaning that light during the growing season is abundant and intense. As a result vineyards require careful canopy management and grapes tend to develop thicker skins, which affects the tannins and colour of the final wines.

Down to earth

The maritime climate is just one contributing factor to Mornington Peninsula’s unique terroir. Its geology and topography are also distinctive. The ridges and rolling hills of the peninsula were shaped by volcanic activity 60 million years ago and subsequent seismic shifts over the last 15 million years.

Growers in the region refer to sites being ‘up the hill’ or ‘down the hill’. Tim Perrin, chief winemaker at Kooyong and Port Philip Estate explains. ‘Elevation is not huge, but Red Hill is the hill we speak of, and Main Ridge. They’re the two grape-growing areas that we refer to as up the hill. Then everything else down back towards Melbourne is lower elevation, down the hill.’

Soil profiles change with elevation. ‘Soils up in Red Hill and Main Ridge are more red volcanic from extinct volcanos; they become more sort of sedimentary limes as we come back down the hill towards more northern parts of the peninsula,’ says Perrin.

Geologically, Mornington Peninsula’s ancient soils are very diverse. They range from yellow and brown soils over friable rock to well-drained clay soils; from volcanic red clay to deep, fertile sandy soils. This geological patchwork has been explored and mapped by the region’s growers, helping them to identify unique microsites – often within one single vineyard.

Early days

Although winemaking history in Mornington stretches as far back as the late 1800s, the story of wine production in the modern era took off in the 1970s. Most of the region’s oldest vines date to this time. ‘Some plantings even go back before that,’ says Spedding. ‘But in terms of the last century, you’re talking of the 1970s.’

‘If you look at current plantings that still exist, you’d look at the Myer family with Elgee Park,’ says Rollo Crittenden of Crittenden Estate. Mornington Peninsula’s oldest winery, Elgee Park was founded in 1972.

‘In the late 70s at Main Ridge Estate, Nat White was probably one of the first small commercial producers who had Pinot Noir,’ he adds.

Small is beautiful

Today Pinot Noir accounts for 49% of the region’s plantings, followed by Chardonnay at 27%. After those, Pinot Gris is the most widely planted grape (13%), with small amounts of other varieties including Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc (see At a glance box below).

In fact ‘small’ is the watchword for Mornington Peninsula. Thanks to that geological and topographical patchwork, the region has developed as a network of around 200 small-scale vineyards, most of which are family-run. These boutique producers are by their nature focused on attention to detail.

The result is a community of winemakers who have become increasingly committed to sustainable and regenerative viticulture, single-vineyard expression and low-intervention winemaking. Backed by solid technical know-how, they are pushing for pristine fruit quality to produce terroir-driven wines that require minimal handling in the winery.

In the glass

For wine lovers this pursuit translates into a range of Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that can easily rival classic benchmark styles from Burgundy – but for a fraction of the price. Expressive and elegant, they show considered balance between minerality and fruit, all underpinned by that distinctive cool climate freshness.

Some can already claim to cult status; the best regularly appear on the winner’s podium at global wine competitions. Most recently Moorooduc Estate’s Robinson Chardonnay 2022 scooped a gold at Decanter World Wine Awards 2025.

As vines get older and understanding of individual sites deepens, these wines will only get better. Vertical tastings are already proving the long-term cellaring potential of top ageworthy expressions. Personally I can’t wait to see what lies over the horizon for this distinctive maritime region as it sails into the future.

Mornington Peninsula at a glance

Vineyard area: 976ha

Plantings: 59% red, 41% white

Grapes: Pinot Noir (49%), Chardonnay (27%), Pinot Gris (13%), Shiraz (4%), Sauvignon Blanc (2%), others, including Tempranillo and Gamay (5%)

Production: 1,863 tonnes annual crush in 2024

Climate: Maritime

Number of vineyards: 200

Number of wineries: 60

Source: Wine Australia Region Snapshot 2023-2024

Mornington Peninsula: 14 wines to try

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As we wade through the sticky, sultry dog days of summer, the allure of cool and refreshing drinks becomes not just more tantalising, but necessary.

And perhaps you’re currently feeling a little jaded by just the one style of wine you’ve been drinking over the past few weeks, too hot and bothered to muster up the brain power to try anything else.

A long, hot summer can be an awfully long time to constantly drink just the one rosé after all.

So if you’re stuck in a summer rut, here are three top tips to find something else to shake up your summer evenings and languid days by the pool.

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1. Wines made by the sea

It sounds obvious or perhaps rather silly, but wines made from coastal regions really do seem to have the juice when it comes to the best styles of wines for summer sipping.

Is it the varieties’ intrinsic nature? Does proximity to the sea really give them a salty tang?

Are winemakers in these areas just more clued-in to the style of wines that work best with your feet in the sand and the roar of the surf in your ears?

Maybe a mix of it all?

Either way, there’s no doubt that if you want a great wine for the summer, think of places beside the sea as a good starting place.

There are loads of wines which just scream summer and beach holidays, accompanied by fresh seafood.

There’s Vinho Verde from northern Portugal, Txakoli from Spain’s Basque country, Muscadet from the Loire.

Heading into the Mediterranean we have the refreshing salty lick of Manzanilla Sherry, the herbal freshness of Xarel-lo in Catalonia, brisk Picpoul de Pinet and pale rosé from the southern French coast, stony Vermentino from Sardinia and Tuscany and the kaleidoscope of varieties from the Greek islands.

2. The faraway Mediterranean

And that’s just Europe we’ve been talking about. But don’t forget that much of the winemaking world operates on the same principals and proximity to the ocean in the warmer climes of the Americas, Africa and Antipodes is often essential to help moderate the temperature.

As such, a great many non-European regions are also seaside wines par excellence.

This is particularly true when many of these Mediterranean-esque regions are also producing wines made from grape varieties you’d expect to find in Europe, such as Albariño – which has seen an increase in worldwide plantings in recent years.

Large chunks of California, the Chilean littoral, the Cape in South Africa, Western and South Australia and the islands of New Zealand are great places for crisp and refreshing whites made from Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Semillon and so forth.

3. Beyond Provence

Finally, a word on rosé. Provence set the bar years ago with its brilliantly pale and limpid pinks.

These boosted rosé from being one of the has-been afterthoughts of global viticulture to a runaway hype-train of luxury labels and copycats.

But popularity comes at a price and Provence is now at a premium. However, you don’t have to look far to find wines that are essentially identical.

Both the nearby Languedoc and Roussillon produce extremely delicious rosés in much the same style as Provence and with the same grapes but for a fraction of the price.

Indeed, such has been the impact of pale Provence rosé, that around Europe and the world, you can now find your desire for chillable pink fulfilled by pretty much every country and region mentioned above.

Remember that Liz Gabay MW gives us a rundown each year not only of her pick of the latest Provence rosé releases, but her selection of the best rosés from around the world.

Below is a selection perfect summer white and rosé wines that have been tasted recently by the Decanter team or one of our esteemed experts.

With any luck it’ll give you some extra inspiration for something new to put in the fridge before the summer is through.

Decanter Cellar: 25 white and rosé wines for summer

Wines are listed white then rosé in score order

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Sweeping beaches gleam with pristine waves gently rolling over the shores of this calm island festooned with vineyards, off the coast of Auckland. On arrival, the slow pace leads to instant decompression, with nature unfurling widescreen splendour across cosy corners and epic vistas that never seem too busy, even in peak summertime.

Waiheke, whose original Māori name, Te Motu Arai Roa, means ‘the long sheltering island’, feels like a place of refuge – and at less than 20km long, it’s delightfully simple to navigate. For winery visits, there’s enough variety to fill a whole week or a weekend, depending on your schedule.

Either way, don’t miss Man O’ War, a cellar door with a jaw-dropping setting by the beach in Man O’ War Bay and vertiginous vineyards redolent of Alsace-by-the-sea. You can drive there, take the hop-on-hop-off bus or go by boat (tickets via explore group, depart from Auckland’s Viaduct harbour). The beach is one that Captain Cook once eyed for kauri trees from which to make masts for his ships. The atmosphere on arrival is high-quality and informal.

Man O’ War is known for its Bordeaux blends, such as top-level Tytti (‘too-tee’) 2019. But for me, the wine of the tasting, for both value and deliciousness, was the Dreadnought Syrah 2021.

The Forest Flight ziplining experience through the forest gives sublime views and is marshalled impeccably. It’s easy to book in advance through the winery’s website. Flying over the trees back down to the coast was the highlight of my visit to the island.

DJs and zero dosage

More centrally located and easily accessible from the main Onetangi Road is Soho Family Vineyards. This boutique cellar door is all about fun, reflected in its strikingly cool wine labels. For walk-ins of up to six people there’s no need to book. With great tunes in the afternoons, the coolest t-shirts in the trade, Asian fusion food and wines named after pop culture icons (think Jagger Pinot Gris) its informality is a delight. Look out for owner Rachael Carter’s delightful sheepadoodle Dusty, sometimes to be found in the DJ booth.

This is a place to soak up some sunshine, revel in the ‘entertain not explain’ ethos and sip scrumptious rosé. Wine highlights include the zero dosage Mara Méthode Rosé Brut 2022 and Westwood 2024 – the latter a joyful rosé to match the vibe.

For a complete contrast, a few moments up the hill is Te Motu, famed for holding back its wines until they’re fully mature – some for 25 years – before serving them in its stunningly beautiful restaurant garden overlooking the vineyards of Onetangi valley. Vertical tastings are available seven days a week and the quality in the glass is magical.

Founder Paul Dunleavy bought the vineyard site when he was just 31, leaving corporate life in his 50s to focus on Te Motu. Working together with his son Rory, the sense of treating wine as legacy is palpable – not just in holding back vintages to mature before release (all under cork) – but in their sense of mutual devotion to the craft of wine. ‘To make wines like this, we take risks,’ says Paul as I sip his Kuikui 2019, sourced from low-yielding Syrah vines. Its spicy finesse, fragrance of inky violets and vivacity made it one of the most compelling wines of my trip.

Lees lover

If there’s one wine name that’s worth memorising to seek out in Waiheke it’s Kelly Washington. Husband-and wife duo Tamra Kelly-Washington and Simon Kelly set out to produce wines using grapes from fastidious growers on Waiheke. They aim only to deal with single-plot sites with old vines at high altitude and high-density planting. All must be sustainably and organically or biodynamically farmed.

I’ve long been a fan of their Waiheke Syrah, which I source from The Wine Society in the UK. They don’t have a cellar door, but Waiheke is their home and you’ll come across their wines on a whole stack of the local lists.

Stylistically, Tamra’s wines are linked by her love of lees. She told me: ‘I never get rid of them until the last point.’ This leads to a silkiness across her red, white and rosé range that delivers elegant and enchanting wines.

Passage Rock is a dreamy setting for lovers of fine wood and high-quality cooking. With a sea view surrounded by vines, the restaurant is welcoming and relaxing, while dishes are next-level. Chef Alexander Blee tells me he cooks ‘clean, honest, pure dishes with quality ingredients from Waiheke. The whole idea is to support David’s wine; wine needs to be the star.’

That David is winemaker David Evans, who tends to pick a few weeks later than everyone else on the island. This gives his wines opulence as well as balance. ‘I trust my land,’ he told me. ‘You can’t rush nature.’ His Sauvignon Blanc is pitch-perfect with a platter of local Pacific oysters, but don’t miss his world-class Viognier. As for reds, his selection of Syrah is worth the plane ticket to New Zealand alone – and offers categoric proof that reds can mature under screwcap. Although my heart was lost to David’s Syrah, his Cabernets are top level, too. As he puts it: ‘Syrah is reliable every year; in the great years Cabernet pisses all over it.’

What I love most about Waiheke is encapsulated right there: world-class wines in the most relaxed, informal settings; new friends easily made; and beaches and landscapes to make your eyes glow in their sockets. It’s this simple: book your flight.

My perfect day on Waiheke Island

Morning

Start the day with a visit to Man O’ War, for a wine tasting by the beach, then lunch. I highly recommend the Forest Flight zipline experience – truly incredible views over the island’s coastline stretching for miles on a clear day. The flora and fauna, from ferns to giant kauri trees – even the odd stick insect – are also awe-inspiring.

Afternoon

After lunch, take a taxi or hop on a bus to Passage Rock for an afternoon tasting. Better still, you can walk the 9.4km from Man O’War to Passage Rock as part of the Te Ara Hura trail, a 100km walking adventure around Waiheke. For all the details on this walk and others, visit Walk Waiheke. I’d go so far as to say that Passage Rock should be dubbed ‘Condrieu-on-Sea’ for the plushness and lavish quality of the local Viogner. The reds, too, are fulsome and ripe – the Reserve Syrah is a must-taste. The food is spectacular if you’re up for snacks or even an early dinner, but booking is essential.

Evening

For more tasting, pre-book a taxi and head to Te Motu for a feast overlooking the vines alongside magical mature Waiheke wines. For a lighter bite, head to The Oyster Inn overlooking Oneroa Bay, for some of the island’s best seafood. Pair outrageously fresh local oysters and vibrant kingfish crudo with a glass of Kelly Washington Rosé 2024. Stay the night at Cable Bay Views and wake up to some of the most gorgeous vistas on the island.

How to get there

From Auckland’s Downtown Ferry Terminal, the crossing to Waiheke takes 40 minutes with Fullers 360 as a foot passenger. There are 21 sailings daily. To travel with a vehicle, Sealink Ferries takes an hour and there are seven sailings every day. Tickets and information can be found at Fullers and Sealink.

Your Waiheke address book

Accommodation

Cable Bay Views, Oneroa

Spotless modern studios with gorgeous floor-to-ceiling glass looking out over Waiheke’s wonderful landscape.

The Boatshed, Oneroa

A boutique, chic and luxurious hotel just above the beach at Oneroa.

Waiheke Waterfront Lodge, Oneroa

A five-star modern hotel that enjoys beautiful views over Huruhi Bay.

Restaurants

Casita Miro, Onetangi

Stylish cellar door restaurant specialising in locally sourced tapas dishes.

The Heke, Onetangi

A family-friendly option where you can also enjoy drinks from Waiheke Brewery Co and Waiheke Whisky.

Three Seven Two, Onetangi

Multi-award-winning, right across from Onetangi beach with a huge spread of dishes (named for the first three digits of the Waiheke phone number).

Activities

EcoZip Adventures, near Onetangi

If you don’t do the zipline activity at Man O’ War, this three-hour experience takes you over native forests and vineyards.

Waiheke Community Art Gallery

Always has a range of exhibitions and programs from around New Zealand.

Waiheke Distilling Co, Cowes Bay

Its signature Spirit of Waiheke gin is famed throughout the island. Tour the distillery then settle in for a tasting and food.

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The 175th anniversary of Bleasdale winery shines necessary light on one of Australia’s most significant yet least celebrated wine regions of renown – Langhorne Creek.

The region is located in the southern reaches of South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, near the mouth of Australia’s longest river, the Murray River.

This big, bountiful district has broad alluvial soils that benefit from irrigation off flooding local rivers during winter.

Scroll down for 10 wines from Langhorne Creek

It has provided grapes that characterise the generous, open-hearted flavours beloved in some of Australia’s most popular commercial wines – such as Wolf Blass Wines – but mostly kept anonymous as a secret blending agent.

Bleasdale has led the charge to change this perception…

Starting out

The Langhorne Creek region’s potential was first realised by Frank Potts, a young carpenter and surveyor’s assistant who was among the first English settlers to arrive in South Australia in 1836.

After travelling south from the fledgling city of Adelaide to find his own patch of land, Potts signed the deed to a 48.5ha property on the banks of the Bremer River in 1850.

Planting Shiraz and Verdelho vines, he established Bleasdale to make fortified wines that were exported to England.

Since then, Langhorne Creek has produced wine grapes on a vast scale – across 5,800ha – making it larger than McLaren Vale.

It flourished after a surge of vine planting in the 1970s and again through the 1990s, but this also brought challenges to shift from the initial pursuit of tonnage to instead pursue excellence.

Hidden in plain sight

Such abundance saw 75% of the annual harvest sold to companies outside the region, though it rarely saw Langhorne Creek credited on wine labels.

Most famously, Barossa-based Wolf Blass Wines won consecutive Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophies – the premium accolade of the annual Melbourne Royal Wine Awards, for one-year-old red wine – for its Cabernet-Shiraz blend in 1974, 1975 and 1976, thanks to the ripe roundness of Langhorne Creek fruit that supplied the generous belly of these wines.

The wins sparked a rush of outsider winery buyers wanting access to this ‘secret’ ingredient for superior red wine blends, but this change in fortune also saw more Langhorne Creek growers retain fruit for their own wine brands.

Changing fortunes

Bleasdale led the charge, making the most of its historical vines that had been bolstered by significant plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Malbec vines, which remain a core asset to the winery today.

The turning point in Langhorne Creek’s fortunes came when Bleasdale issued its first single-vineyard wines from the 2010 vintage. This raised the price of Bleasdale’s top-tier wine from AU$30 to AU$90 (£14 to £44).

‘We saw value as being the key to selling our wines, but compared to the wider commercial market, we greatly under-valued our wines for far too long,’ says Robbie Potts, co-proprietor and brand ambassador, who started working in the Bleasdale vineyards in 1980.

‘I think that robbed us of the respect we deserved,’ he adds.

Robbie is the fifth-generation Potts family member at the helm of Bleasdale, which has won 50 Australian wine show trophies in the past decade.

Stepping up

Other longstanding grape-growing families also began to see opportunities. The Adams family, owners of the famous Metala vineyard, planted in 1891, formed the Brothers in Arms label to sell their own wines.

They have also revived the Metala wine brand, which was owned for many decades by Treasury Wine Estates but bought back by the Adams family in 2022.

The Case family followed a similar line, establishing Kimbolton Wines in 1998 and building a solid reputation on outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

They also experimented, taking the plunge to graft Montepulciano onto some Shiraz vines.

Not only has the variety provided some exciting new wines, but it also hints at the role alternative grape varieties could play in shaping Langhorne Creek’s viticultural future.

In the vineyards

Changes to viticulture in the region elevated success in many Langhorne Creek wines, as noted by former winemaker Paul Hotker.

He led the Bleasdale winemaking team for 17 years until 2024 and won Bleasdale its own Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for the 2018 Wild Fig Shiraz-Grenache-Mataro blend.

‘When I first came to work in Langhorne Creek, having moved from Western Australia, I held a very positive perception about the vineyards’ potential to make amazing wines.

But there were several obstacles – over-cropping, traces of salinity in the water,’ says Hotker.

‘One by one, these problems have been overcome, and there is a shared understanding among all the winemakers in Langhorne Creek to strive for quality by chasing specific criteria. It has meant stronger communication between growers and winemakers, and clearer understanding of this region’s great assets,’ he adds.

‘This region’s investment in research and development is huge – on sourcing the best clones and varieties, pest management, GPS mapping and water usage – because our focus is on continued excellence and improvement.’

Malbec takes centre stage

Bleasdale’s new crop of celebration wines, constructed to mark the winery’s 175th anniversary, are fitting examples of this progression.

The new super-premium Mainsail Malbec 2022 – named to honour the seafaring and boat-building heritage of founder Frank Potts – recognises the Potts family’s long-held belief that their ancient-vine Malbec can be celebrated as a single-variety wine of the highest order.

Originally planted for use as a blending agent in fortified wines, Malbec was the first table wine that Bleasdale produced in 1961.

It has since become the distinctive standout variety of the winery and the Langhorne Creek region.

For Nicole Brasier, appointed as senior winemaker at Bleasdale in December 2024, working with Malbec is one of the main reasons she applied to join the winery.

‘We have our own Potts clone of Malbec – that’s how unique it is,’ says Brasier.

‘Yes, our Malbec has great strength of flavour, but we pick the fruit so that it always captures freshness and vibrancy. The Bleasdale style is always made with restraint so that the fruit carries all the power – not the oak or the tannins, but instead that delicious even flow of supple flavours.’

Cabernet character

Other celebration wines released in Bleasdale’s 175th year include a nine-year-old fortified Verdelho and three different commemorative magnums of 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Each represents different fruit parcels and oak maturation treatment: The Celebration Magnum (AU$75/£36), the Anniversary Magnum (AU$125/£60) and the Limited Release Magnum (AU$175/£85).

‘Cabernet is definitely the unsung hero of this region,’ says Brasier.

‘It’s never mentioned in the first breath of great Australian Cabernet regions, but Langhorne Creek has something very distinctive of its own. It has unique drive, supported by elongated tannins with a chalky edge, and such a plush character. It’s so easy to fall in love with these wines.’

On show

The rising tide of respect for Langhorne Creek wines can be matched to the transformation of the area’s regional wine show, which was recognised as a formal part of Australia’s wine show circuit in 2014.

That strengthened the credibility of 23 local producers and highlighted the region’s diversity – especially its alternative Mediterranean grape varieties.

The show even shone a light on the region’s far-reaching external influence by including a class for multi-region blends featuring mostly Langhorne Creek fruit.

Greg Follett of Lake Breeze Wines has won the most trophies at the Langhorne Creek Wine Show, particularly for his Cabernet and blends.

‘If our success is consistent, it sure says a lot about what our vineyards produce,’ says Follett. ‘It’s no wonder that Langhorne Creek locals have strong belief in the merits of this region.’

The ripples from such achievements resonate strongly with leading winemakers in other regions, especially McLaren Vale’s Drew Noon MW.

He waxes lyrical about the expressive, intensely flavoured Langhorne Creek fruit that he buys for his flagship Reserve Cabernet and Reserve Shiraz.

‘It’s simple,’ explains Noon. ‘I don’t need to buy this fruit. I buy it because it’s outstanding.’

Langhorne Creek: 10 top wines to try

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Seven decades after the inaugural 1951 Grange, the 2021 vintage of Penfolds’ renowned multi-region South Australian Shiraz looks set to be one of the greats.

Priced at £600 (AU$1,000 / €700), it was the highlight of the 2025 Collection, presented to critics in London last month by Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago.

With a history as long and rich as Penfolds (it celebrated its 180th birthday last year) and with an ever-increasing number of wines in its international portfolio (close to 40), there’s a high chance of one or more anniversaries coinciding with each vintage.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of the new Grange release and 23 other wines in the 2025 Penfolds Collection

Marking milestones

This year, in addition to Grange marking 70 years since the inaugural 1951 vintage, Penfolds’ home vineyard in Adelaide – first planted 181 years ago – sees the 40th anniversary of its Magill Estate Shiraz with the 2023 vintage.

And, not to be outdone, the 2024 Bin A Adelaide Hills Reserve Chardonnay celebrates its 30-year milestone. Next year, Penfolds’ top-tier Chardonnay Yattarna (Bin 144) will likewise clock up its three-decade anniversary.

This follows the February launch of Grange La Chapelle, a partnership between Gago and Caroline Frey, his counterpart at Domaine La Chapelle, in France’s Rhône Valley.

The inaugural 2021 vintage is an equal blend of this latest release of Grange and Syrah from the hill of Hermitage. The 2022 and 2023 vintages are in bottle and the French half of the 2024 is about to be sent back to Australia for blending.

This year’s collection also welcomed a new French Winemaking Trial wine, the 2022 FWT 543. It’s a Gallic take on the quintessential Australian blend, combining Bordeaux Cabernet and Syrah from the south of France.

‘Some of our most revered wines started life as experiments – including Grange,’ Gago reminded critics in London. ‘When we get everything right, all our ducks in a row, hopefully they earn their stripes and upgrade to Bin status.’ (Grange has officially been Bin 95 since 1964.)

And a big part of getting it right for FWT 543, reveals Gago, is ultimately sourcing the Syrah from the northern Rhône. ‘But we crawl before we walk.’

Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, only made in exceptional vintages, is a notable omission from this year’s collection: ‘Coonawarra in 2023 had a bit of a rough patch for Cabernet,’ notes Gago.

Consequently Bin 707, the top-tier multi-region Cabernet, has no Coonawarra fruit, though some did make it into its little brother Bin 407.

Highlights of the 2025 Penfolds Collection

The 2021 vintage is roundly considered exceptional in South Australia (Brian Croser of Tapanappa in the Adelaide Hills, a veteran of 56 vintages, says it’s one of the best of his career), giving fresh, concentrated, ageworthy wines.

So it’s no surprise the new-release Grange is a corker, up there with 2018, 2010 and 1990.

If you are a collector, investor or Aussie icon hunter, you’ll want this: expressive and exotic, supple yet generous, with statuesque tannins. And the hardest thing won’t be the price tag (£600/€700) but how to ignore its siren call from the cellar for the next three decades.

Much of this year’s collection is from the very wet, cold and late 2023 vintage, which challenged growers with disease pressures and low yields.

But Penfolds prides itself on its long-term relationships with grower families (some supplying fruit for more than 100 years), as well as its organoleptic blind tastings to classify parcels by quality and then determine blends.

Grange’s white wine counterpart, Yattarna (£135/€155), sourced from marginal cool-climate regions, is pristine and focused in 2023, with bright fruit and a structure to ensure it ages well over the next 20 years.

‘Baby Grange’ Bin 389 Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz (£70/€80) is a strong buy from 2023, while the Bin 28 South Australian Shiraz (£30/€35) from the 2024 vintage really punches above its weight both in quality and value.

Looking at Penfolds’ international portfolio, the 2022 ‘Wine of the World’ Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon (£60/€70) is exceptional, taking its name from the 14.9% of South Australian fruit that joined the Napa Valley component in its inaugural 2018 vintage.

From Bordeaux, the 2022 FWT 585 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Petit Verdot (£65/€75) is improving year on year, and Gago says is close to being upgraded to Bin status.

When you can buy them

This year’s Penfolds Collection comprises 24 wines, all of which Decanter has tasted and rated.

St Henri 2022, along with Grange 2021, Yattarna 2023, Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 and RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz 2023 will be released on Bordeaux’s La Place on 8 September.

The 19 other wines in the 2025 Penfolds Collection will be released in Australia on 7 August and available globally from 20 September.

Penfolds Collection 2025: Tasting notes and scores of 24 wines

Tina Gellie tasted 19 of the 24 Penfolds Collection 2025 wines in June as well as the 2025 Bin 51 Riesling and 2023 Magill Estate Shiraz in August. David Sly tasted the 2021 Bin 98 Quantum and 2023 CWT Cabernet Sauvignon-Marselan in Adelaide in August and Georgie Hindle tasted the 2022 St Henri Shiraz in Bordeaux in July.

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Only a few months after arriving in McLaren Vale from Sydney, winemaker Rob Mack had made the decision to specialise in Grenache.

Soon after starting his job for regional contract producer McLaren Vale Winemakers, Mack identified extraordinary parcels of dry-grown Grenache from ancient bush vines, and made enquiries whether he could purchase some.

When the answer was yes, Rob and his wife, Louise Rhodes Mack, made an instant commitment to start their own wine brand: Aphelion.

They started in 2014 with one tonne of Grenache fruit purchased from the Brini family vineyard.

Notes and scores for 11 McLaren Vale Grenache from Aphelion below

‘It seemed like natural progress for us to pursue our own label, and for that label to have a very specific focus by diving very deep into Grenache,’ says Louise.

‘We started small and did everything by hand – right down to applying our own labels to the wines on bottling day – and it grew slowly by increments, because we wanted every bottle to be just right.’

Immaculate conception

It began an intense exploration of Grenache sites and styles, leading to Aphelion now producing seven Grenache wines, including two single-site expressions. The leading lights drew high scores in Decanter’s Australian Grenache Panel Tasting in January 2025.

‘I was driven by the desire to work with immaculate fruit,’ says Rob, who also makes another 12 small-batch wines from different varieties alongside the Grenache.

‘With Aphelion, I was able to perform a wine dump of all my thoughts about how to make wines of supreme elegance and finesse. There were new investigations to pursue each year,’ he explains.

‘I kept addressing the question of how to allow each vineyard site to shine, and that presented fresh challenges with every vintage. It was as much an intellectual exercise as a physical task, and I absolutely adored the focus it demanded.’

Grand cru Grenache

Grenache, in the hands of McLaren Vale’s most astute producers, has become Australia’s take on grand cru – rare, idiosyncratic and expressive, indicative of exemplary sites. Much of it hinges on the age of the vines, which run up to 120 years.

This combined with the complexity of the vineyard sites. McLaren Vale’s geology map, first produced in 2008, identifies 21 soil types aged up to 300 million years that dot the 7,438ha wine region.

Such complexity has prompted a surge in the number of single-site Grenache wines produced in recent years, triggering a tussle among boutique producers to procure the best fruit from privately owned vineyards.

Blewitt Springs – home to the Brini family vineyard – is an especially sought-after subregion of McLaren Vale. Its soils are characterised by deep sands and pockets of ironstone.

Rob and Louise realised this when they first approached the Brini family, noting that several other winemakers were already buying premium fruit from their vineyard.

However, the Macks were the first to feature the vineyard by name on wine labels, and their relationship with the Brini family has flourished over 11 years.

‘I’m so proud of the fact we have been able to build a famous name from a vineyard that wasn’t previously being shouted about,’ says Rob. ‘It certainly deserved to be, and we’ve proved that.’

Regionality and single sites

The Macks now purchase more Grenache fruit from the Brini Vineyard – along with some outstanding Chenin Blanc grapes – although Aphelion presents multiple Grenache expressions from McLaren Vale for each vintage.

A constant feature of the winery’s portfolio has been Confluence, a clever regional blend designed to show Grenache’s rich savoury mid-palate. It brings together fruit from different Blewitt Springs sites, with a range of winemaking techniques applied to different parcels, from whole-bunch ferments to extended maceration.

It captures the magic mix of sharp, youthful vigour and smouldering old-vine persistence supported by supple tannins.

Aphelion’s single-vineyard expressions show more refined definitions. Brini Grenache has roundness and intensity to its flavour profile, with dark plum fruits and earthy characters creating a wine of depth and richness.

The Wait Grenache has a more feisty, prickly personality, its long mid-palate agitated by a powder-keg of black tannins that shape a dramatic concluding note.

‘The different sites produce wines of significant difference, and we strive to capture those subtle differences in the glass,’ says Rob.

Taking the leap

Succeeding in this goal has triggered significant growth for Aphelion. From processing one tonne of grapes in 2014, then three tonnes in 2016, to 21 tonnes in 2017, Rob and Louise intensified their commitment to Aphelion.

‘We joined hands and took the big leap, because we realised we had something great happening here,’ they say. Rob, who also has a business degree, developed a business plan for Aphelion; while Louise was accepted into South Australia’s Youth Entrepreneur Scheme.

Increased volumes of wines brought people to their house in Willunga, where the front room became a sales office and tasting lounge for customers who booked by appointment.

‘It’s a crazy space, where our kids Clairette and Monty, and our pets were always charging through, but it was a true and honest representation of us and what we’re about.’

Importantly, from 2018 Rob has taken customers into the vineyards. He pours wines from the back of his ute (Australia’s beloved abbreviation of the flat-back utility farm vehicle) at the sites where Aphelion’s grapes are sourced from.

‘It adds a level of romance to the tasting, but it also reinforces the notion of site that we believe is so important to what people taste in our wines,’ he says.

Freedom to change

By 2020, in the middle of the COVID disruptions, the Macks decided to quit their other jobs and make a full-time commitment to Aphelion, as production escalated to 50 tonnes.

This has prompted them to lease a larger cellar door tasting venue overlooking vines north of McLaren Vale township.

Visitors can have guided tastings of Aphelion’s carefully considered range, which has expanded and contracted over the years. This reflects both the availability of fruit that hits a certain quality from the Macks’ preferred vineyards, and their interest in varieties other than Grenache.

Chenin Blanc has come to the fore, while Sagrantino and Nero d’Avola make guest appearances. Shiraz will disappear from the range from the 2020 vintage.

‘Being small and agile as a wine brand means that we are free to react and explore what can be next in our wine output,’ explains Louise. ‘We don’t have to remain fixed to anything.’

What’s next?

This attitude has inspired Aphelion’s latest project: the bold 2024 Hickinbotham Series of Grenache, sourced from three tiny blocks at the highest elevation points in the Hickinbotham vineyard in Clarendon.

All are picked on the same day and made the same way, with only 360 bottles of each wine produced.

‘It goes far beyond a single vineyard – to a sub-vineyard, micro-plot level,’ says Rob. ‘This project is designed to display the nuances Grenache can show from blocks that are so close together. There are very few varieties that could display these differences, and Grenache is one of them.’

It broadcasts their ambition to dive even deeper into Grenache. ‘We are looking harder at the fruit we purchase, to examine the points of difference and make more specific wines that focus completely on site,’ says Louise.

‘There will be more little projects that we sell through our cellar door – experiments that will inform Rob’s future winemaking decisions.’

This will include more parcels being fermented in concrete egg, along with different experiments in tannin manipulation and oak usage.

‘When we started Aphelion, I really wanted to present Grenache wines worthy of being talked about on the world stage,’ says Rob. ‘Now that we have put all the pieces together, I feel we are getting that reward.’

Aphelion: Top wines to try

Bottles tasted by David Sly in McLaren Vale and by Beth Pearce MW, Sara Muirhead MW and Ben Chan at the Australian Grenache Panel Tasting 2025, London.

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Urban renewal has transformed Sydney’s food and wine scene, shifting the centre of gravity from the Central Business District (CBD) towards the suburbs.

Sure, there are your famous established eateries with heavenly wine-sipping views of the harbour such as Quay with its winning sparkling wine list compiled by head sommelier Steven Pietersma.

But in the posh harbourside Eastern Suburbs and post-industrial Inner West, chefs, hospitality groups and sommeliers have brought wine-driven bars, bistros and restaurants to please the sophisticated Bacchanalian predilections of locals.

Since sommelier Matthew Swieboda opened Sydney’s ‘original small wine bar’ Love, Tilly Devine in Darlinghurst in 2010, a flurry of neighbourhood wine dens and corner store bistros have arrived on the scene – from Tim Perlstone’s Wine Library in Woollahra to the Coogee Wine Room.

The revolution kicked off in city-nudging Surry Hills with bustling side street wine bars popping up in former industrial warehouses between the bricks and barrels.

Another phenomenon is the emergence of the hotel as a drinking and dining destination – including the revamped Sofitel Sydney Wentworth’s quartet of new venues with drinks overseen by ex-Rockpool ‘wine guy’ Christian Blair.

Best Sydney bars and restaurants for wine lovers: 10 to try

Aalia

25 Martin Place, Sydney

An Arabian and North African cultural journey meets Australian ocean ingredients via raw dishes of tuna with finger lime, Moreton Bay bug mezze and mains of blue mackerel with tahini fennel. Aalia – meaning ‘exalted’ – opened in 2022 and is set among the neoclassical facades of Martin Place. The 30-page beverage list won three goblets at the 2024 Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards, and is curated by Tasmanian-born head sommelier Eleonore Wulf, who showcases female winemakers and unique or regional Australian varieties. France is very well represented among the rare and classic drops.

Bar Copains

67 Albion St, Surry Hills

Set in a white terraced house with a communal table, Thonet chairs and petit bistro tables, chef/co-owners Morgan McGlone and Nathan Sasi say the raison d’être of their little bar a vin is to share ‘museum wines’ from their personal collections among friends. The ‘cave’ offers some 300 bottles, many by the glass, including natural wines, traditional drops by small producers with cosmopolitan labels and classic Australian winemakers – to imbibe with exquisite servings of raw diced tuna and chicken liver parfait with sauternes jelly and sourdough.

Bar Julius 

The EVE Hotel, 8 Baptist Street, Redfern

Part of the buzzing new Wunderlich Lane precinct, the EVE Hotel’s street-facing bistro has an all-day menu featuring market fish, tomato tarte tatin, zucchini rosti and roast beef bagels – and a 10-page drink list concocted by Kyle Poole, group sommelier of the wine-savvy Liquid & Larder group, who is a big advocate of sustainable winemaking. He favours Burgundies and Italian reds over homegrowns, though Aussie gins reign. Settle into a banquette and enjoy an Archie Rose White Martinez or Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Spritz.

Bar Lucia

5 Kellett Street, Potts Point

Among the fleur-de-lis terraces and fairy-lit branches of Moreton Bay Fig trees, Bar Lucia brings a touch of classical Madrid to Potts Point – with a gorgeously elegant decor of ionic columns in the courtyard, cascading chandeliers and artisan mosaics. The venue was a Wine List of the Year Awards winner in 2024 in the 50-bottle category, and sommelier Kasia Sobiesiak highlights female producers from Orange and the Adelaide Hills to Piedmont and Rioja, downed with tapas or hearty servings of seafood paella and rosemary-infused lamb shank.

Dear Sainte Éloise

5/29 Orwell Street, Potts Point

Opening on to bird-tweeting Springfield Gardens, this little ‘place for wine and things to eat’ romantically recalls George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London, where the writer implores the saint to send just enough money to buy bread and a bottle of wine to restore his strength. At this sibling to A Love, Tilly Devine, the 500+ varieties on offer should do just that. Stacked around the shelves of two dark and woody parlours are drops from lesser-known Italian and French viticulture regions, plus California and Georgia. The Riesling and Pinot Noir venerating owners find ‘Antipodean styles have developed by leaps and bounds,’ borrowing from their Italian counterparts while ‘expressing something uniquely Australian’.

Kiln

Ace Hotel, Level 18, 53 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney

Creativity, like the views, hit a high note at the Ace Hotel’s 18th-floor restaurant Kiln, with ex-Noma chef Beau Clugston at the helm. Fusing Scandinavian simplicity with native bush ingredients, try iconic dishes such as Sydney rock oysters with rhubarb and pink pepper and Arnhem land-inspired leeks cooked in paperbark, dabbed with caviar-like native finger lime. Wines and cocktails sport amusing tags – the Brave New Wine Riot Girl! – a West Australian white blend – is for those seeking a ‘Touch More There White’. Or try a Witching Hour, blending Dalmore 12YO with gentian and orgeat.

Monopole

20 Curtin Place, Sydney

Dark, moody, decked with velvet curtains and vintage wine fair posters, Monopole, meaning ‘one wine, one vineyard, one producer’, is run by award-winning duo, chef Brent Savage and sommelier Nick Hildebrandt, co-owners of The Bentley Restaurant Group and its namesake eatery. Monopole is 100% French – ‘classic with contemporary flair’ – including the wines, aperitifs and digestifs. Expect vol-au-vent filled with pasture-raised Sommerlad chicken and Balmain bug and sweetcorn. With 600 wines – 30 by the glass – it won Best Wine List NSW in Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards in 2024, noted for its ‘numerous mini-verticals’.

Saint Peter

The Grand National Hotel, 161 Underwood St, Paddington

When chef Josh Niland moved his famous fin-to-scale fish restaurant to a new Paddington address last year, he dubbed the reimagined 1890s Grand National Hotel ‘a multi-dimensional hospitality hub’. Amid the sleek stone, brass, timber and upholstered banquettes, head sommelier Houston Barakat’s wine list gives pride of place to a selection of ‘hero producers of New South Wales’, ‘established icons’ and ‘new-wave producers’, rotating according to ‘seasonality, availability and deliciousness’. Pair them with fish charcuterie, line-caught John Dory and dry-aged yellowfin tuna from the 11 Course Chef’s Table Menu.

Tilda

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, 61-101 Phillip St, Sydney

With a big hook on seasonal ocean-sourced flavours and sustainability, this chic ‘Australian interpretation of a classic grill restaurant’ has a 50 page drinks list to accompany the charcoal-cooked dishes from the open kitchen. Head sommelier, Guido Pisani ensures guests get ‘a new-found zest’, as Banjo Paterson’s poem on the opening page of the drinks list promises. The restaurant’s name is a nod to his famous unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda. The list champions Australian producers from Clare Valley Rieslings to Tassie Coal River Pinot Noirs and claims: ‘There’s never been a better time in history to be drinking Australian Wine’ in terms of a sense of place.

Vermuteria

60 Kings Cross Road, Potts Point

Morphing out of an institution and still with a Spanish flavour, Vermuteria occupies the bohemian gem where Cafe Hernandez bar and roaster stood for 50 years until 2022. With much of the decor still in place, including a massive reproduction of Diego Velázquez’s Count-Duke of Olivares, the charming aperitif bar is crammed with memorabilia and colourful window displays of vintage vermouth and sherry bottles behind its red awning. From the daily vermouth hour at 5pm, the bar serves cocktails and a small but fine selection of Spanish wines with finger food such as San Sebastian-style pintxos or a wad of Basque cheesecake.

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Barossa Shiraz 2023 vintage rating: 4/5

Despite challenges, growers who paid careful attention to their vines enjoyed superb grapes from the 2023 harvest. After steady winter rains, spring was one of the wettest on record, though timely spraying averted threats of downy mildew.

There were no sustained summer heatwaves; cooler weather and large vine canopies saw veraison occur during February, delaying the Barossa’s 2023 vintage by up to four weeks. Shiraz usually harvested in mid-February was picked from mid-March.

However, slow ripening produced complex flavours in grapes, with red wines showing intense, rich and balanced flavours and colours. While crop volumes varied across the region, the total Barossa yield (red and white) was slightly above average at 73,160 tonnes.

Scroll down for David’s top-scoring wines from the 2023 Barossa Shiraz releases

Capturing heightened elegance in Barossa Shiraz comes with confidence – and a cooler, longer vintage in 2023 has certainly helped a raft of winemakers embrace this evolving style.

This vintage presented challenges, especially to obtain optimal ripeness at the highest elevations. It required great attention in the vineyard, especially to escape fungal disease due to cooler temperatures.

But smart vignerons – led by Alkina, Michael Hall, The Cutting and Head Wines – took great care to place specific attention on individual grape parcels, applying multiple winemaking techniques to achieve superior results.

Shifting style

Decanter published its first Barossa Shiraz Vintage Report for the 2022 vintage and noted that a shift in winemaking style was gaining a foothold.

The best wines captured a leanness and nimbleness that defied a lingering perception of heavyweight Barossa Shiraz with high alcohol and super-ripe fruit.

This change in direction has now gained traction.

The 2023 vintage provided the right environment for Barossa winemakers to explore these ideas further. From the 89 submissions for this vintage report, a broad league of wines shows subtle and complex marriages of flavour and texture.

With less insistence on shouting, subtleties were allowed to speak with increased clarity.

This is a great achievement by modern Barossa producers. More detailed understanding of terroir, greater care for the fragility of ancient vines and increased responsiveness to climatic changes have translated to expressive wines that clearly reflect their environment.

Terroir expression

‘We are seeing terroir inform the winemaking required to make the best wines,’ says Alex Head, winemaker at Head Wines, who sources fruit from 15 privately owned Barossa vineyards. ‘Hard work in the winery has resulted in wines of really interesting texture from the 2023 vintage.’

Once, the Barossa’s quandary was whether to maintain tradition by making hefty Shiraz of imposing depth and power, or to embrace more slimline contemporary tastes.

It’s pleasing that the current direction respects old-vine intensity while also championing understated elegance and refined beauty.

Shiraz from the 2023 vintage shows impressive consistency from the top tier of producers. Expect pretty perfumes as a consequence of cooler temperatures, along with complex texture aided by supple, lithe tannins.

Many of these wines seem slightly shy now, but the best have an unforced elegance that won’t fade with time.

Names to know

Rising high above the ordinary are a suite of meticulous wine producers, led by Alkina, Michael Hall, John Duval and Alex Head, along with boutique producers including Belinda van Eyssen from The Cutting.

Impressive new faces are producing wines of the highest order. They include Jack Scholz, taking over the reins at The Willows Vineyard. Young winemaker Samantha Chandra is focusing on distinctive single vineyard expressions with her solo project Setiono.

While Nick Radford is making notable advances at Mirus Vineyards in the Marananga subregion.

With a nod to classic style, Henschke notably demonstrates the craft of careful blending with Henry’s Seven, a wine that achieves a high degree of sophistication.

Shiraz from the Barossa Valley floor is co-fermented with Viognier pressings, and just the right addition of Grenache and Mataro, to achieve ideal balance.

‘Any wines that are focused on expressing region, place and site are showing especially well from the 2023 vintage,’ concludes Alkina winemaker Amelia Nolan. ‘And for that reason, we regard 2023 as a fabulous year.’

Barossa: The facts

Founded: 1842

Vineyards: 14,236ha under vine, with 11,847ha in the Barossa Valley (elevation 112-597m) and 2,389ha in the adjacent Eden Valley (elevation 217-637m). This represents 9.7% of Australia’s total wine production.

Climate: hot and dry. Barossa average rainfall 160mm; Eden Valley average rainfall 280mm. Mean temperatures during the key January growing period are 21.4℃ in Barossa and 19.4℃ in Eden Valley.

Vine age: Barossa has the oldest producing Shiraz vines in the world, planted in 1843. 283ha of vines are more than 70 years of age; 82ha are more than 125 years old.

Barossa Shiraz 2023: The top 40 wines

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This is Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island – mark 2. The original and much-loved lodge was lost in bushfires which destroyed almost half of the island in 2019. Owners James and Hayley Baillie knew they had to rebuild. SOL, as it is affectionately known, literally rose from the ashes. And it’s even better than before.

Understated elegance

Built along the sloping cliffs of Kangaroo Island’s southwest coast, SOL overlooks stunning Hanson Bay. All 25 suites face the wild Southern Ocean as it pounds the coastline. They are spacious, elegant and understated. Architect Max Pritchard has made sure they stand out for all the right reasons – number one being that they don’t stand out. They almost blend into the regenerated coastal scrub. Colours and materials are natural, the added curves, soft. It feels like they ‘belong’ in the dunes. Design touches include artist Llewlyn Ash’s touching display of tiny remnants from the original lodge, foraged from the ashes.

The suites are tranquil havens, stocked with more wine choices and local treats like spirits, cheese and chocolates. A glass of The Islander Estate Pétiyante bubbles in the bath overlooking the bay is bliss.

A wine-tasting extravaganza

When the cellar doors open at Southern Ocean Lodge, it’s like the gates have opened to the Colosseum – and the arena is full of wine.

There are two amphitheatres showcasing 1,200 bottles of South Australian wine and 220 labels on offer to guests staying at the lodge. It’s a lot to take in with one look so repeat visits are recommended.

What you experience is a wine-tasting extravaganza and a virtual tour around the best wine regions of the State. You might have heard about Barossa Valley Shiraz, Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale Grenache, Clare Valley Riesling and cool climate Pinots from the Adelaide Hills. Now is your chance to taste them all – in one luxurious location.

And there’s more to enjoy – a day spa, hot tub, infinity pool and the Great Room and dining room where hospitality steps up another notch. Dining is a local affair. Executive chef Tom Saliba sources island produce like King George whiting, marron and barramundi and KI herbs grown by local high school students, for the daily changing menu. Matched wines such as Lloyd Brothers Picpoul and MMAD Chenin Blanc are also on the menu but the cellar and fridge are always open for alternatives.

If you need help selecting, these are the two reds most popular with guests: Samuel’s Gorge Grenache from McLaren Vale and Coonawarra’s Penley Estate Steyning Cabernet Sauvignon. The top 2 whites: Eden Valley’s Yalumba Virgilius Viognier and Poonawatta Valley of Eden off-dry Riesling. There’s also the (extra) cellarmaster’s list with iconic wines such as Henschke Hill of Grace, Hentley Farm Clos Otto, and the only South Australian deviation – Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Champagne.

Wildlife and wilderness

It’s hard to drag yourself away from the lodge but Kangaroo Island’s wildlife and wilderness are just as irresistible, and signature tours are included in this all-inclusive stay. Remarkable Rocks, Admiral’s Arch, Seal Bay and Kelly Hill Caves are the stars for dramatic geology and wildlife encounters and a sunset stroll among koalas and kangaroos will cross off those must-see moments.

SOL also offers up wines from Kangaroo Island itself. Once tasting them piques your interest, there are five wineries worth closer inspection – The Islander Estate, False Cape Wines, Dudley Wines, Springs Road and Bay of Shoals. A bespoke private tour with Kangaroo Island Touring Company can be arranged through the concierge. It’s a great way to see the island in style, perhaps meet the winemakers, and learn how the landscape and climate shapes the wine.

For more information, see the Southern Ocean Lodge website.

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The 2025 harvest is over in Margaret River, and while there’s still plenty of action in the winery, now’s the time of year when many new wines are released.

Margaret River’s two iconic varieties are Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the flagship releases are highly anticipated.

The quality of recent and upcoming new releases speak for themselves, and though many of these scores are high, they are well-earned.

Vintages range from 2021 to 2024, as there is no prescribed programme in the region for ageing and/or releasing wine.

The freedom enables diversity, economic considerations, and a wide berth of winemaking choices. Museum releases have not been considered in this line-up.

Scroll down for the notes on the latest releases from the icon wines of Margaret River

Regional overview: Wilyabrup

Wilyabrup is in the central area of Margaret River, and reaches from the coastline inland, flanked by Yallingup to the north and Wallcliffe to the south.

This is the heart of Cabernet country, and where many of the founding wineries of Margaret River are located.

Moss Wood

The first vines were planted at Moss Wood in 1969, making this the second-oldest estate in Margaret River.

The family-owned and run winery has been in the hands of Clare and Keith Mugford since the mid-1980s, with their sons, Tristan and Hugh, continuing the family legacy as winemakers and viticulturists.

The 2022 vintage was a warm and dry year. Keith says: ‘The warm season ensured consistent ripeness, so the wine displays the vineyard’s typically dark fruit aromas.

‘The palate certainly has the expected key feature of concentrated but balanced tannin, all enhanced by the prettier fragrances which we attribute to the cooler final weeks in March. Very few have been better.’

Woodlands Wines

Less than a kilometre south, Woodlands is another estate established early in Margaret River’s history.

First planted in 1973 by David and Heather Watson, the business has grown over time with additional plantings and vineyard acquisitions, but still crafts its iconic Cabernet Sauvignon from these original vines.

The family-owned winery is now in the hands of the next generation, sons Andrew and Stuart. The 2020 Margaret is the current release, and the warmer year shows substantially more approachability to the wine in its youth with invitingly plush fruit.

However, I predict the cooler characteristics of the new 2021 release will show their full potential with more time, as the fine backbone of structure is there.

Cullen Wines

Cullen Wines is another founding Margaret River winery. Winemaker, viticulturist and general manager, Vanya Cullen is the daughter of Wilyabrup agricultural pioneers Diana and Kevin Cullen.

The oldest vines (planted in 1971) are mature and dry-grown, and the winery has been one of Australia’s leaders in organic and biodynamic practices.

These new releases are some of the youngest, yet the wines have some of the longest lifespans amongst the region’s icons, retaining freshness and energy.

While 2023 was an outstanding year for Margaret River, the 2024 harvest was unprecedented with regards to timing – it was the earliest on record – heat, dryness and pace.

Vanya says: ‘The wines are looking great, in particular, the Chardonnay surprises because of its delicacy. The 2024 wines are all very fine, aromatic and fragrant; while all of the 2023s are incredibly textural.’

Vasse Felix

Dr Tom Cullity planted the first Vasse Felix vines in 1967, and the Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec blend that bears his name is inspired by his vision and original plantings.

The cooler conditions in 2021 were challenging for some, but the best reds from the vintage are abundant in perfume and detail.

‘The 2021 has grown into itself, and suddenly it has a beautiful, silky succulence,’ explains chief winemaker Virginia Willcock, who has been at the helm since 2006.

‘It still has that lovely dry framework at the finish, but it’s almost like the tannins of the Malbec and the oak have brought the palate out and framed this beautiful plumpness, with length and depth,’ she adds.

The Heytesbury is the winery’s flagship Chardonnay, with the Single Site offering a site-specific expression.

Regional overview: Wallcliffe

A little further south, Wallcliffe is where the other main cluster of Margaret River’s most famed wineries is located.

Boodjidup Creek is a waterway that runs out to the Indian Ocean. Several top vineyards and wineries are centred around the creek.

Leeuwin Estate

Leeuwin Estate is one of Australia’s most accoladed wineries and is now three generations deep. The initial vines were planted in 1975 by Denis and Tricia Horgan, after consultation and mentorship from Napa’s Robert Mondavi.

The 1981 Art Series Chardonnay was highly recommended by Decanter in a blind tasting, an accolade that thrusted the winery onto the international stage.

The Chardonnay programme at Leeuwin has been in the spotlight for decades; however, increased attention and investment in the estate’s Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz production in recent years is starting to reap rewards.

Voyager Estate

Next door, Voyager Estate is certified organic, and its chief winemaker Tim Shand joined the ranks in 2022.

The MJW is named after the estate’s late patriarch, Michael Wright, with the 2021 vintage a testament to the organic and viticultural resources and careful fruit selection from the North Block and the Old Block.

The southern Wallcliffe vineyards can be risky for Cabernet in cooler vintages, as Shand explains. ‘There’s no hiding with Cabernet, and to me it comes back to viticulture,’ he says.

The 2021 vintage saw a long hang time for this fruit, and the result is clear. There’s plenty of oak here, but the fruit can handle it, and this has a long life ahead of it.

Stella Bella

Stuart Pym and Janice McDonald took over the Suckfizzle Vineyard – Margaret River’s most southerly vineyard – in 1996, establishing the Stella Bella label in 1999.

Stella Bella’s flagship wines have risen in recognition over recent years, and it would be remiss to bypass them as some of the most prominent iterations of the Margaret River’s iconic varieties.

The Luminosa, in particular, is a vineyard that produces wines of power and clarity, as seen in the 2023 reds.

McHenry Hohnen

The three single-site Chardonnays produced by McHenry Hohnen are unique and provide a fantastic opportunity to taste a few different subregional specifics.

The estate’s wines have evolved with the maturity of the vines, largely biodynamic vineyard management, and with winemaker Jacopo Dalli Cani at the helm for almost 10 years.

‘These Chardonnays are some of the best we have produced,’ he says.

‘In 2023, Mother Nature gave us a very nice gift. The fruit looked great, it had a lot of power, and the chemistry was right in check. The Chardonnays took the new oak and the solids well that year, turning into very complex, rich, but balanced wines.’

Margaret River icons: Latest releases

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Ageing wine underwater has become a hot topic in recent years. Bottles discovered on the seabed among long-forgotten shipwrecks provided inspiration.

On opening, the wine was surprisingly fresh, a testament to the ocean’s powers of preservation.

Several producers have since explored how the ocean might be utilised during the winemaking process.

The most recent winery to release the result of its underwater vinous experimentation is Subsea Estate in Western Australia. The project is a collaboration between Rare Foods Australia and French company Winereef.

Scroll down for notes and scores of wines from Subsea Estate

Winereef’s director and chief winemaker Emmanuel Poirmeur (above) oversees Subsea’s wine production. He developed and fine-tuned the underwater winemaking process since patenting his design 18 years ago.

Prior to co-founding Subsea, Poirmeur produced 200,000 bottles a year. Subsea is one of four Winereefs around the globe; two are in the Basque Country and one in Paris.

Seven more Winereef locations or ‘ocean wineries’ are in development.

Finding the right site

Poirmeur’s search for new locations led him to Augusta in southwest Western Australia, where he met Brad Adams, founder and MD of Rare Foods (below). The company’s abalone farm provided the facilities necessary for Winereef installation.

‘We are working with the ocean, and we are dependent on the ocean, just like Brad,’ explains Poirmeur. The two companies began working together in 2022.

‘We have access to a large area of the ocean here,’ says Adams, referring to an ocean lease of 413ha. ‘We’ve got dive teams and the Margaret River wine infrastructure; the wineries you can partner with to get wine processed easily and bottled easily,’ he explains.

‘It’s a business that’s quite scalable. Within two years, we have a cellar door and we’re selling wine and progressing the business very quickly. I hope we produce something that appeals to people with a sense of adventure,’ he adds.

Ocean influence

The unique underwater vinification process extends well beyond the fact that wine is submerged underwater. The ocean impacts the winemaking process in several ways.

In addition to offering a constant temperature in a pressured environment with a lack of oxygen, the lees are relentlessly stirred by the currents and tides.

‘It’s not unusual to have waves three metres high in Augusta. That equates to the vats turning six times per minute. It’s a washing machine!’ shares Poirmeur. ‘What is really crazy is that we are not controlling anything. That is part of the poetry.’

Wines undergo a double fermentation – somewhat similar to the méthode traditionelle. Except that this happens in a special 300-litre vat weighted to the ocean floor and the end product is not a sparkling wine.

At most there is subtle effervescence.

Land or ocean?

Subsea Estate’s base wines – Semillon and Shiraz – undergo a first fermentation in stainless steel tanks.

A percentage of this base wine continued its winemaking journey on land in traditional style production. This included ageing in tank for the Semillon and ageing in 30% old oak for the Shiraz.

The remaining base wine was transferred to the Winereef; approximately 10 to 11 vats of each variety. This was aged below the waves at a depth of 20m for a minimum of six months.

A kind of liqueur de tirage (a yeast and sugar combo in this instance) is added and the wine undertakes its secondary ferment and tirage. Large oak staves (medium toast) were added to half of the underwater vats, resulting in a varied oak influence.

The result? Subsea’s Pure Ocean wines are blended 100% from the ocean vats; while its Land & Ocean wines are a minimum of 35% ocean wine and 60% of land-matured wine.

Unlike traditional winemaking, there’s no checking on progress once the vats are underwater.

‘That’s it. There’s no ability to sample from the vats, so it’s a gamble every immersion,’ says Poirmeur.

Varietal selection

For the first Subsea releases, Semillon and Shiraz from vineyards in the Karridale sub-region were purchased from local wineries as bulk wines.

Poirmeur had previously been disappointed with Semillon in his Winereef experiments in France, but he was pleasantly surprised by the Margaret River result.

‘You can’t be too confident on paper, you need to test and make your own opinion,’ he adds.

It’s interesting to note that while Shiraz and Semillon grow very well in Margaret River, the region is better known for its Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Although plenty of wineries produce Shiraz, the cooler southern vineyards are particularly prized for aromatics and fruit quality.

Very few single-varietal Semillons are still made in the region, which is a shame as they can be exceptional. Most producers instead use the grape in Bordeaux white blends.

I suspect Semillon and Shiraz were chosen for this project as the grapes are more affordable than Margaret River icons Chardonnay and Cabernet – especially as these first wines from the 2023 and 2024 vintages are a trial.

Grand designs

In addition to each vintage of wine, there is the date of immersion. The release I tasted is from the 2024 first immersion.

Poirmeur adds: ‘We refilled the vats directly after the first immersion. We will have another 15,000 bottles produced in June from this: half Semillon, half Shiraz.’

Production is set to increase in future. ‘As we build the brand and get traction with sales opportunities, we will increase scale with additional vats, and add other varieties and styles to our range,’ says Poirmeur.

Adams says the future could include grapes from further afield. ‘It could even be Frankland River – it depends on the grapes and the wine that we are using in the process. The fantastic thing about Western Australia is we do have access to great quality fruit and great quality wine for the process.’

The pair are keen to point out that the first four wines are just the beginning.

‘Right now, these are a trial. We’ve been going 13 to 14 weeks and we’re only just establishing distribution,’ says Poirmeur.

Taste test

Now, down to the big question: how do the wines taste? For comparison I tasted them alongside bottles from land-based wineries, choosing the same variety, region and vintage where possible.

There’s no question that the process creates unique wines with some very desirable qualities. The most noticeable result from the process is seen in the Pure Ocean wines, with an obvious influence from the lack of oxygen and increased lees stirring.

The company tagline, ‘wine, stirred by nature’, is apt. No winemaker can stir their wines six times a minute on an ongoing basis.

The result of this process is that the Pure Ocean Shiraz has exceptionally fine and soft tannins, closer in character to that of an aged wine. The nose lacked a freshness of fruit; instead, there are meatier notes as a result of reduction (lack of oxygen) during the winemaking process.

The result of limited oxygen and increased lees stirring in the Pure Ocean Semillon is an immensely grassy and herbaceous aroma, with phenolics that are rather more splayed than the Land & Ocean iteration.

The Land & Ocean blends provide a snapshot of the unique characteristics of the Pure Ocean wines, yet with the balance of the qualities of the traditionally made wines.

The verdict

It seems that wine can be made in and to a degree by the ocean. But only partially.

Let’s not kid ourselves that there is a huge amount of human choice and effort involved in the production of these wines – as is there for all wines, including those producers that tout their wine as ‘made in the vineyard’.

Wine is the product of a series of human choices. It would not exist in the natural world without our intervention.

For Subsea wines, there is little reference to the growing process and initial winemaking on land, but these both play a huge role in the final product.

Educated wine enthusiasts might prefer to have the complete process from vine to bottle as transparent as the bottles themselves. However, let’s remember that the majority of drinkers simply want to enjoy a bottle of wine.

Wine is meant to be enjoyed – a fact all too often overlooked. Most wine lovers want to share the story with the people they open it with, and they want to drink something that tastes good.

Subsea’s first release offers both of these in waves – three metres high, to be exact.

Subsea Estate wines: Tasted and rated alongside their ‘landlubber’ counterparts

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Snaking along Tasmania’s Tamar river, or Kanamaluka in palawa kani, the reconstructed language of the island’s Aboriginal people, the Tamar Valley wine region is just a pup – vines may have arrived in the mid-1800s, but the industry didn’t bloom until the 1980s. It’s on the map now, though. Legendary local winemaker Ed Carr won two Platinum awards for his sparkling wines at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards.

About 50km from north to south, this unofficial sub-region (Tasmania is a singular GI) is renowned for world-class sparkling, though a cohort of still winemakers is on the up. It currently boasts around 30 wineries, with about 820ha under vine.

As few bottles make it off the island, I meet up with sommelier James Welsh for an inside line. Welsh, who co-owns Launceston restaurant Stillwater (see address book) drank his first wine here 20 years ago and hasn’t looked back.

Named a City of Gastronomy in 2021 by UNESCO, Launceston – ‘Launnie’, to the locals – provides the perfect base camp. But don’t try to do the whole region in a day, Welsh advises. ‘Do the east [of the river] one day, then the west,’ he says. The east is leafy, with slopes of vines and water views. To the west, vineyards share real estate with sheep farms along gum tree-lined roads. ‘And you can have so much fun close to the city,’ he adds.

The region is famous for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which form the backbone of its sparkling wines, but don’t overlook the Rieslings. Cool conditions – pack a coat, no matter the season – make for some ageworthy souvenirs.

Day 1: East of the river

Fuelled by the complimentary morning coffee and croissant delivered to guests at Stillwater Seven, the boutique hotel above Welsh’s restaurant, I head northeast to House of Arras, where Ed Carr has been making his award-winning sparkling wines for more than 25 years.

Poised in the carpark is Flinders, a tri-colour border collie belonging to cellar door manager Will Doggett, who’ll lead this morning’s Sparkling Scholar masterclass (from A$105 per person). ‘She’s the director of people and culture,’ Doggett tells me as we follow Flinders’ wagging tail into the tasting room for a two-hour session that covers traditional method winemaking and Tasmanian wine history (‘arras’ means rich tapestry, a nod to Carr’s state-wide fruit sourcing).

The experience also includes a vineyard tour – a rare opportunity for a sanitised walk among the vines, as biosecurity laws protect Tasmanian fruit from mainland diseases. ‘We’re all still learning,’ Doggett tells me as we examine Meunier fruit that’s just starting to blush. ‘The best location in Tasmania probably doesn’t have vines on it yet!’

As I’m on this side of the river, I can’t pass up the chance to stop in at Sinapius, where Linda Morice makes estate-grown Pinot Noir, Gamay and Grüner Veltliner, among others. Twenty years ago, her husband Vaughn Dell planted Sinapius’ first vines with a no compromise approach to high-density planting and minimalist winemaking; when he passed away suddenly in 2020, Morice took the reins.

I arrive at the vine-covered, cottage-like cellar door just in time – Morice has just bottled Tasmania’s first Ribolla Gialla. ‘It’s as close to an Italian white as you’ll find up here,’ she says, pouring me a taste. Grippy from skin contact, with a baked apple twang, this amphora-aged new release encapsulates why Sinapius’ wines are some of the state’s finest – it’s brave, complex and delicious.

Day 2: West of the river

Heading northwest from Launceston the next morning, heritage houses quickly give way to vineyards. First on my list is the Tamar’s newest cellar door. Utzinger, run by Swiss-born winemaker Matthias Utzinger and his Tasmanian wife Lauren, is certified organic, with 20% of their 20ha property set aside for revegetation. ‘We live here,’ Lauren says. ‘We have bandicoots and bugs. There’s a balance.’

The couple planted their first vines in 2018; their minimalist cellar door, which boasts envy-inducing river views, opened in late 2024. Lauren and Matthias run the tastings, as well as the winery, so bookings are essential. Seated flights (A$20 per person) take you through Matthias’ wild-fermented Riesling, fumé-style Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the optional Swiss cheese pairing (naturally) a nod to the maker’s homeland. And if you see a bottle of Utzinger Roter Satz, buy it immediately. Locals snap up so much of this vibrant red field blend there’s hardly enough to go around.

Over the fence – literally – is Evenfall, with a restaurant and cellar door shared by three labels. Evenfall’s Cabernet is made from estate vines by winemaker Liam McElhinney, the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay supplemented by Derwent Valley and East Coast fruit, respectively (Matthias is consulting viticulturist, which is very neighbourly). Natalie Fryar of sparkling label Bellebonne and her husband Hugh McCullough, who makes German-style Rieslings under the Wellington & Wolfe label, share the on-site winery, drawing fruit from around the region.

The communal cellar door – housed in a white-on-white brick chapel with stained-glass windows that was probably built in the 1940s – offers drop-in tastings from one winery or all, but Fryar’s low-volume vintage releases are the drawcard. ‘You could put me anywhere,’ she says, ‘but Tasmania delivers something truly magnificent.’

My last stop is Stoney Rise, which hosts a cellar door for Joe Holyman’s Stoney Rise and Holyman wines, and a bar of sorts. There are no pubs or restaurants in the area, Holyman tells me, so he stacked the list with wines he likes to drink. Alongside the estate Chardonnay, Savagnin and Pinot are premier cru Chassagne-Montrachet and Mosel Riesling.

As we sit in the late afternoon sunshine – Holyman with an alcohol-free beer (he still has vines to tend) and me with a glass of his zippy, crunchy Trousseau – he explains that Stoney Rise isn’t named for nearby Stony creek, but for a surf break in South Australia, which explains the surfer dude on the label. Stoney is still spelled the wrong way, he says with a laugh.

And if you have an extra day to spare…

Morning

Bread + Butter makes the best pastries, bagels and pies, not to mention killer coffee. A pork and fennel sausage roll – an Aussie classic – or a walnut croissant will set you right for the day’s adventure. Next, a stroll through Cataract Gorge, an inner-city forested river reserve with waterfalls, colonial-era bridges and a retro chairlift to ferry you across the 65 million-year-old gorge along the South Esk river. The reserve is also home to a picture-perfect outdoor swimming pool, usually open from November to May.

Lunch & afternoon

Fifteen minutes’ drive from Launceston, the restaurant at Evenfall makes for a picturesque early lunch, with estate vines just metres from the Federation-era house’s floor-to-ceiling windows. East coast oysters in a splash of Bellebonne sparkling wine are a good start, while the tea-smoked duck features raspberries from the owner’s berry farm. From here, meander north a few kilometres to Tamar Ridge for a guided tasting (from A$10 per person). Known for its rich, complex Pinot Noirs, the cellar door is also home to Pirie sparkling. Further north along the estuary, Small Wonder Wines will add a rural touch to your afternoon. Its certified-organic wines are grown amid native bushland, with tastings all day (11am-5pm) and book-ahead winery tours at 10.30am and 2.30pm (A$50 per person).

Evening

Back in Launceston, drop your bags at Peppers Silo Hotel, luxury accommodation housed within 1960s grain towers beside the Tamar. From here it’s a 25-minute stroll to Du Cane beer hall, where pre-dinner beers named for local mountain ranges and walking trails await. Around the corner you’ll find Havilah, a must-visit wine bar co-owned by winemaker Ricky Evans, who’s behind labels Two Tonne Tasmania and Woodlawn. On the menu: wallaby skewers with beetroot ketchup and chargrilled zucchini with dill butter and romesco. If you’ve got it in you, Midnight Rambler shakes up whisky sours in speakeasy surrounds until the wee hours.

How to get there, and getting around

Launceston is a 70-minute flight from Melbourne, which is well served by international airlines. Distances within the region are managed easily by car, with all wineries within around 50km of the city.

Your Tamar Valley address book

Accommodation

Domescapes

For a hitching post in the heart of the region, Swinging Gate Vineyard’s glamping domes are kitted out with a real bed, heating and an outdoor tub and firepit.

Stillwater Seven

This boutique hotel is the latest addition to the Stillwater family, its charcoal-hued suites occupying the old mill’s top floor and offering personalised mini-bars stocked with a wide range of local products, deep baths and river views.

Wahroonga on Bourke

A stylish self-contained studio apartment in a 1901 Federation-style house, replete with heated floors for chilly Tasmanian nights and a kitchenette stocked with local eggs, milk and bread.

Restaurants

Black Cow

Try Tasmania’s famous Cape Grim beef and Robbins Island wagyu at this high-end steakhouse. The list backs Tamar wines alongside heavy hitters from the Barossa, Bordeaux and beyond.

Stillwater

Located in an 1830s flour mill at the edge of the Tamar, Stillwater shows no sign of age after 25 years of fine dining. Its two- or three-course set menu puts a mod-Oz riff on the region’s finest crayfish, abalone, wallaby and lamb.

Timbre Kitchen

This eco-friendly restaurant sources backyard fruit and veg from its neighbours. The wood-roasted chicken is a classic, particularly with a glass of Chardonnay from its landlord, Velo Wines.

Shopping & leisure

Design Tasmania

Peruse the collection of contemporary Tasmanian design then hit the gift shop for artist-made textiles and jewellery.

Launceston Distillery

Get a taste for Tasmania’s famous whiskies at this urban distillery, conveniently located in a hangar at Launceston airport.

Stockton & Co

The walls are decked with works by top Tasmanian artists, the shelves a mix of local and Japanese-made kitchen tools, notebooks and knits.

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Hahndorf Hill specialises in growing cool-climate Austrian grape varieties such as Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt.

Larry Jacobs and Marc Dobson established the six-hectare estate just outside the German-heritage village of Hahndorf back in 2002.

Hahndorf Hill is now firmly established as ‘Australia’s proud standard bearer for Grüner Veltliner’, according to Decanter’s David Sly.

Wirra Wirra chief executive Matthew Deller MW said: ‘At a time when the Australian wine industry is facing real challenges, we’re choosing to invest in quality, authenticity and long-term growth.

‘Larry and Marc have created something truly special. Hahndorf Hill fits perfectly with our vision for the future.’

This represents Wirra Wirra’s second foray into the Adelaide Hills. A decade ago, the family-owned business bought Ashton Hills, one of Australia’s leading Pinot Noir producers.

Hahndorf Hill is primarily renowned for producing four expressions of Grüner Veltliner, but it also makes small-batch reds, including Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent and Zweigelt. The winery produces a 12-variety white field blend, a rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Shiraz too.

Jacobs, a former intensive-care doctor who gave up medicine to set up Mulderbosch Vineyards in Stellenbosch before moving to Australia in 1997, currently oversees all vineyard and winery operations at Hahndorf Hill.

Dobson, a former journalist and advertising copywriter from Cape Town, is responsible for marketing, while he also runs Hahndorf Hill’s cellar door operations. Both men now plan to retire, leaving the Wirra Wirra team to continue their work.

‘Marc and I are thrilled that Wirra Wirra will be taking over the reins,’ said Jacobs. ‘The Wirra Wirra team has all the skills and enthusiasm to take Hahndorf Hill to the next level.’

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Yalumba celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2024, confirming its status as Australia’s oldest family-owned winery. As part of the celebrations, the winery launched a special Museum Release of selected older bottles.

Fortunately, this is now an annual event and the second collection of Yalumba Museum Release wines will take place on 1 May 2025.

It features limited amounts of seven back-vintage wines. They include The Signature, The Octavius Shiraz and super-premium blend The Caley.

Each has more than a decade of ageing in the Yalumba museum cellars.

Scroll down for notes and scores of the latest Yalumba Museum Release

The initial Yalumba Museum Release in May 2024 was an immediate success, with all global allocations selling swiftly.

It vindicated the decision of Jessica Hill-Smith, Yalumba’s general manager of public relations, communications and business affairs, to build this programme when she returned to the family company in 2019, after years working in the UK and Sydney.

A new approach to old wines

As the sixth generation of the Hill-Smith Family to be involved at the core of Yalumba decision-making, she accurately read the desire of restaurateurs to list older vintages of elite Australian red wines.

Though she noted they’re not prepared to invest the expense of cellaring these wines on their own premises.

The solution, as she saw it, was for Yalumba to do the work on their behalf. To that end the company utilised the museum cellar beneath its winery at Angaston in the Barossa Valley, which has housed the Hill-Smith Family’s expansive wine collection for more than 100 years.

The Yalumba winemakers were encouraged to identify wines from superior vintages that would be ideal for long-term cellaring. The company then reserved significant qualities of these vintages for later release.

The second Museum Release

Today, wine lovers can take advantage of these perceptive decisions. This year’s Museum Release includes 2010 and 2015 vintages of The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon from Yalumba’s Coonawarra Vineyard; The Signature blend of Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz; and The Octavius old-vine Shiraz from the Barossa.

The lineup also features 2013 and 2015 vintages of The Caley, a blend of elite Coonawarra Cabernet and Barossa Shiraz parcels, as well as 2015 Tri-Centenary Grenache, crafted from Barossa bush vines planted in 1889.

The 2015 vintage, in particular, is showing exceptional quality. According to Louisa Rose – former chief winemaker at Yalumba and now global ambassador and head of sustainability – these aged wines demonstrate:

‘The pedigree of great ancient vineyards, and the skill in getting the fruit off the vines at exactly the right time.’

The Museum Release is now timed to complement the annual release of Yalumba’s suite of elite premium wines. It serves as a clever advertisement to suggest the promise these new vintages hold if they are cellared.

‘Cellaring fine wine is an art – and this is something Yalumba is determined to advocate and promote,’ says Rose.

History and tradition

It’s an ethos that rings true for Yalumba. The Hill-Smith family has a particular passion for history and tradition, being a steadfast champion of preserving and caring for ancient vines.

The family’s key Barossa Shiraz vineyards include Clifton Estate, planted in 1854 and Shorts Vineyard planted in 1900. Also in the Barossa is the Tri-Centenary Vineyard, planted with Grenache in 1889.

Yalumba also drafted a charter to accurately classify different ages of old vines. It defines four categories: Old (35-plus years), Survivors (70-plus years), Centenarians (100-plus years) and Ancestors (125-plus years).

In the Yalumba playbook, such attention to detail makes a significant difference.

This is where the Museum Release makes clear sense, offering comparisons of how premium wines age with grace.

Passing the baton

However, celebrations for the Museum Release project are tempered by the departure of senior red winemaker Kevin Glastonbury. Responsible for all of the wines issued in the current Museum Release, he will be leaving his role at Yalumba on 27 June.

With no successor yet announced, his departure leaves a gap in the specific knowledge of crafting these elite red blends and getting the best out of Yalumba’s ancient vineyards.

Glastonbury has spent 27 vintages with Yalumba. In that time he has masterfully curated the winery’s unique suite of Cabernet-driven blends with Shiraz – making him a global master of this particular red blend.

Glastonbury’s wines have earned Yalumba more than 70 trophies, including the Most Outstanding Barossa Red Wine for five consecutive years at the Barossa Wine Show. Yalumba was also awarded Best Shiraz Trophy at the Adelaide Wine Show in 2015 and 2016 for Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz 2013.

The fruits of Glastonbury’s labours – and the considerable intelligence he has applied to crafting these wines – are clearly evident in this new Museum Release.

‘I can reflect on the development of these red wine styles over the years with great pride, and examining them in their maturity through the Museum Releases really shows off the merits of those winemaking decisions,’ says Glastonbury.

Yalumba: Latest releases

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Popular Australia & New Zealand wine articles

Given the glamour that surrounds the world of fine wine, it can be all too easy to forget that wine is an agricultural product, and that, as such, it’s subject to the vagaries of nature.

Each year is a gamble for wine producers, with a spread bet that the combination of weather, yield and disease pressure will pay out in their favour.

Stephen and Prue Henschke, fifth-generation producers of some of South Australia’s most iconic wines, are only too familiar with the annual roll of the dice.

Scroll down for the Henschke 2021 single-vineyard releases

Production volumes of all of their single-vineyard Shirazes were way down on average – and in some cases non-existent – in the challenging 2019 vintage.

This was the result of a combination of spring frosts and a hot, dry summer, as well as bushfires in the Adelaide Hills.

Worse was to come in 2020, a vintage described by Stephen as, ‘an absolute disaster’.

He says: ‘We literally had vines with no grapes on them at all – we lost a whole vintage.’

A ‘fairy-tale vintage’

As a result the following year, 2021, which he describes as ‘a beautiful, fairy-tale vintage’, came as a huge relief. Volumes were not only back up to normal, but the quality of the wines is immediately apparent to all who taste them.

Stephen believes that the wines stand comparison with the stellar vintages of 1986, 2002, 2005 and 2015 – although, as ever, each vintage has its own particular character.

‘The unique thing about 2021,’ says Stephen, ‘is that it was one of the coolest growing seasons we’ve seen in 19 years. We only had three days over 30°C. In terms of vintage comparisons, it comes closest to 2002 and 2005, both of which were wonderful years.’

The weather conditions in 2021 almost seemed to be trying to make amends for the tribulations imposed on the Henschkes over the course of the previous couple of years. There was sufficient rainfall early in the growing season to nourish the vines, then just enough water stress after veraison to help create balance and concentration in the fruit.

Finally, the growing season culminated in an Indian summer, which allowed the wines to reach near-perfect levels of colour, aromatic richness, depth of flavour and balance.

Fine-tuning in the winery

As far as the Henschkes are concerned, great wines are not made in the winery, where very little has changed over the course of generations. There has, of course, been the odd tweak here and there.

For example, instead of crushing the fruit on arrival at the winery, the bunches are now passed through a de-stemmer and optical sorter. The family also employs a more efficient cooling system than was once the case.

The use of new oak has also decreased over time from around 25% to a figure closer to 5%. Stephen explains: ‘We want the vineyard to be the hero, and not the oak.’

In 2002 screwcaps were introduced as the closure of choice for most of the range.

Vineyard goals

Instead, the Henschkes believe that true greatness comes from a near-infinite capacity for taking pains in the vineyard. As the family’s viticulturist, this is Prue’s fiefdom.

Her work is largely about managing exposure, harnessing sunlight to ripen the grapes and not to burn them.

‘The idea,’ says Prue, ‘is to draw on the cooler light in the morning and then have a very shaded canopy facing the hot afternoon sun.’

She points out that they’re helped in their goal of capturing the essence of each vineyard by the age of their vines. The emblematic Hill of Grace Shiraz vineyard averages out at 85 years old, a relatively sprightly age when you consider that the oldest vines that go into the cuvee were planted in 1860.

‘The interesting thing with the old vines,’ she says, ‘is that they seem to be designed in such a way as to set the fruit up to have beautiful balance.

In the past four years we’ve been picking grapes with high acidities and low pH levels, so the wines almost make themselves.’

Vine age and complexity

The difference between the vines that go into Hill of Grace, and the younger vines from the same vineyard, planted in 1989 – and which are used to create the Hill of Roses Shiraz – is clear, according to Stephen.

‘The palate length [of Hill of Roses] is still building, as is the complexity compared to the old-vine wines,’ he says, adding: ‘The balance is coming into better focus.’ He believes it takes about 25 years for a vineyard to start showing some real complexity.

The truth is there’s no lack of complexity in any of the Henschkes’ single-vineyard wines; just the restrained elegance and precision that speaks volumes about Prue and Stephen’s intimate knowledge of their vineyards.

It also speaks of the confidence they have in the ability of those vineyards to reveal themselves in the glass.

Winemaking may always be a bit of a gamble, but it’s clear that the Henschkes hold many – if not all – of the cards.

First taste: Henschke new releases

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Chair Nick Lander explained that books were judged against several criteria: they needed to contain a large amount of original research; be of enduring, educational value; be a pleasure to read; and be well produced. This year, the 46th year of the awards, saw a record number of submissions, with more than 160 books entered.

Drink Award winner

The Drink Award went to Andrew Caillard for The Australian Ark (available from Académie du Vin Library), a three-volume collection charting the history of Australian wine, which chronicles the key figures, events and ambitions shaping Australian wine from the time of the first settlement in 1788 to the present day.

Wine author, fine wine auctioneer and Master of Wine, Caillard spent 17 years working on the magnum opus, the most extensive history of Australian wine ever written, which has been published in paperback, hardback and leather-bound editions.

‘The Australian Ark was like falling into a forgotten world,’ said Caillard, who was represented at the ceremony by his publishers Angus Hughson and David Longfield. ‘The more I delved into Australia’s wine story, the more I was hooked. It’s just an incredible adventure and full of imagination, daring and grand achievements.’

Wine buyer and former sommelier Dawn Davies MW judged the drink book entries, and described Australian Ark as ‘phenomenal’. She paid tribute to the book’s incredible depth, and richness of history. It’s nothing short of a masterpiece, and is a book that you will go back to time and time again.’

Once in a generation

Hughson explained that he jumped at the opportunity to publish the work, on being approached by Caillard. ‘Very few people have the experience that Andrew has, and write with his elegance,’ said Hughson. ‘It’s the culmination of a lifetime’s work – a once in a generation book. When I read the manuscript I knew this had to be printed, especially given the challenges faced by the Australian wine industry today.’

A reprint of the book (5,000 copies were printed) is unlikely, given the cost of production, he said. ‘The project was possible thanks to donations by Australian wine producers and fine wine collectors who recognised the value of the work,’ Hughson explained. ‘Within a week of Andrew sending his first emails, A$200,000 had been pledged of the A$600,000 we raised in total for a project, which in the end has cost over $1.2m to publish.’

It was an expensive and labour-intensive project, he said. ‘The team working on it with Andrew included archivists in three libraries, editors and historians. We went through 20,000 images to choose the final selection of 1,200. We also felt it was important to print the book in Australia, even though we could have printed it more cheaply abroad, and we used the best-quality paper stock.’

Writing from Australia, Caillard said that ‘winning the André Simon Award is an incredible honour, as it recognises and validates The Australian Ark as a work of enduring value. It took 17 years of writing, but it could not have been published without the incredible support of my editorial team (especially Angus and David), family, friends and the Australian wine community’.

Shortlisted entries

Also shortlisted for the Drink Award were One Thousand Vines, by the current holder of the Decanter Rising Star Award, Pascaline Lepeltier, reviewed recently by Decanter; and The Martini, by Alice Lascelles.

In One Thousand Vines the French-born, New York-based sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier answers important questions about wine. With three main parts – Reading Vines, Reading Landscapes and Reading Wines – the book challenges preconceived ideas about the vine and its wine. It explains where we are now, how we got here, and shows us a way forward – in how grapes will be grown, made into wine, sold and enjoyed. ‘If I’d had this book when I was studying for my Master of Wine, I would have passed a lot sooner!’ commented Davies.

Food Award winner

The Food Award went to Nicola Lamb for SIFT: The Art of Great Baking (available through Amazon UK). Lamb, who trained in London and New York’s top bakeries, sets out to be the ultimate guide to becoming a better baker. Food Assessor Lennie Ware said: ‘SIFT is a wonderful, innovative and original baking book. Truly accomplished, it is so interesting in terms of the science of baking, and is a triumph in its technicality. But the book is also accessible to all levels of bakers, with fantastic recipes that are easy to follow.’

Two further awards were made on the evening. The John Avery Award went to Ned Palmer for A Cheesemonger’s Tour de France (available through Amazon UK), and the Special Commendation Award was presented to Adam Wells for Perry: A Drinker’s Guide (available through Amazon UK).

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For an island state with a population of just 576,000, Tasmania punches well above its weight in the world of wine. It produces 1.2% of Australia’s national crush by volume, but 6.1% of the crush by value.

Tasmania, or Lutruwita in the palawa kani language, is located south of the eastern end of the Australian mainland.

With a cool climate, moderate rainfall and numerous mountain ranges, it’s an extremely diverse pocket of the country that subverts many of the classic tropes.

Scroll down for Cassandra’s pick of Tasmanian sparkling wine

Sitting between about 40° and 43° latitude, summer days are long, winters bring snow in the central uplands, and although the island has a temperate climate, the maritime influence can provide benefits and challenges to wine-growing, meaning that site selection is key.

Of course, grape variety also plays an important role, with Pinot Noir comprising just under half the total yield, followed by Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. About 40% of total production is sparkling wine.

The island has one official GI (Tasmania), divided into seven unofficial wine-growing regions in the north, east and south: Tamar Valley, Pipers River, East Coast, North West, Coal River Valley, Derwent Valley and Huon Valley.

Soils and microclimates are diverse, and the variable weather means that vintage variation can be considerable. Recent top vintages include the outstanding 2016 and 2019, with 2017 and 2021 also great for many. 2020, 2022 and 2023 saw high quality but lower yields, while 2024 was a brilliant season for quality and quantity.

Steady growth

Although grapevines were first planted in Tasmania (on Bruny Island) in 1788, it wasn’t until the mid-1950s that the first contemporary vineyards were planted and the island’s wine industry began in earnest.

The La Provence vineyard (now known as Providence) was planted in 1956 in the island’s northeast by French émigrés Jean and Cecile Miguet. Two years later, Italian textile merchant Claudio Alcorso established Moorilla Estate in Hobart, unaware of the recent plantings in the north.

Many of the instrumental founding players still drive the industry. In 1974, Dr Andrew Pirie put the Pipers River sub-region on the map with his Pipers Brook vineyard; he established his 2ha Apogee vineyard in 2012.

The 1990s brought new plantings and pioneers, and the industry has steadily grown to what it is today, with the top producers winning accolades among the world’s premium wines.

Tasmania’s sparkling wine industry is an exciting space right now. Vineyards have matured, reserve wine programs have aged, and producers – from the established, such as House of Arras, to young guns and family-owned operations such as Bellebonne – are crafting wines that express place in a fantastic diversity of styles.

Tasmania’s sparkling fruit is among the country’s most sought-after, reaching a record A$3,797/tonne in 2024.

With the wine sector predicted to be the largest contributor to the Tasmanian economy by 2040, it’s clear that the sparkling train is travelling full steam ahead. There has never been a better time to pick up a bottle and jump on board.

Tasmanian sparkling wine

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Nestled in the far southeastern corner of Australia, the state of Victoria is small in the context of Australian states, making up just 3% of the nation’s land, but is a behemoth culturally, with a quarter of the population calling it home.

Most dwell in the multicultural food mecca that is the city of Melbourne, the state capital. Despite its modest footprint, Victoria is home to more wine regions and more individual wineries than any other Australian state and is wonderfully diverse.

From sub-alpine to maritime, continental to Mediterranean, its varied and various regions produce high-quality expressions of international grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Scroll down to see an introduction to the key wine areas in Victoria

However, it has also seen a flourishing of alternative grape varieties over recent years, dominated by (though not limited to) Italian grapes (see ‘Putting down roots’, February 2025 issue).

This diversity and quality make this small but mighty state a haven for wine enthusiasts. While there are 21 wine regions in Victoria, here we take you on a whistlestop tour of the 12 most prominent.

This is not to trivialise the remaining nine, though they are comparatively smaller or still in their phase of emergence within the Victorian wine landscape.

Alpine Valleys

In the state’s northeast at the foot of the Victorian Alps, this cool-climate region excels with elegant, fresh wines.

Prosecco (permitted within Australia as a synonym for northern Italy’s Glera grape), Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir currently dominate its small-scale production, although alternative varieties – from Saperavi to Sangiovese – have been on the rise significantly.

Beechworth

Known for world-class Chardonnay, with names such as Giaconda and Savaterre leading the way, Beechworth also shines with Shiraz and Nebbiolo; the latter produces some of the country’s best expressions. Despite only having about 30 producers, Beechworth is a powerhouse in terms of Australia’s premium offerings.

Geelong

Once Victoria’s largest wine region before undergoing a century-long pause after phylloxera ravaged the area in the 1870s and ’80s, Geelong has rebounded as a benchmark for rich, ageworthy Chardonnay and savoury, structured Pinot.

Renowned producers such as By Farr and Bannockburn shine with both varieties, made in a Burgundian style. Medium-bodied and savoury Shiraz is a strong feature of the region, too.

Gippsland

The sprawling region of Gippsland reaches from southeast of Melbourne for more than 300km to the border with New South Wales. It’s rainy and windswept, with a mere 50 or so wineries working with super-low yields.

Here, the focus is on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with wine styles varying depending on where they’re planted.

East Gippsland is all about power and structure, whereas South Gippsland tends to yield wines of delicacy and elegance.

Grampians

The picturesque Grampians region in western Victoria boasts a Mediterranean climate thanks to its proximity (100km- 200km) to the cooling Southern Ocean.

The region focuses on Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling, with elegance a key feature.

The Grampians National Park offers stunning mountainous backdrops, while the region is steeped in Australian wine history thanks to producers such as Best Great Western and Seppelt Wines.

Heathcote

The Heathcote region is in central Victoria, about 110km north of Melbourne. This is one of Victoria’s largest Shiraz-producing areas, its warm climate and ancient Cambrian soils producing rich wines with dark, inky fruit and a firm structure.

While Shiraz dominates, varieties such as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Viognier also thrive.

King Valley

Thanks to the influence of Italian immigrants, the cool-climate King Valley in northeastern Victoria is considered to be the home of Italian grape varieties and styles in Australia.

Today, pioneering families are producing the likes of Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Barbera.

The classic French grapes are also widely planted.

Macedon Ranges

Lying about an hour’s drive northwest of Melbourne, Macedon Ranges is Australia’s coolest mainland wine region. It has built a reputation for high-quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both still and sparkling.

However, the region also produces high-quality aromatic whites, as well as richer reds in the warmer northern areas.

Mornington Peninsula

Located about an hour’s drive south of Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula is surrounded by water on three sides, making for a truly maritime climate. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the focus here; high-quality Pinot Gris also features.

Proximity to the ocean creates a cool, temperate climate that is ideal for high- quality wine production. As such, the focus is on boutique offerings from small-scale producers.

Murray Darling

Straddling the Murray river in far northwestern Victoria, Murray Darling is a hub for viticulture and other forms of agriculture. Historically known for large-scale production, it’s now recognised for championing alternative grapes.

The Chalmers family has been at the forefront of this movement, importing and promoting alternative varieties over the last 30 years or so.

Rutherglen

Bordering New South Wales in northeastern Victoria, Rutherglen is renowned for producing some of the world’s greatest fortified wines. It is characterised by a continental climate, with warm, sunny days and cool nights, thanks to the nearby Victorian Alps.

Fortified Muscat and Topaque wines from this region can reach immense levels of complexity, while red wines exhibit power and structure.

Yarra Valley

Sitting about 50km northeast of Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is Victoria’s oldest wine region. This cool-climate area is focused on producing pithy, grapefruit-driven Chardonnay and fragrant, light-to-medium-bodied Pinot Noir.

The region’s lower-lying and warmer sites also produce elegant and ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

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How long is a piece of string?’ quips Michael Dal Zotto of Dal Zotto Wines in Victoria’s King Valley wine region – a pithy yet fitting response to a big question: What’s the next big thing for Italian varieties in Australia? ‘I have a personal preference for Pinot Bianco,’ he adds, ‘but Fiano and Montepulciano are definitely appealing to the consumers we show them to.’

These are just a few of the Italian varieties flourishing in Australian vineyards – and ultimately in Australian wine glasses. To many outside the country, however, this evolution might come as a surprise.

Scroll down to see notes and scores of 10 Italian varietal wines shining in Australia

The global perception of Australian wine still often defaults to two extremes: inexpensive, fruity bulk wine and bold, premium Barossa Shiraz. And while these styles are undeniably significant within the context of Australian wine’s journey, they simply don’t reflect the full spectrum of the country’s ever-evolving wine landscape.

Today, Italian varieties flow through the veins of Australian wine, having found an eminently comfortable home while exemplifying the country’s growing diversity and adaptability.

But this shift didn’t happen overnight. Italian varieties have only gained serious traction in Australia over the last three decades – following more than 170 years of dominance by French grapes.

Over its rich vinous history, Australia has finely tuned iconic French varieties such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (Shiraz) and Chardonnay, often rivalling the best from their Old World counterparts (much to the chagrin of the French).

Yet, this historical focus on French grapes belies the significant cultural influence of Italian immigrants on Australian life.

La dolce vita

Italians were among Australia’s earliest European immigrants, arriving in waves during the 1850s gold rush era and again after World War II as part of government programmes such as the ‘Populate or Perish’ initiative.

Having introduced the hedonistic notion of la dolce vita into the Australian psyche, their culinary contributions – from espresso and pasta to pizza and prosciutto – are now deeply embedded in Australian daily life to the point of ubiquity.

Over the past 30 years, Italian grape varieties have joined this legacy, bringing a youthful, exploratory spirit to the Australian wine scene.

‘So far, the rise of Italian varieties has added to the allure of wine,’ says Kathleen Quealy of Quealy Wines (pictured, above), also in Victoria, and a pioneer of Pinot Grigio in Australia.

‘The fun and accessibility of Prosecco, the understated style and pleasure of a premium Pinot Grigio, a fresh Fiano, the power and natural acidity of Sangiovese.’ These wines offer consumers a break from the usual suspects, catering to a wider range of preferences.

Victoria’s King Valley region is considered the home of Italian wine styles in Australia. Italian immigrants initially farmed tobacco and hops in the area, before declining demand and the introduction of government regulations restricting the cultivation and sale of tobacco in the 1970s and ’80s forced them to pivot toward grape-growing.

Inspired by the success of regional leader Brown Brothers, these producers began to plant Italian varieties, in the process reconnecting with their heritage.

Now, pioneering families such as Dal Zotto, Pizzini, Politini, Sam Miranda and Cavedon have established the region as a hub for high-quality wines made with Italian grapes.

One of its key offerings is Prosecco (a synonym for northern Italy’s Glera grape, permitted as a grape name within Australia), with various brands experiencing considerable success, in keeping with the enormous global growth of Italy’s sparkling Prosecco category.

Home from home

Australia’s varied climate replicates the similarly wide-ranging climate of Italy, thus accommodating any and all Italian varieties. Fiano and Aglianico, for example, thrive in warm, coastal regions reminiscent of their southern Italian origins. McLaren Vale in South Australia is a prime example, now with more than two decades of experience cultivating Italian varieties.

‘I think it has, at the very least, brought us white varieties that fit our climate so much better,’ says Corrina Wright of Oliver’s Taranga in McLaren Vale (pictured, above). ‘Drought tolerant, high natural acidity, thick skins, disease tolerant, later ripening – especially Fiano. It has also widened our smorgasbord of red varieties – with Aglianico, Nero d’Avola and Montepulciano leading the way.’

In fact, according to a 2023 article published online by the McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association, Fiano is McLaren Vale’s third-most planted white grape variety. ‘Not only do Fiano wines work climatically, holding their acid, but they suit our coastal foodie lifestyle so well,’ continues Wright. ‘Plus, stylistically they can go from super-tight sparkling wines all the way through to uber-textural expressions of deliciousness.’

And it’s more widespread than that. Other South Australian regions, such as the Adelaide Hills, Riverland, Clare Valley and Barossa Valley, have all taken up a multitude of Italian varieties.

Victoria’s Heathcote region has had considerable success with Sangiovese, and Beechworth is making a name for its high-quality Nebbiolo wines.

Make no mistake, however, this growth category is by no means limited to the iconic grapes. From Falanghina to Moscato Giallo, Refosco to Piedirosso – Australia doesn’t shy away from the obscure, and the varieties now considered ‘mainstream’ were foreign fruits not so long ago.

Sowing the seeds

The Chalmers family has played a pivotal role in this transformation. Over the past 30 years, they have not only refined their own warm-climate viticulture and winemaking in the Heathcote and Murray Darling regions, but have also led the charge in importing Italian clones into Australia.

Thanks to their efforts, varieties such as Fiano, Vermentino and Nero d’Avola have flourished, and for the right reasons.

‘At Chalmers, we try to not be a part of trends, and steer away from them where possible,’ says Tennille Chalmers (pictured, above), second generation and part-owner of the family business.

‘We keep our focus on the grape-growing, then making wines and wine styles that scream of who we are, what we believe in, and wine that speaks of that variety, personality and the flavour from the place in which it’s grown.’

A most admirable aspect of the Chalmers’ ambition is their consideration of the greater good rather than it being a solely self-serving pursuit. ‘We love seeing Italian varieties in Australia find their new homes where growers, winemakers and wine lovers embrace them because of their suitability to those newfound sites.’

The Chalmers family was also involved in founding one of Australia’s most important wine shows, the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show, which is held each year in the city of Mildura.

In 1999, Bruce Chalmers, well-known local chef Stefano de Pieri and viticulturist in the Chalmers’ nursery Dr Rod Bonfiglioli initiated the Sangiovese Awards, which morphed into the Australian Italian Wine Show in 2000, before landing on its current name the following year.

Along with providing important feedback to producers working with alternative varieties, the show has been critical in shining a light on alternative varieties as a category within Australian wine, with Italian varieties chief among them.

Italian ‘wow factor’

Mark Walpole of Beechworth-based Fighting Gully Road has been another huge proponent of Italian varieties in Australia. His work in developing Sangiovese has been critical to the grape’s local rise, having imported various clones far superior to those previously planted, ultimately resulting in much higher-quality expressions.

Today, he makes benchmark examples but also excels with other alternative grapes. Recently, his 2023 Verdicchio (see recommendations, below) won a slew of awards at the North East Victorian Wine Challenge, including Wine of Show.

‘It’s interesting to consider “alternatives” from France,’ says Walpole. ‘Picquepoul, Grenache Blanc and the like are getting a bit of an airing at the moment – but I’m yet to see a wine with a “wow” factor. Italian varieties seem to be able to deliver that.’

As for the future, Quealy sees a bright one: ‘The best of Italian varieties awaits Australia,’ she says. ‘The importation of the array of genetic material necessary to begin the time-consuming journey of matching variety to regions really only began 25 years ago.’

How long is a piece of string? Hard to say. But one thing is certain: Italian varieties have added a vibrant new one to Australian wine’s bow.

See notes and scores of 10 wines made with Italian grapes shining in Australia

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The world’s longest continuing library of vintage fortified wine has issued its latest chapter, with Australia’s Seppeltsfield launching a 1925 Para Vintage Tawny.

Following a tradition established by pioneer Barossa Valley winemaker Oscar ‘Benno’ Seppelt, who first laid down a barrel of vintage fortified in 1878 with instructions not to issue it for 100 years, the 1925 Para Vintage Tawny is released on 20 February 2025.

The 48th consecutive annual release of Seppeltsfield’s 100-year-old vintage tawny coincides with the anniversary of the Seppelt family taking residence in their western Barossa homestead at Seppeltsfield in 1851, having migrated from Silesia earlier that year.

Seppeltsfield remains the home of the Seppeltsfield Centennial Collection – the world’s only unbroken lineage of single vintage tawny. Each wine has spent a minimum of 100 years in oak barrels, within the Centennial Cellar at Seppeltsfield,

before being released to the market.

Historic wines

The first Para Tawny laid down by Benno Seppelt in 1878 comprised a single 500-litre puncheon. In the late 1970s, Para Tawny stocks were increased to four puncheons for each vintage. Since Warren Randal took over as proprietor of Seppeltsfield in 2009, eight puncheons of tawny from each vintage are reserved.

However, the 1925 vintage comprised only a single puncheon, and about 150 litres of this wine remains, due to around 3% volume being lost each year to evaporation.

Seppeltsfield chief winemaker, Fiona Donald, examines many of these historic wines during annual inventories to check their condition. She often decants them into smaller 300-litre hogshead casks to help preserve their freshness. It was during this process 18 months ago that she was struck by the quality and arresting personality of the 1925 vintage.

The 1925 vintage

‘It’s a wow wine,’ she said. ‘When I first started working with Para Vintage Tawny 16 years ago, I assumed that all wines of such profound age would look the same – and this is completely incorrect. The personality of each wine is framed by each different vintage, which is very accurately captured in this incredible fortified time capsule.’

The 1925 vintage is powerfully defined, with an assertive, confident personality: opening with bold notes of coffee and molasses, drizzled with a film of wild honey. The palate entry is electric – surprisingly sharp and alert for a 100-year-old wine, filling the palate with technicolour complexity that is uplifted and propelled by an undercurrent of acidity. Its richness is measured and tempered by clean, sweet notes – but it’s the deep strata of layers that intrigue.

An expansive mid-palate has dense fruitcake intensity, showing brandied raisin character over a bed of dark nutty notes: walnut, roasted hazelnut and scorched almond. A bite of Seville orange peel adds tension, introducing a hint of tight bitterness at counterpoint to the generosity of the wine’s ample, sweet belly and lively pinch of nutmeg.

The seamless meld of luscious Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre components (percentages of each grape variety used in the blend were not recorded at vintage) have darkened with age, showing a rich mahogany tone in the glass, framed by a vibrant amber rim.

Vintage variation

This new release stands in stark difference to recent Para Vintage Tawny releases. The 1922 vintage shows darker, savoury flavour tones with sharp green hazelnut liqueur framed by the bite of dried wild herbs. While the 1923 vintage had ample fruitiness that mirrored the comforting generosity of luscious Christmas pudding.

Such striking contrasts confirm Donald’s belief that vintage variation plays a significant role in each 100-year-old fortified wine.

‘Every vintage tells its own significant story, and it’s our duty to ensure that this is preserved – and that the historic Centennial Collection will remain relevant to fine wine collectors of the future,’ she explained.

The scarcity of Para Vintage Tawny amplifies the value of the treasure contained within each 100ml glass flask, which looks more like an exotic perfume vessel than a wine bottle. Each flask is hand-filled to order, then numbered and authenticated for collectors, bearing the signatures of Seppeltsfield proprietor and MD Randall and friend of the winery Bill Seppelt, the great-great-grandson of winery founders Joseph and Johanna Seppelt.

The wine is packaged in a latched black timber box that’s lined with black velvet and has information printed inside the lid that includes its bottling date. Its specific bottle number is attached to a neck tag on the bottle, while a QR code provides a link to tasting notes.

Seppeltsfield 1925 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny is also available online from seppeltsfield.com.au for AU$1,800, with shipping possible worldwide. In the US it is available via Legend Australian Wine Imports ($1,800).

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