Wines of the Year 2025: Australia, New Zealand & South Africa

Choosing just three bottles to represent the dynamism and diversity of Australian wine right now was made even harder by the calibre of the contenders.

Penfolds, for example, had 15 wines scoring 95 points or more in Decanter tastings in 2025, with two vintages of Grange (1990 and 2021) awarded 99pts.

But my choices for Wines of the Year 2025 reflect the younger wineries and newer-wave styles that made me really excited during the year.

It’s exemplified by Alkina, founded in 2015, whose detailed, plot-specific wines are rewriting the script for Barossa Shiraz and scooped two top spots in David Sly’s 2023 vintage report.

Flametree, established in 2007, joined Margaret River royalty in Cassandra Charlick’s top 2023 Chardonnays – from a vintage dubbed one of the region’s greatest ever. Chief winemaker Cliff Royle’s SRS (Sub-Regional Series) showcased a single exceptional site in Wallcliffe.

And Ed Carr’s stunning Late Disgorged cuvée is proof of the synergy between Tasmanian terroir and sparkling wine; no comparisons with Champagne necessary. Head east across the Tasman sea to New Zealand, however, and Bell Hill Vineyard in Waikari does bring to mind the limestone soils of both Champagne and Burgundy.

Chardonnay accounted for just 9% of the country’s vineyard in 2024, but as Emma Jenkins MW argues, wines such as the Bell Hill Chardonnay are its best-kept secret.

It’s no secret, though, that South Africa’s Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is producing world-class Chardonnay, such as the year’s top-scoring Seascape Reserve from Whalehaven, which Roger Jones praised for its Meursault-like focus.

Wines of the year 2025: Australia, New Zealand & South Africa

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