Finalists in Halliday Wine Awards revealed

The shortlist for the 2027 Halliday Wine Companion Awards was unveiled today with entries topping 7,520 wines from 1,033 wineries.

The Halliday tasting team says it offers an exciting snapshot of the Australian wine landscape right now, revealing an impressive showing from McLaren Vale and an influx of micro-producers vying for the top award.

Notably, 68 wineries submitted for the first time, making it a record-breaking year for new entrants.

South Australia has the largest share of finalists. McLaren Vale stands out as the top-performing wine region with nine shortlisted producers demonstrating extraordinary quality and regional pedigree.

The Yarra Valley follows closely with six finalists while Tasmania and the Hunter Valley boast five each.

The most submitted variety was Shiraz followed by Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Together, these five classic styles accounted for more than half of all submissions.

Hyper-boutique producers like Bekkers, Sami-Odi and Koomilya have successfully challenged the larger household-name producers to become finalists for Winery of the Year.

The Best New Winery shortlist is primarily dominated by micro-operations, from solo acts like L’Anima and S. Caica to the tiny three-hectare Decades and micro-batching trio Foreign Friends.

“We are immensely blessed with the quality and diversity of our Australian wine regions,” says Katrina Butler, Halliday’s head of tasting.

“From Margaret River to McLaren Vale, the Yarra to the Hunter, there are truly world-class bottlings of Chardonnay and Grenache, exciting renditions of Chenin Blanc and Fiano (an inaugural category in this edition), Shiraz in a variety of styles and more being made by producers large and small.

“Of the 68 new producers reviewed for this edition, many share winery space, fruit, resources, machinery and a beer at the end of the day with the more established, and this collegiate ‘Aussie attitude’ and the sense of community it fosters are palpable. It is a joy to consolidate these entries and present the best of the best.”

Barossa Valley’s Sami-Odi, helmed by Fraser McKinley, produces roughly 1,000 cases a year. This cult indie producer relies entirely on a dedicated mailing list, with no cellar door, public tastings or traditional marketing, yet wine lovers routinely wait years for the chance to buy a bottle of his unblended, naturally made Shiraz.

Meanwhile, alternative Victorian producer Foreign Friends, run by an all-female trio of sisters Leila and Crystal Davis and friend Juliette Menneteau, is up for Best New Winery. This innovative label names each of its individual cuvées after the women and friends who inspire them.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Wednesday 19 August.

The Halliday Wine Companion 2027 will be released on Thursday 20 August for RRP $50.

Finalists

Winery of the Year
Bekkers (McLaren Vale)
Forest Hill Vineyard (Great Southern)
House of Arras (TAS)
Koomilya (McLaren Vale)
Oakridge (Yarra Valley)
Sami-Odi (Barossa Valley)
Tolpuddle (TAS)
Yerringberg (Yarra Valley)

Viticulturist of the Year
Adrian Hoffmann (Barossa Valley)
Andrew George, Yarra Yering (Yarra Valley)
Ashley Ratcliff, Ricca Terra (Riverland)
Ben Thomson, Best’s (Grampians)
Louise Eather | Tyrrell’s (Hunter Valley)
Richard Wellsmore, Maxwell Wines (McLaren Vale)
Ross Pike, Forest Hill Vineyards (Great Southern)

Best Value Winery
Evans & Tate (Margaret River)
Medhurst (Yarra Valley)
Ministry of Clouds (McLaren Vale)
MMAD (McLaren Vale)
Thomas Wines (Hunter Valley)
Wirra Wirra Vineyards (McLaren Vale)

Best New Winery
Decades (TAS)
Fervor (Great Southern)
Foreign Friends (Beechworth)
L’Anima (McLaren Vale)
S. Caica (McLaren Vale)
Thunderstone (Porongurup)

Dark Horse Winery
Balancing Heart (Granite Belt)
Black & Ginger (Grampians)
Cobaw Ridge (Macedon Ranges)
Heroes (Geelong)
Krinklewood (Hunter Valley)
Mercer Wines (Hunter Valley)
Ngeringa (Adelaide Hills)
Sailor Seeks Horse (TAS)

Photograph: Leila and Crystal Davis and Juliette Menneteau from Foreign Friends.