The votes are in. Our 100-strong national panel of the finest winemakers, sommeliers and journalists have had their say, and today we’re pleased to announce the Top 50 Wineslingers for 2019. There’s been plenty of movement from last year, with 19 venues new to the list, but we’ve also seen some of the country’s brightest lights keep on shining.
As always, our aim is to find the best wine haunts around the nation, and ones with approachability, energy and adventure at their core. From natural wine wunderkind Wines of While to industry legend France-Soir, the list is a who’s who of where the action is right now, no matter what you’re drinking.
Some are restaurants with encyclopaedic lists, some boltholes with a few dozen well-chosen bottles, but they’re all venues where wine is the hero, and where it’s served with a sense of fun and adventure. The Wineslinger Top 50 is the inside running from those in the know of exactly where you should go.
“This list provides the insider’s guide to the places that the toughest critics in wine choose to have a ripping time. They’re restaurants, bars and pubs that bring energy, adventure and approachability to wine enjoyment,” says Wineslinger founder Rory Kent.
“These are places defined by fun, not formality. The size of your wine list isn’t what gets you onto the Top 50. It’s the sum of the parts. It’s the wine concept, the food, the staff, the setting, and that special something.
“The best part of wine is the thrill of discovery. The venues in the Top 50 all have a commitment to wine that makes them the go-to destinations of the wine experts looking to find something new.”
Making up the Top 50 list are 11 venues from each of New South Wales and Victoria, seven from Queensland, six from each of South Australia and Western Australia, five from Tasmania, three from the Australian Capital Territory and one from the Northern Territory.
“This is the ultimate guide to the pieces of wine paradise around Australia. Whether in your own town or in another corner of the country, there’s without doubt a number of places you haven’t heard of. For a good time, guaranteed, put them at the top of your to-do list.”
Voting is now open to the public for the People’s Choice Award, with all voters receiving a $50 voucher* with premium wine broker Langton’s. Everyone who votes also goes in the draw to win prizes that wine lovers’ dreams are made of – from a tour and taste with the Henschkes at the Hill of Grace vineyard, to a stay at the luxury Mitchelton Hotel with a winemaking experience in the historic cellars of Tahbilk. There’s even an opportunity to determine the final blend of the 2019 Ocean Eight Pinot Noir with winemaker Mike Aylward on the Mornington Peninsula.
Head to younggunofwine.com/wineslinger to vote on the People’s Choice. Voting will close on Monday October 28 at midday.
The Wineslinger awards include top slot the Wineslinger and the publicly voted People’s Choice, along with new trophy additions the Best New Act and the Maverick – recognising a venue pushing the boundaries of possibility. Winners to be revealed at the Wineslinger Awards ceremony on Monday October 28.
*The $50 Langton’s voucher can only be redeemed by new customers with a purchase over $250.
Registrations for the 18th Annual Young Gun of Wine Awards are now open (closing December). Lauren Langfield or Orbis Wines will join the YGOW tasting panel in 2024. She knows what winemakers are going through.
A new wave of producers marrying lo-fi winemaking with an environmentally friendly agenda is seeing the humble cask undergo a decidedly cool revival. In this edition of New Voices in Wine, James Vercoe talks through the cask renaissance with Marcus Radny of bag-in-the-box specialist Gonzo Vino.
The 2022 Vineyard of the Year Awards Top 50 has just landed. “As thousands of Australian grape growers and winemakers struggle with the most sodden start to the growing season they’ve ever experienced – not to mention the flood devastation suffered by many, and the ongoing fallout from the pandemic – it’s good to be reminded that many vignerons across the country are also looking beyond the here-and-now, to long-term sustainability, regeneration and exciting quality improvements in their vineyards,” said awards panellist Max Allen.
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