Margaret River
2023 Finalist
Claudia Gant has evolved the 467 Twenty Four Road vineyard – established by her father Graham Lloyd in 1998 – with a rich tapestry of varieties, from Margaret River’s renowned chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon to the less traditional, such as arneis, alvarinho, and touriga nacional. Tucked away in the southern reaches of Margaret River, the cool climes of Karridale, shadowed by the influence of the Southern Ocean, offer a unique microclimate. Combined with Claudia’s vineyard architecture, this delivers grapes of high natural acidity, providing a suite of options for a natural approach in the winery. Here, the fruits of Claudia and Matt Gant’s labor not only fuel their own ‘Gant & Co’ label but also five other local wineries, Domaine Naturaliste, Howard Park, Flametree, Byron and Harold, and Skigh Wine.
South Australia, Clare Valley
2022 Vineyard of the Year
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
The Adelina vineyard, in the Clare Valley, is an old one. The first shiraz vines were planted in the early 1900s and were supplemented with grenache sometime in the ’40s. When Col McBryde and Jennie Gardner took over the management of the site in 2002, their work was cut out for them. With rampant wild olive trees and weeds aplenty, they set about regenerating the landscape, working with organic methods for many years before finally seeking and achieving certification in 2020. Today, those old vines are in fine health, while further plantings have increased the vineyard size a little to now occupy six hectares.
Barossa Valley
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
2021 Innovative Vineyard of the Year
2021 Finalist
Alkina is a relatively new project on an old farm. First planted to vines by Les Kalleske in 1955 in the Barossa subregion of Greenock, the site boasts stone buildings dating back to the 1850s. When Argentinian vigneron Alejandro Bulgheroni bought the property in 2015, he planted new vines and embarked on a process of examining the site’s geology in microscopic detail over a five-year project. With general manager Amelia Nolan and vineyard manager Johnny Schuster both overseeing the certified biodynamic vineyard, the ongoing quest is to grow terroir-reflective fruit from Barossa heritage varieties and elaborate them with simple and transparent winemaking, both as blends of blocks and micro-parcels called ‘Polygons’.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2022 Finalist
2020 Finalist
With a little under 11 hectares of vines, the Warboys Vineyard has become the centrepiece of Angove Family Winemakers. Founded in 1886, the family’s historic vineyards were swallowed up by Adelaide’s urban sprawl in the 1970s, with the rundown Warboys Vineyard (named after a site that Dr Angove started to source from in the 19th century) acquired in 2008. Managed since then with strict organic and biodynamic methods, viticulturist Nick Bakkum has resurrected the old shiraz and grenache vines, as well as extending those plantings along with the inclusion of fiano and carignan to insulate against a warming climate.
Clare Valley
2022 Finalist
Artwine’s Springfarm Vineyard in the Clare Valley is home to eight different varieties, with a distinct lean to emerging ones that have been chosen for their suitability to the changing climate. Owned for over two decades by Glen and Judy Kelly, the site complements their cooler Adelaide Hills vineyard, where their cellar door is situated. The Clare site contributes traditional varieties like grenache to the range, along with Mediterranean ones, like fiano, tempranillo, graciano and sangiovese, with new plantings yet to come online.
Adelaide Hills
2023 Finalist
Founded in 1982 by Stephen George, Ashton Hills is a beacon of viticultural excellence nestled within the officially recognized Piccadilly Valley subregion of the Adelaide Hills. Under the stewardship of Wirra Wirra Vineyards, with the viticultural expertise of Anton Groffen and vineyard management by Jose Neves, Ashton Hills passionately focuses on a meticulously curated selection of pinot noir clones. This 3-hectare estate, lauded for its high-altitude positioning, crafts wines that embody the essence of the Piccadilly Valley’s cool climate. The offerings, including Ashton Hills Reserve, Ashton Hills Estate, and Ashton Hills Riesling, are distinguished by their precision, elegance, and a vivid expression of terroir. Ashton Hills underscores its significance through a relentless pursuit of clonal perfection, a minimal intervention philosophy, and a deep respect for the unique cool climate conditions of its subregion, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of Australian cool climate viticulture.
Geelong
2022 Finalist
In the Moorabool subregion, Geelong’s Bannockburn is one of the most celebrated names in Australian wine, being an early adopter of a very Burgundian approach to chardonnay and pinot noir in this country, while remaining ever progressive both in the vineyard and winery. Much credit has always gone to the winemaking stewards, but the meticulous site selection and overarching philosophy of founder Stuart Hooper and the near four-decade long stewardship of vineyard manager Lucas Grigsby have been just as influential. Today, premium chardonnay, pinot noir, shiraz, riesling and sauvignon blanc define this estate, with an emphasis on savoury, mineral and complex wines that seek to reflect the volcanic soils and cool, windswept conditions.
NSW/ACT, Hilltops
2023 Finalist
In the heart of the Hilltops region, Barwang Vineyard emerges as a testament to innovation and resilience in Australian viticulture. Founded in 1969, the site was purchased in 2021 by the Bowman family, whose farming roots in the area span six generations, and is led today by James Bowman with vineyard manager Scott Douglas. The vineyard grows not only its own esteemed Barwang wines but also plays a pivotal role as a supplier of premium grapes to notable labels including Brokenwood, Hungerford Hill, Lerida Estate, Nick O’Leary, Collector, Eden Road, and more. At a time when the industry sees many moving away from vineyard ownership, the Bowman family’s foray into grape growing exemplifies a bold faith in the future of viticulture, integrating this new challenge into their diversified farming enterprise. Their approach showcases a thoughtful stewardship of a significant 100ha site, underpinned by sustainable practices such as mixed farming, composting, mulching, and native tree regeneration.
Great Western
2020 Old Vineyard of the Year
2020 Finalist
Best’s is synonymous with Great Western in Victoria’s Grampians, and its Concongella vineyard is home to one of the world’s most precious resources of pre-phylloxera grapevines, containing some of the oldest vines of their type in the world. With 22 hectares under vine, the vineyard has ancient vines of riesling, pinot meunier, pinot noir, dolcetto, cabernet franc, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, plus a mixed planting of some 40 rarities, which produce such iconic wines as the Best’s ‘Thomson Family’ Shiraz and ‘Old Vine’ Pinot Meunier. And while the Thomson family are respectful custodians of the past, they are also progressive ones, with the community always at the heart of their thinking.
Barossa Valley
2022 Finalist
The Bon View Vineyard has been in family hands since it was first planted in the 19th century. Those original shiraz vines still make wine today, though the bulk of the vineyard was planted in the 1960s by current viticultural custodian Ralph Schrapel’s father and grandfather. With the farming practices evolving over the generations to a less interventionist and more balanced approach that centres on soil health and water management, the fruit is pitched towards the premium and ultra-premium end. A four-decade-long collaboration with Peter Lehmann Wines means good homes for that juice, filling bottles such as the legendary ‘Stonewell’ Shiraz and ‘Mentor’ Cabernet Sauvignon.
South Australia, Adelaide Hills
2020 Finalist
Charles Rosback’s Bowyer Ridge Vineyard is the source of fruit for some of the Adelaide Hills’ most lauded wines, supplying grapes to such iconic makers as Shaw + Smith and Wirra Wirra, as well as cutting-edge stars like Murdoch Hill and Paralian. Chardonnay takes the lead in the 15-hectare vineyard, with premium production the focus. Rosback targets enhancing soil biology to build resilience in the vines to minimise chemical inputs, while innovative inhouse technologies are employed to improve and streamline operations, from everything from imposing hydraulic shears that can cut through a vine trunk to a labour management tracking system.
Hunter Valley
2023 Finalist
2021 Finalist
The Graveyard Vineyard is one of this country’s most significant. It’s mature enough, at a little over 50 years, though that’s not particularly old in this country’s oldest winegrowing region, the Hunter Valley. It’s significant for its history, with James Halliday prominent among the three solicitors that first planted it, with the first harvest ferried by Len Evans’ Bentley to the makeshift winery. And it’s significant for what followed, with the Brokenwood ‘Graveyard Vineyard’ Shiraz becoming one of the towering icons of Australian wine. Today, the vineyard has become solely focused on shiraz, with viticulturist Katrina Barry taking the baton of vineyard manager from her father, managing the site with sustainability as a core value.
South Australia, Mount Benson
2023 Finalist
Growing on the terra rossa and limestone soils of Mount Benson, with temperatures moderated by the cool salty winds of the Great Southern Ocean, Cape Jaffa Wines has – since its inception in 1993 – been a pioneering beacon for biodynamic practices in the region (officially certified biodynamic since 2005). Led by head grower Hamish Stevenson since 2019, Cape Jaffa Wines continues to innovate and lead in biodynamics for Mount Benson, resulting in ever more characterful grapes and an evolving mix of both classic and experimental wines ‘grown’ from the vineyard. All of this while its commitment to sustainability extends to broader initiatives with a holistic approach to farming.
Western Australia, Margaret River
2022 Finalist
2020 Finalist
One of Margaret River’s founding wineries, Cape Mentelle has grown from humble beginnings to be one of the nation’s most iconic producers. With the over 40-hectare Estate Vineyard at the heart of operations, viticulturist David Moulton has ceased the use of any synthetic products as of 2020, with a proud history of sustainable management evolving to organic practices (not certified). The Estate Vineyard is the centre of red wine production, and is responsible for Cape Mentelle’s most iconic bottlings, with their flagship cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and zinfandel all largely coming from the property’s old vines.
Kangaroo Island
2022 Finalist
Nick and Bec Dugmore’s The Stoke label is their love letter to Kangaroo Island. It’s naturally a canvas for their considerable winemaking talents, but it also embodies a very serious quest to show just what exciting vinous territory KI is. With the steep decline in grape-growing on the island, taking on their own site was a natural progression, enabling them to make wine from the ground up with a regenerative approach amongst the vines. Now responsible for most of the fruit going to The Stoke and Guroo labels, as well as for some up-and-coming makers, the isolated 4.2-hectare Cassini Vineyard is being nurtured into the health of its life through the hard work of Nick and his father, Max.
South Australia, Clare Valley
2023 Finalist
In Clare Valley’s subregion of Watervale, the Castine’s began planting grapevines in 1996 on their property which they had farmed for four generations. 37-hectares of vines are now spread across two distinct blocks on the vineyard, consisting of riesling, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, and grenache. Today, the site is managed by Ben Castine and his wife Jess Smythe-Castine, with a firm focus on land ecology and fruit quality. An impressive lineup of top labels are benefactors of the Castine-Morella Vineyard fruit, such as Wines by KT, Vickery, O’Leary Walker, Tim Gramp, Dorien Estate Winery, Taylors, and Kenny Wines.
Victoria, Heathcote
2023 Finalist
2020 Finalist
The Chalmers family have supplied vines and fruit to countless growers and makers over the years, with a specialisation in Italian varieties that are revered in Italy but less well known here. The Chalmers Heathcote vineyard was first planted in 2009, with 27 different varieties now in the ground that go both to their own label as well as a suite of top makers, including Momento Mori, Jamsheed, Little Reddie and Konpira Maru. The vineyard has recently achieved certification from Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and the Chalmers approach – with the guidance of viticulturist Troy McInnes – is one of adaption not just through variety, but also via norm-shattering vineyard layouts and a management plan that places soil health front and centre.
South Australia, Barossa Valley
2020 Finalist
Cirillo Estate’s core vineyard is a museum piece, home to the world’s oldest productive grenache and semillon vines. Those vines, along with a smattering of shiraz and a few random mataro vines, were planted in 1848, with Vincent and Marco Cirillo – father and sun – the sole custodians for the last 50 years. Today, with sensitive viticulture that excludes synthetic herbicides and pesticides, and a blend of old-school practices and modern knowledge, Marco Cirillo is bent on preserving those vines in the best health possible for generations to come.
Macedon Ranges
2021 Finalist
Perched high in the granitic cool of Victoria’s Macedon Ranges, Cobaw Ridge is a certified biodynamic vineyard specialising in varietal bottlings of chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah and lagrein, as well as a syrah rosé that is often touted as one of the best in the land. Alan Cooper has always farmed sympathetically, but it is since the conversion to organics, then biodynamics that he believes the vine resilience, fruit quality, depth of flavour and expression of site has dramatically improved.
McLaren Vale
2021 Finalist
Hugh and Molly Lloyd bought the Chaffeys Road vineyard that would become Coriole in 1967, producing the first estate wine in 1969, which was labelled ‘Claret’, though it was all shiraz from the 1919-planted vines on the property. Today, Coriole is run by Hugh and Molly’s son Mark Lloyd along with his sons, Duncan and Peter. Shiraz is still a mainstay, along with cabernet sauvignon, but those regional heroes are joined by climate-apt varieties like fiano and nero d’avola, while Coriole has been continuously growing and making sangiovese longer than anyone else in this country. The vineyard is managed by Mark Bates, who farms organically (not certified) with a strong focus on biodiversity and employs technology to target areas through precision agriculture.
Swan Valley
2022 Finalist
While distinctly compact, Rocket’s Vineyard is making a bold statement in the renaissance of the Swan Valley. Rob and Genevieve Mann are carrying the family name – arguably the most historically important one in the West’s wine world – to new heights, championing the regional white hero, chenin blanc, and making a midweight Swan red from cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo and malbec. Certified organic, the site has a compact 3 hectares of vines, with the emphasis placed on doing most of the work themselves and making wine from the ground up to reflect, site, varieties, region and vintage.
Victoria, Henty
2020 Finalist
In the windswept cool of Henty in Victoria’s south-west, Belinda Thomson both tends the vines and makes the wines for Victoria’s preeminent riesling producer, Crawford River. The operation is a family affair, with her parents initially planting the site between 1975 and ’77. The vineyard sits in a gentle amphitheatre on land that has been in the family since 1884, with it predominantly used for grazing both sheep and cattle.
Mornington Peninsula
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Crittenden Estate is one of Mornington Peninsula’s oldest vineyards, with Garry Crittenden planting his first couple of hectares in the 80s, which doubled the region’s land under vine at the time. Today, while the regional strengths of chardonnay and pinot noir remain the same, much on the Peninsula has changed. And the Crittendens have changed too, with Garry and his son Rollo steering the viticulture down a sustainable route that has seen vast benefits for biodiversity and soil health, as well as wine quality. The estate vineyard produces a suite of wines – including two savagnin-based bottlings that pay homage to the wines of the Jura – which form the premium end of the Crittenden range. Top of that tree are the Cri de Coeur wines, and they’re wines that Rollo says would not have been possible without their farming revolution.
Margaret River
2022 Finalist
Cullen wines, led by Vanya Cullen is one of the blue chip names in Margaret River, and more specifically the subregion of Wilyabrup where her parents planted the first estate vines in 1971. Her stewardship has taken the farming from one that was always environmentally sympathetic to having now held biodynamic certification for just shy of two decades – as well as being recently assessed as carbon negative. The original vineyard is responsible for the iconic cabernets, ‘Diana Madeline’, and chardonnay, ‘Kevin John’, as well a raft of bottlings ranging from the classically styled to those that walk a more experimental path.
South Australia, Barossa Valley
2023 Finalist
2020 Finalist
The Hoffmann family’s Dallwitz Block is one of the Barossa Valley’s most renowned fruit sources, with the old vines planted between 1888 and 1912. After purchasing the vineyard in the ’50s, hard times almost saw the site lost in the ’80s, but a revival started by Jeff Hoffmann and extensively expanded by his son Adrian now sees the family vineyards – with the Dallwitz Block as the centrepiece – as some of the region’s most distinguished. With shiraz the lead variety and a focus on increasing soil health, the Dallwitz Block supplies fruit to top makers, including Rockford, Agricola, Glaetzer, Chris Ringland, Torbreck, John Duval and Sami-Odi.
Canberra District
2022 Finalist
The Dark Horse Vineyard is in arguably the Canberra District’s most famous viticultural area, Murrumbateman. Purchased by Lark Hill’s Carpenter family in 2011 largely for its shiraz plantings, sangiovese has emerged as a perhaps surprising hero, resulting in the subsequent inclusions of other Italian grapes, both of northern and southern origin. The site has been certified biodynamic for just on a decade, with an ever-increasing focus on sustainability both for the vineyard and business operations. The wines – currently made from shiraz, sangiovese, marsanne and viognier – appear under the Lark Hill banner with the ‘Dark Horse Vineyard’ designate declared.
Margaret River
2021 Finalist
Since its establishment in 2005, Deep Woods Estate has become a phenomenal success story, with the wines achieving numerous accolades, including three Max Schubert Trophies and the 2016 Jimmy Watson. The success of the wines has also seen Chief Winemaker Julian Langworthy collect several Winemaker of the Year gongs, largely due to the cabernet-based wines and chardonnay. But that success has been underpinned by the viticultural work of John Fogarty that has transformed a vineyard that had previously focused on yield over quality to one that produces some of the highest quality and most distinctive fruit in the Margaret River region.
Tasmania
2021 Finalist
The Devil’s Corner Vineyard on Tasmania’s East Coast is the island’s largest, with over 190 hectares under vine. Named after a nearby nautical danger zone in the Hazards, the vineyard overlooks the Moulting Lagoon, with a classic varietal mix dominated by pinot noir, chardonnay and aromatic whites. Brett McClen oversees the viticultural operations, with a focus on soil health and water conservation, treating each block individually to maximise quality.
Margaret River
2022 Finalist
Established in the 1980s, Devil’s Lair have been making wine from the classic hero varieties of Margaret River since the first release in 1990. The vineyard is situated in the south of the region, surrounded by karri and jarrah forest and fanned by ocean breezes. It’s a cool site marked by variations of aspect in the blocks that lend the wines complexity and a certain elegance, which is further enhanced by clonal diversity. Viticulturist Simon Robertson has cared for the site for 30 years, which has been registered with Sustainable Winegrowing Australia since 2010 and certified since 2013.
South Australia, Eden Valley
2021 Vineyard of the Year
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
David and Mardi Hall bought their Eden Valley property in 1996, planting vines the following year. It was the site of an older vineyard, but the vines were uprooted in the 1970s. That old vineyard was made up of cabernet sauvignon, malbec and riesling, with the Halls planting both the former and latter again, along with shiraz, cabernet franc, merlot and viognier, with grüner veltliner grafted somewhat more recently. All fruit goes to the Eden Hall wines. Dan Falkenberg tends to the viticulture on the 33-hectare site, where he focuses on increasing biodiversity and reducing water use through revegetation and practices like mulching and planting mid-row swards of native grasses. Eden Hall is also independent of external inputs of water and electricity, being off grid since 2019.
Victoria, Mornington Peninsula
2023 Finalist
In Merricks North, in the heart of Mornington Peninsula, lies Foxey’s Hangout’s Scotsworth Farm vineyard, one of the region’s pioneering biodynamic sites. Planted in 1998 by brothers Michael and Tony Lee, with viticulturist Chris Strickland taking the helm in 2016, this 2-hectare vineyard growing pinot noir and chardonnay has distinguished itself. Scotsworth Farm lays claim to being the first vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula to be biodynamically certified – achieving this status in 2019 after applying for certification in 2017. Today, Foxey’s Scotsworth Farm Chardonnay and Scotsworth Farm Pinot Noir are among the best of the varietal wines coming from the region.
Western Australia, Frankland River
2020 Finalist
Frankland Estate’s Isolation Ridge Vineyard has become an enduring symbol of one of the world’s most remote wine regions. The almost 40-hectare property was planted in 1988, with Hunter Smith the second generation to tend the vines, evolving the sustainable farming to achieving organic certification over a decade ago. Riesling leads the charge at Isolation Ridge, but the Bordeaux red varieties, shiraz and chardonnay aren’t too far behind, with newer additions like mourvèdre and grüner veltliner already making striking wines.
NSW/ACT, Hilltops
2023 Finalist
Perched at 600 metres in the elevated terrains of Hilltops NSW, the Freeman Altura Vineyard stands as a beacon of grapevine diversity. Spearheaded by the visionary Dr. Brian Freeman, this vineyard encapsulates a pioneering spirit. With plantings ranging from 1975 to the present, the vineyard spans 28 hectares, showcasing 20 varieties at last count, from the classics including chardonnay and shiraz, to Italian stars nebbiolo and sangiovese, to the little known and obscure – aleatico, furmint, harslevelu, rondinella – among others. The Freeman Altura Vineyard is just one of several Freeman vineyards within a 10km radius, with just 1% of the Freeman grape production selected for their own branded products which range from $25 through to $95 per wine. The rest of their grape production is sold to over 15 other winemakers, including Hungerford Hill, Mada, Nick Spencer, Lerida Estate, Charles Sturt, Mercer Wines, Brokenwood, and Ravensworth.
South Australia, Eden Valley
2020 Finalist
Peter and Mel Raymond’s Garden & Field is a young vineyard planted to an old site, once the home to venerable vines that were cruelly plucked from the ground some 40 years ago. In the relative cool of the Barossa’s Eden Valley, the 4-hectare vineyard is a near neighbour to Henschke’s iconic Hill of Grace, with the focus on shiraz, across eight clones. The vines are dry grown and farmed in a sympathetic and regenerative manner, with soil health and biodiversity at the fore. With a little over a decade in vine age, the fruit has already contributed to a string of top Penfolds reds, as well as wines for the Raymonds own label.
Yarra Valley
2022 Finalist
Sitting in a natural amphitheatre, the Gembrook Hill vineyard on the fringe of the Upper Yarra was first planted in 1983 by Ian and June Marks. It’s a cool site, and one that is responsible for arguably the Yarra’s most distinctive pinot noir, along with what many regard as the country’s best sauvignon blanc; the chardonnay and sparkling wine are equally acclaimed. While he has worked around the world and steers his own The Wanderer label, Andrew Marks – Ian and June’s son – has always also worked on home soil, with him now managing everything from soil to bottle.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
With the vineyard situated in McLaren Flat, the Gemtree mission is very much an ongoing quest to improve wine quality, but their ethos is inseparable from a desire to have a positive environmental impact both locally and globally. With an eye to the future, viticulturist Melissa Brown has planted varieties suited to an ever-warming Mediterranean climate – like nero d’avola and fiano – alongside the Vale classics of shiraz and grenache. The 125-hectare vineyard has been managed using biodynamic methods since 2007 – with it certified for almost a decade – to encourage a ‘living soil’ and build resilience in the vines, while an eco-reserve has been established to restore native flora and fauna, as well as to educate visitors.
Tasmania
2021 Finalist
Ghost Rock Vineyard is the pioneering vineyard of Tasmania’s North West wine region, to the west of the Tamar. Sticking with the state’s strongest suits, pinot noir and chardonnay take the lead, with aromatic whites in pursuit. With over 25 hectares under vine, the Arnold family farm in a sustainable way, with an end goal of organic certification. All wines are made on site, from pan-estate and single block selections of the hero varieties to a skinsy white, pét-nat and chillable red in their Supernatural range.
Victoria, Macedon Ranges
2023 Finalist
At 34-hectares, the Glenhope Vineyard is the largest in the burgeoning Macedon Ranges, a young-ish region with a chillingly cold climate and a small cluster of wine brands developing a cult-like following. Glenhope Vineyard is actually positioned in the most northern area of the region, making it a slightly warmer ‘sub-region’ of the Macedon Ranges comparative to the dress circle of Lancefield, Woodend, Gisborne and Daylesford where most of the chardonnay and pinot noir producers reside. Under the stewardship of Scott Harrington since 2018, and embraced by its new owners James and Marlin Gevergizian in 2021, Glenhope has embarked on a journey to make the vineyard increasingly more sustainable. From its inception in 1995, this vineyard has been dedicated to producing a diverse array of varieties, including chardonnay, riesling, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot, pinot noir, and shiraz. These go into Glenhope’s own label (launched 2023), as well as a list of the who’s who of producers in the area, including: Bindi Wines (Dhillon range), Silent Way, Latta Vino, ECK Wines, Defaily, Ben Ranken, Josh Cooper and more.
Victoria, Swan Hill
2023 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Gorton Drive Estates’ 85-hectare property sits on the banks of Kangaroo Lake in the arid warmth of Victoria’s Swan Hill region. In a zone that is often characterised by yield over character, second-generation owner and viticulturist Chris Dent is changing the script, focusing on soil health and reduced yields to produce high-quality fruit. He employs biological farming methods to build resilience and reduce or eliminate reliance on inputs and chemical control measures for disease and pests, with technology streamlining operations and eliminating an overdependence on irrigation. The grapes are sold to many well-known names, such as Brown Brothers and McPherson Wines, while also filling the bottles of Dent’s new home range, Countertop.
Western Australia, Margaret River
2023 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Founded by Graham and Merilyn Hutton in 1975, Gralyn Estate – on the prime stretch of Caves Road in Wilyabrup – is one of Margaret River’s oldest vineyards. In what was originally a diversification from their cattle farming operation, the pair have never chased the same path as other Margaret River pioneers, instead opting to remain decidedly compact. There are just 3.5 hectares of shiraz and cabernet sauvignon under vine, with wines made in an array of styles, from profound reserve bottlings to unoaked reds and even a late harvest off-dry cabernet. The vineyard is now managed with organic practices (not certified) by Scott Baxter, who is pushing the boundaries even further with the elimination of copper and sulphur in the vineyard in his sights.
Beechworth
2022 New Vineyard of the Year
2022 Finalist
The Granjoux vineyard is the passion project of Peter Bartholomew and Donna Pelka, inspired by the research and ongoing input of legendary viticulturist Mark Walpole. Just outside of Beechworth, the relatively steep site had been planted in the 1860s, with the only remnants of that occupation the durable dry-stone walls and ruin of a winery. Armed with historical records, the trio embarked on both honouring the history and fine-tuning the methods to densely plant an individually staked vineyard that is in part inspired by the vineyards of the Northern Rhône, for both viticulture and varieties, but also committed to the regional star, chardonnay.
Clare Valley
2021 Finalist
Jeffrey Grosset started in the wine game young, with a bottle of riesling tasted at the family dinner table propelling him to study agriculture and oenology at the age of 16, graduating by the time he was 21. Establishing Grosset Wines in 1981, he has become one of Australia’s most lauded winemakers – with riesling a notable specialty – but the heart of the Grosset operation has always been in evolving the work in the vineyard to make vital, pure wine that is intensely expressive of site. His Watervale Vineyard is comprised of two sections planted to quite different soils, with both underpinned by certified biodynamic farming overseen by vineyard manager Matthew O’Rourke.
Barossa Valley
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Brett Hayes bought his Stone Well Vineyard to form the basis of Hayes Family Wines, launching the label in 2014. The Stone Well Vineyard is a modest site of 4.5 hectares populated mostly by vines planted over 70 years ago, with the farming now certified organic, along with the onsite winery. The Stone Well Vineyard is the lone source of the organic Hayes Family Wines Estate Range, with varietal shiraz, grenache and mataro bottlings, as well as a blend of the three and varietal single-block wines. Hayes and vineyard manager Amanda Mader oversees the management of the site, with the grapes now all going to Hayes Family wines, though the shiraz was previously sold to Grant Burge to make ‘Meshach’, their flagship wine.
Heathcote
2022 Finalist
Although nebbiolo is gaining a meaningful if modest foothold there, Heathcote Estate is a bastion of the region’s key grape variety, shiraz. That doesn’t mean that the vineyard, run by Tom Carson and Paul Viggers, is set in its ways, though. Far from it, with a program that seeks to express all the nuances of specific blocks, clones and the vagaries of vintage in as transparent a way as possible, with winemaking artefact taking a backseat and primacy placed on the health of the land and the fruit. Certified organic viticulture and an emphasis placed on biodiversity make for a property thriving with life and wines that are increasingly more elegant and naturally balanced.
Eden Valley
2021 Old Vineyard of the Year
2021 Finalist
Home to Australia’s most respected and expensive single vineyard wine, there is perhaps no more famous or revered vineyard in Australia than Henschke’s Hill of Grace. It is also home to some of this country’s oldest vines, planted by Nicolaus Stanitzki around 1860. That’s the year when the Gnadenberg Lutheran Church was built, which overlooks the vineyard and gives it its name –a region in Silesia, Gnadenberg roughly translates as ‘Hill of Grace’. With biodynamics, ancestral organic practices and an eye to regenerative agriculture, Prue Henschke is both nurturing the past and building resilience in the vineyard and enhanced native environment for the long-term future.
McLaren Vale
2022 Finalist
Viticulturist Michael Lane is perhaps best known for his work at McLaren Vale’s Yangarra Vineyard, but he is having an equally important impact on the 67 hectares of vines on the Hickinbotham site, which sits in the Vale’s Clarendon subzone. That vineyard was first planted by Alan David Hickinbotham over 50 years ago and has been a significant source of high-quality fruit to iconic wineries, though it was not until California’s Jackson Family bought the site that estate wines were released less than a decade ago. Those wines all sit in the premium category, from a shiraz though three Bordelaise varietal wines and the flagship, ‘The Peake’, a homage to the Australian blend of cabernet and shiraz. The vineyard is due for biodynamic certification in 2023.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2022 Innovative Vineyard of the Year
2022 Finalist
2020 Finalist
The Leask brothers were born in the Hunter Valley but grew up in McLaren Vale, with their parents buying a vineyard there in 1980. Those holdings expanded across many sites over the years, with the brothers taking the step from growers to vignerons with their Hither & Yon label in 2012. Their project works out of their Sand Road Vineyard – supplying 80 per cent of their needs – with 23 hectares of vines that have been tweaked over the years to favour Mediterranean varieties that perform well in warm conditions, producing midweight wines with food in mind. The site is managed with a focus on regenerative agriculture by Richard Leask, who manages the viticulture and winemaking, while his brother, Malcolm, attends to the business and marketing side of things.
Victoria, Henty
2020 Finalist
John and Christian Nagorcka – father and son – farm the family’s property, Hochkirch, in the cool zone of Henty in Victoria’s sparsely populated south-west. The 8-hectare vineyard – along with farmland for the traditional grazing of sheep and cattle and growing mixed crops of vegetables and grains, many for their own use – is certified biodynamic (Demeter). Pinot noir is the leading variety, with shiraz increasingly important as the seasons become warmer, while riesling leads the whites, with semillon, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay made in smaller quantities. Increasingly, the wines are bottled with little and often no sulphur, and skin contact is now common for the whites.
McLaren Vale
2023 Finalist
2021 Finalist
In McLaren Vale’s Tatachilla subregion, Dudley Brown and Irina Santiago-Brown’s Inkwell Vineyard is a model vineyard operation with sustainability as a driving principal. Certified organic since 2017, the vineyard has been managed with strict organics since 2008. Furthermore, in 2023 they achieved ‘Regenerative’ certification (ROC) – one of the first 15 vineyards in the world, and the first in Australia to do so. From an existing young vineyard planted solely to shiraz, the varietal mix has been tweaked since 2011 to include climate-apt grapes like primitivo, grillo and arinto, while the viticulture has been continually tweaked to improve soil health and reduce water usage. The property also houses an off-grid luxury hotel and significant biodiversity corridors. All wines are made onsite and range from varietal expressions of regional hero varieties to orange wines and preservative-free offerings.
Tasmania
2020 Finalist
The Invercarron Vineyard is a bit of a trailblazer, a young vineyard in an area of Tasmania that has never had grapevines planted to it – the Jordan River Valley. In its brief history, the grapes from the 6 hectares of vines on the Jones family’s historic grazing property have both gone to make their own lauded wines and been in demand as contract fruit. Pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and a rosé are currently produced under the Invercarron label. Vigneron Andrew Jones manages the property with viticulturist Marty Smith.
Heathcote
2022 Finalist
Jasper Hill is one of the great foundation stones of Victoria’s Heathcote wine region, with Ron and Elva Laughton not just making iconic wines from the russet Cambrian soils but also being somewhat of a leader in low-impact viticulture. Today, Nick McNally tends to the land and vines along with his wife Emily – Ron and Elva’s daughter – who makes the wines. The vineyards are named after the Laughton daughters, with Emily’s Paddock twinned with Georgia’s Paddock, which is home to almost 13 hectares devoted to riesling, nebbiolo, fiano and, of course, shiraz.
Barossa Valley
2022 Finalist
The Kaesler Vineyard is in the heart of the Barossa, just outside the town of Nuriootpa. Originally planted in the late 19th century, since 1999 the old and ancient vines have been turning out premium and ultra-premium wines under the Kaesler label. The vineyard has been managed by Nigel van der Zande for over two decades, with his methods evolving down an increasingly sustainable and regenerative line, with a key focus on increasing carbon sequestration. Those processes have resulted in the fruit coming off the vineyard achieving desirable flavour and tannin ripeness at lower sugar levels, and the vines have demonstrated increased resilience in combatting extreme climatic conditions.
Barossa Valley
2022 Finalist
The Kalleske family property, in the Barossa Valley subdistrict of Moppa, is one of great historical significance. Settled in 1853, the legacy is one of grazing, broadacre farming and grape-growing, with the oldest shiraz vines on the property some 148 years old – some of the country’s oldest. That 1.2-hectare vineyard of Ancestor vines carries the name of one of the property’s founders, Johann Georg, and it fittingly makes the Kalleske flagship wine of the same name. All the Kaelleske vineyards have been biodynamically certified for 25 years, with the celebrated eponymous wine label, made by Troy Kalleske, just on 21 years old this year. Kym Kalleske farms the vines, working with his parents and two brothers to ensure a rich family legacy will stretch long into the future through a focus on sustainability and regenerative agriculture.
Barossa Valley
2021 Finalist
Kym Kalleske is the current custodian of the vines on his family’s near 170-year-old Barossa property. With the oldest vines some 147 years old, the vineyard has been biodynamically certified for over two decades, with the celebrated eponymous wine label – from classic Moppa Shiraz and Clarry’s GSM to the vibrantly fresh Parallax and Zeitgeist wines and up to the flagship Johann Georg Shiraz – just on 20 years old this year. Kym works with his parents and two brothers to ensure a rich family legacy will stretch long into the future through a focus on sustainability and regenerative agriculture.
Hunter Valley
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
Field of Mars is the Keith Tulloch Wine home vineyard. Planted mostly to over 50-year-old vines on alluvial soils in Pokolbin, it rubs shoulders with some of the Hunter’s most revered semillon sites. Sustainability is a key driver of the estate, from the farming to re-establishing native scrub to using only recycled packaging for their wine. The site is run by vineyard manager Brent Hutton, with it producing premium single block varietal wines from chardonnay, shiraz, viognier and semillon in the Field of Mars range.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2023 Finalist
Planted circa 1960s, and purchased in 2012 by Fiona and Stephen Pannell, the Koomilya vineyard combines McLaren Vale’s wine heritage with a forward thinking approach to the identity of Australian wine through the lens of ‘alternative’ climate-apt varieties. The site includes two rows of mataro that are around 100 years old, as well as some old-vine shiraz and cabernet sauvignon propagated in the 1960s from McLaren Vale’s original 1840s vines. Malbec, touriga nacional, tempranillo and grenache make up the rest of the vineyard, where the average vine age is around 25 years. Large work to replace invasive plants with native trees, coupled with further regenerative agriculture, has been taken to restore the land. The 12 hectares under vine are nestled amongst two native scrublands – preserving the endangered Grey Box Grassy Woodlands – and creek lines which define the unique setting of this 35 hectare property.
South Australia, Coonawarra
2020 Finalist
The Reschke family have been based in Coonawarra since 1906, running a cattle property that stretches over 1,200 hectares. In 1988, Trevor Reschke decided to indulge something of a hobby, planting vines on the family land. The wines were initially made just for family and friends, until 1999, when the first commercial release hit the shelves. Today, though they work out of Mount Gambier for pinot noir and sauvignon blanc, Koonara is centred on Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. A block of those original vines is responsible for their marquee cabernet, ‘Ambriel’s Gift’. That site is a 3-hectare block – which also includes five rows each of merlot and cabernet franc – planted by Trevor Reschke, which is now managed, along with the rest of the vineyards, by his son Dru who farms organically (certified by ACO), but with his own unique take that sees the vineyards flushed with flowers.
Coonawarra
2022 Finalist
Dru Reschke’s Koonara property includes a block of 30-year-old cabernet vines that go to making his flagship wine, with the site, and wine, aptly dubbed Head Honcho. Those vines turn out modest yields of tiny super-concentrated and pristinely healthy grapes. Reschke describes the site as having “zero pest and disease pressure” due to his nuanced regenerative agriculture that sees the vineyard filled with native flowers, beneficial wasps and kaleidoscopes of butterflies. His approach is focused on building organic matter, increasing water-holding capacity and sequestering carbon through an innovative approach that employs cutting-edge technology to assess nutrient and mineral density and vine health.
McLaren Vale
2021 Finalist
Ben Lacey’s Branson Road Vineyard in the McLaren Vale subregion of Tatachilla supplies fruit to makers both big and small, from Treasury Wine Estates to new stars like Bondar and Sherrah. With just under 14 hectares of vines, Lacey grows four varieties – shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, fiano and grenache – across four distinct geologies and a range of soil types, with sea breezes (the vineyard is 3km from the ocean) cooling the site in the afternoons. With a focus on soil health and revegetating non-vineyard land, the vineyard has gone from growing average fruit to achieving consistently premium results across the blocks.
NSW/ACT, Canberra District
2020 Finalist
Anthony and Sarah McDougall are the current stewards of Lake George Winery, one of the Canberra Districts first vineyards. Founded by the legendary Dr Edgar Riek, the site was planted with chardonnay, semillon, riesling, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, though that composition has been tweaked over the years, with varieties such as tempranillo, viognier and pinot gris joining the roster. Today, the McDougalls have moved away from synthetic herbicides and are busy employing innovative options to reduce their imprint on the environment, as well as ensure long-term economic viability.
Rutherglen
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
Lake Moodemere Estate is planted to red soils on an ancient riverbed of the Murray in Victoria’s historic Rutherglen region. The site has been in the Chambers family for five generations, with the first vines planted in the 1800s – though they did not see the next century due to phylloxera. A long history of focusing on sustainability has been enhanced as the years go by, with a symbiotic relationship with their mixed farming and vineyard operations of mutual benefit. The property abuts the Moodemere Reserve, with dense bushland providing a rich habitat for beneficial insects and native wildlife, which in league with their sustainable practices (including cover crops that were first implemented in the 1970s) eliminated insecticide use 40 years ago. The fruit goes to making estate wines – sparkling, table and fortified – which are made onsite and served in their lakeside restaurant, which is supplied by their farm, using everything from wheat to lamb, vegetables, fruit and honey. Joel Chambers is the vineyard manager.
Wrattonbully
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
Susie Harris makes her Land of Tomorrow wines from her family’s Wrattonbully property, which they have farmed for four generations. Beginning in the 1970s, the property has been steadily revegetated from bare grazing land to re-establish woodland and wetlands, with vines first planted for the Grindstone Vineyard in 1995. Harris has sped up the process of restoring the land, with as much attention to the vineyard as the surrounding land, building biodiversity from microbes in the soil to native grasses between the rows and fauna in the re-established scrub.
Canberra District
2022 Finalist
David and Sue Carpenter’s Lark Hill Vineyard is one of Canberra’s pioneering sites, planted at significant elevation in Bungendore, 30 km north-east of Canberra. The coolness of the site precludes the region’s most planted red variety, shiraz, but it is ideally suited for riesling and other cold adapted varieties, including grüner veltliner. The viticulture has been certified biodynamic for a decade and a half, with Dr David Carpenter leading the team amongst the vines. In 2002, David and Sue’s son, Chris, joined the team, working both in the vineyard and taking the reins with the wines. The vineyard is responsible for wines under the Lark Hill Vineyard designate (they also work from their Murrumbateman vineyard, called Dark Horse, as well as sourcing some fruit for regional expressions), from sparkling wine through textural and aromatic whites to pinot noir.
Geelong
2021 Finalist
For almost a decade, Ray Nadeson and Maree Collis juggled the demands of establishing and running a vineyard and caring for a young family, while also maintaining careers as research scientists – both have PhDs, in medicine and chemistry respectively. In 2003, Lethbridge became their permanent home and focus, with a vineyard-first approach driving them to implement biodynamic principles (not certified) and pursue soil health through a proactive evolution of their methods to evolve their practices to suit their site. All the wines are made onsite by Nadeson, with the home vineyard the source of all their Estate, Single Block and Reserve wines.
Adelaide Hills
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
The Longview Vineyard in Macclesfield is somewhat of an Adelaide Hills pioneer. Although it was planted in the late ’90s, a little later than the region’s early adopters, nebbiolo was notably planted alongside a brace of more traditional varieties. That was followed with barbera and Austria’s most important grape, grüner veltliner. Those varieties have proven to be well suited to the region, with Longview making leading examples under their own label, while they have also been a source of contract fruit for many other makers. That has proven to be a significant resource for those not blessed with their own vineyards, while it has also advanced the case for those varieties amongst vignerons and drinkers alike. With ten varieties planted, Longview deviates from tradition in the Adelaide Hills. With 8 hectares of nebbiolo alone, including seven different clones, the vineyard has become one of the most significant sites for this variety in Australia. Longview is also somewhat of a Hills tourist destination, with a day spa and accommodation joining the cellar door. Christopher Mein is the vineyard manager, who is constantly evolving his methods to improve vine and soil health with a focus on biodiversity and sustainability.
Victoria, Pyrenees
2020 Finalist
In Victoria’s Pyrenees, near Landsborough, the Malakoff Vineyard has become one of the state’s most celebrated grower sites, supplying fruit to a shimmering galaxy of winemaking stars. Owned and managed by father and son viticultural team Robert and Cameron John, the site was first celebrated by Northern Rhône superstar Michel Chapoutier when he saw the potential for greatness in Victorian gold country, but it is now perhaps better known for supplying nebbiolo and shiraz to more recognisably local makers.
NSW/ACT, Broke Fordwich
2021 Finalist
Andrew and Lisa Margan started their eponymous label in 1996, buying their Ceres Hill Vineyard shortly after, which already had some semillon and chardonnay planted (1989 and ’90 respectively). An early interest in less-familiar grapes saw barbera planted, and later albariño, which have become mainstays for the brand. Today, the 12 hectares at the home vineyard are supplemented by other sustainably farmed sites, but it is the core of Margan Wines. It’s also where the popular cellar door and hugely respected restaurant (Lisa is a chef, WSET Diploma holder and has a master’s degree in science and nutrition focused on organics) is situated. The vineyard is currently in conversion to organics.
Tasmania
2021 Finalist
Marion’s Vineyard sits on the west bank of the Tamar, some 35 km north of Launceston. It’s a picturesque spot, with the vines arrayed on a healthy slope leading to a broad expanse river, a row of Tuscan cypress standing to attention in front of the stone winery in the middle of the vineyard. Marion and Mark Semmens bought the site in 1979 after a life-changing holiday, leaving their San Francisco home behind and planting vines a year later. Today, their daughter, Cynthea, runs the operation, with a decade of hard work leading to biodynamic certification being granted in 2022. The site predictably favours chardonnay and pinot noir, but it also has the capacity to mature later-ripening grapes, such as syrah and cabernets sauvignon and franc.
Riverland
2021 Finalist
The Markaranka Vineyard is at the heart of Treasury Wine Estate’s fortified wine program – making the company’s most iconic fortifieds, such as Penfolds’ ‘Father’, ‘Grandfather’ and ‘Great-Grandfather’ tawnies, as well Saltram’s ‘Mr Pickwick’. In South Australia’s Riverland, the vineyard is a large one at over 170 hectares, but it is managed by Brendan Turner with sustainability at its core, with an ongoing quest to reduce all inputs while producing super-premium fruit for flagship fortified wines.
Margaret River
2023 Finalist
2021 Finalist
Hazel’s Vineyard is the home site for Margaret River’s McHenry Hohnen, with the fruit making wines all along their range, including classic regional expressions of chardonnay and cabernet, emerging grapes like tempranillo, a mineral Southern Rhône blend and their flagship cabernets, Rolling Stone. Planted over 20 years ago, the site has been managed according to organic then biodynamic principles, with certification coming in 2020. Simon Keall manages the McHenry Hohnen vineyards with a sustainable ethos, which includes solar generation, no external water for irrigation and onsite composting.
Tasmania
2020 Finalist
Meadowbank’s Ellis family are pioneers of the modern Tasmanian wine scene, planting their vineyard in the 1970s against the best available advice. That site in the Upper Derwent Valley has validated their conviction, becoming one of the island’s most enduring and respected fruit sources. The 50-hectare vineyard supplies names like Arras, Bay of Fires and Glaetzer-Dixon (including for their 2011 Jimmy Watson win) with grapes, primarily pinot noir, shiraz and riesling. Today, the Meadowbank brand has also been reinvigorated, with the wines fine-tuned by the glittering talents of Peter Dredge, along with his own Dr Edge label, which largely centres around Meadowbank fruit.
Wrattonbully
Finalist
2021 Finalist
Mike Kloak and Colleen Miller’s Mérite label was founded after the considerable success they had growing contract fruit on their vineyard in Wrattonbully. In particular, it was their acheivements with merlot that inspired them to make their own wine. That grape has had a chequered history in this country, but the wines under their label are shifting the conversation, with a quartet of new clones producing complex, flavourful wines at relatively low alcohol levels, rather than the bruising wines that we have become used to. Kloak runs his vineayrd with respect to the natural environment, planting vines around trees rather than removing them and encouraging biodiversity of flora, fauna and beneficial insects.
Tasmania
2023 Finalist
2021 New Vineyard of the Year
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Mewstone has appeared comet-like in its success. The wines – hailing from the banks of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel in Tasmania’s viticultural deep south – have been accorded a rapid series of accolades, but though that ascension may seem quick, it was laboriously built from the ground up. Although the vineyard is just on a decade old, an intensely thoughtful process has underpinned the processes of owners Jonathan and Matthew Hughes, with the site meticulously tended and progressively planted to optimise its potential. Today, viticulturist Alex McLean works with Jonathan Hughes to manage the 5.2-hectare vineyard, farming pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling and shiraz vines.
South Australia, Barossa Valley
2020 Finalist
The Hoffmann family are some of the Barossa Valley’s most celebrated growers, with a precious resource of old vines ideally situated in the subregion of Ebenezer. But Adrian Hoffmann farms many young vines, too, with the 20-hectare Mickan Block already showing promise as a source of top-shelf shiraz. Although it’s only three seasons in, the fruit has already been in high demand, going to such makers as Travis Earth, Glaetzer, Soulgrowers and Torbreck, as well as filling bottles for Hoffman’s collaboration with Chris Ringland, North Barossa Vintners.
McLaren Vale
2022 Finalist
The MMAD vineyard is a side project for the team behind Shaw + Smith and Tolpuddle, though it’s a significant side project at that, with nearly 20 hectares of vines in the Maslin sands of McLaren Vale’s Blewitt Springs and vines dating back to the 1930s. It’s a site that’s already seen a trio of celebrated premium releases – chenin blanc, grenache and shiraz – from the 2021 vintage, the same year the vineyard was acquired. And while the MMAD label has been swiftly accepted as though it has been around for a decade, vineyard manager Ben Jonas is taking a long-term view on continually enhancing the health of those heritage vines and planning for an even brighter future through a sustainable approach with organic certification on the horizon.
Canberra District
2021 Finalist
Winemaker Dr Frank van de Loo and viticulturist Leo Quirk work hand in glove at the Canberra District’s Mount Majura to make wines from the ground up with a focus on sustainable viticulture that is perpetually modified based on careful observation and analysis. While the regional heroes of riesling and shiraz are lead varieties for the estate, ‘alternative’ varieties are given ample airtime. Tempranillo, in particular, has found a special home on the steep limestone and volcanic rock slope, with single block wines neatly showing the nuances of site.
Adelaide Hills
2023 Finalist
2021 Finalist
Erinn Klein and his wife, Janet, planted the Summit Vineyard at a density of 6,600 vines per hectare on his family’s property in 2001–02. Aside from being a site of excellent potential, biodynamic farming principles had been in place for over a decade, with certification coming in 1993. That property houses the herb farm at the core of the family’s Jurlique skin-care brand, providing botanicals for their products. The approach that underscores the herb farm was always going to be central to the Kleins’ vision, who run the Ngeringa brand together from the ground up, making wine on site as well as running livestock, growing vegetables and tirelessly revegetating the native environment. From the 2-hectare Summit vineyard, Ngeringa make their premium pinot noir and chardonnay, and fruit from this site also goes into the broader estate syrah and a pet-nat.
Victoria, Yarra Valley
2020 Finalist
While Oakridge has three Yarra Valley sites under its management, their Estate Vineyard, surrounding their winery and celebrated restaurant, is the centre of the operation. Planted in 1996, the vineyard consists of pinot noir, chardonnay, shiraz, cabernet, merlot and semillon across 9.8 hectares of vines. Viticulturist Steven Faulkner has been managing the Oakridge farming for the last two years, while he also runs a viticulture consultancy business that operates across three states.
McLaren Vale
2021 Finalist
The Oliver family has been farming their land in the Seaview subregion of McLaren Vale over six generations. William and Elizabeth Oliver landed in Australia from England in 1839, setting up a mixed farm business that included wine grapes. That business grew over the years, with grape-growing eventually taking over from the general farming operations. Today, Don Oliver takes charge in the vineyard, while his niece, Corinna Wright, established the family’s winemaking business, being to the first in the family to bottle wine commercially.
McLaren Vale
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
The Orbis wine label was founded by Brad Moyes and Kendall Grey in 2018 when they purchased an established vineyard in McLaren Vale. The Orbis name references the idea of a self-sufficient system, and the pair anchor everything they do in sustainability, from farming to bottling. Mowing between the rows is largely performed by a flock of babydoll sheep that have been given permanent residence between the vines, with chickens and ducks to join them once a fox-proof fence trial is completed. The fruit goes to the Orbis wines made by Lauren Langfield at the onsite winery, from a pét-nat and a piquette to trousseau and an old vine shiraz, with a pair of rosés and a few non-traditional blends filling out the roster. Contract grapes are also sold to make premium products for Ministry of Clouds, Hither & Yon and Samson Tall, amongst others. Macca Mackenzie, owner Brad Moyes, and general manager Lauren Langfield.
South Australia, Riverland
2020 Finalist
Oxford Landing has expanded from humble beginnings in the late 1950s to now occupy 300 hectares of vineyard land in the sun-drenched soils of South Australia’s Riverland. A powerhouse of budget grapes and economical wine, the Riverland is also home to some of the most progressive growers in the country, with Oxford Landing arguably leading the charge. With a mix of sustainable and certified organic vineyards under his management, viticulturist Glynn Muster applies a small-scale mindset to a large-scale vineyard, treating each small block individually, while also prioritising the reduction of water use, increasing local biodiversity and offsetting their carbon footprint.
McLaren Vale
2022 Finalist
Matthew Brown’s Paeroa Vineyard supplies fruit for his range of Dr Plonk and Fu Manchu wines as well as other makers with varieties both traditional and emerging. Tannat and montepulciano have joined stalwart red varieties, and have proven to thrive in the Mediterranean climate of McLaren Vale. His approach is built around organic practices and a regenerative mindset, with input from Richard Leask as a consultant viticulturist. The sustainable practices extend from increasing soil health and organic matter to reducing fossil fuel usage through solar power and reduced tractor passes, while weeds are removed and grasses kept down through both sheep grazing and manual slashing and cultivation. Brown has also taken the supply of grapes to small makers a step further by making winery space available to pursue their own interpretation of Paeroa fruit, which he grows to their individual specifications.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2023 Finalist
The Thomas Block is the jewel in the crown for Paxton Wines, who have around half a dozen vineyards throughout McLaren Vale. The first vineyard purchased by David Paxton in 1978, this 26-hectare certified biodynamic vineyard boasts a treasure of old vine shiraz planted in 1887 – the oldest shiraz vines in McLaren Vale. Further plantings since 1979 give it a grape variety mix that also includes grenache, chardonnay, pinot gris, cabernet, graciano, mataro, tempranillo and fiano, going into Paxton Wines. The flagship Paxton wine, the EJ Shiraz, named after David Paxton’s mother and family matriarch Elizabeth Jean, comes exclusively from the Thomas Block.
South Australia, Coonawarra
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Founded in 1988, Penley Estate is not Coonawarra’s oldest name, but it is one of its most celebrated. Focusing on the classic offerings of cabernet blends and shiraz, Penley is a traditional icon of the region, but Ang and Bec Tolley were determined to take their estate in a different direction, which has been visibly led in the winery but firmly anchored in the vineyard. Under the viticultural direction of Hans Loder, the estate has recently achieved sustainable certification from Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, and they are presently ‘in conversion’ to organic certification (NASAA). Loder ‘s viticulture program embraces technology and data to target the deployment of resources, improve soil health, and better assess fruit ripeness, resulting in wines with brighter profiles, while more experimental offerings have also been possible through the enhanced ability to select small parcels from the 80-hectare vineyard.
Eden Valley
2022 Finalist
Owned by Yalumba’s Hill-Smith family, the Pewsey Vale Vineyard is arguably Australia’s most famous riesling site. At meaningful elevation in the High Eden, its sweeping contour-planted vines are instantly recognisable from the iconic image that adorns the labels on the suite of wines, from the standard bearer to the aged release of ‘The Contours’ and a naturally fermented wine from the 1961 vines. Brooke Howell has been nurturing the vines at Pewsey Vale since 2010, with the old Contours Bock certified organic and the whole property managed with a sustainable mindset.
Victoria, Macedon Ranges
2021 Finalist
2020 New Vineyard of the Year
2020 Finalist
Robert Walters is no stranger to great wine, being an importer and distributor of some of the most revered wines of the world. Walters’ passion for Burgundy runs particularly deep, with an exhaustive search for an ideal home site for pinot noir and chardonnay leading him to the Macedon ranges in 2012. There he planted a genuinely unique vineyard for this country, with some of the highest density plantings anywhere in the world. Requiring exhaustive manual work – coordinated by manager Remi Jacquemain – the site is testing the possibilities of perfection while paying respect to the land and its bushland surrounds.
Tasmania
2021 Finalist
When it was first planted in 1985, Pooley Wines’ Cooinda Vale Vineyard in the Coal River Valley added less than a hectare to the state’s meagre 47 hectares of grapevines. Fast forward, and today Pooley contribute around 20 hectares across their two sites to the 2,000 plus planted on the Apple Isle, and a whole lot more to the reputation of the island state’s wine industry. The vineyard is currently managed by Hannah McKay who is committed to regenerative agriculture and is on a path to organic certification. The site producers Pooley’s most revered single-site wines made from riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir.
Victoria, Mornington Peninsula
2023 Finalist
Portsea Estate – Main Ridge Vineyard was first planted in 1997 and was recently acquired by Portsea Estate in 2021. Spearheaded by a passionate team including Matt Lugg, Sean Jones, Travis De Winton, Maddy Callahan, and Will Ross, this 5.47-hectare vineyard with red volcanic basalt (Ferrosol) soils at 174 metres elevation. It resides in the Mornington Peninsula’s sub-region of Main Ridge, which is surrounded on three sides by the waters of Port Phillip Bay, Western Port Bay and Bass Straight. The ‘Portsea Estate – Main Ridge’ site, making varietal bottlings of premium chardonnay and pinot noir, is bisected by Manton’s Creek forming a valley with east and west facing slopes, and is managed with regenerative agriculture since the new stewardship.
NSW/ACT, Orange
2020 Finalist
Charles Simons manages the viticulture across the four Printhie vineyard sites in the Orange region of New South Wales. All are at high altitude, but the Wattleview Vineyard tops out as their highest, and is one of the country’s few viable plantings over 1,000 metres. Chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc excel there, with the site responsible for Printhie’s flagship chardonnay – aptly named ‘Super Duper’ – as well as adding to wines in their Mountain and Topography ranges. Simons utilises technology to help guide his approach, which helps in the targeted direction of irrigation and disease management strategies, significantly reducing chemical, water and diesel use.
Victoria, Mornington Peninsula
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Before selling to a major player, Kathleen Quealy and Kevin McCarthy made their mark as icons of the Mornington Peninsula in the 1990s, generating a flurry of interest around pinot grigio/gris that has not abated. With a move to one of the Mornington Peninsula’s oldest Vineyards in Balnarring, the pair have continued with their exploration of that grape, along with the Peninsula standards of pinot noir and chardonnay, as well as delving into some key white grapes of north-eastern Italy. The site is responsible for some of the key Quealy bottlings, including their premium ‘Seventeen Rows’ Pinot Noir and skin-contact ‘Turbul’ Friulano. Today, the vineyard is managed by Lucas Blanck under organic certification to produce fruit for their classic and lo-fi expressions.
NSW/ACT, Canberra District
2022 Finalist
2020 Finalist
For over 15 years, Bryan Martin was Tim Kirk’s righthand man at the towering icon of the Canberra District that is Clonakilla. That was while establishing his own Ravensworth label, which now twinkles just as brightly in the region’s firmament of stars. Martin now devotes all his time to tending the vines and making wine from his own site, just down the road from the Kirk’s property, as well as from selected vineyards in the Canberra district. That home site has 13 varieties across 3.3 hectares, with the regional leaders – shiraz and riesling – sharing the spotlight with sangiovese, along with a brace of French and Italian whites and newer plantings of gamay and nebbiolo. Martin hasn’t used synthetic chemicals for a decade, farming with an unwavering focus on soil health and microbial life to better express the signature of site.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2020 Finalist
Situated on McLaren Vale’s Chalk Hill Road and straddling the Blewitt Springs and Seaview subregions, Andre Bondar and Selina Kelly’s Rayner Vineyard is a significant site, suppling fruit to many great makers over the years. With the chance to buy the vineyard in 2014, the couple dived in and have been focused on evolving the viticulture towards their ideal best-practice methods. The 14-hectare site produces the key Bondar label wines, from shiraz and grenache bearing the ‘Rayner Vineyard’ designate, to the ‘Violet Hour’, which was Bondar’s first cuvée, to the continuation of supplying fruit to Brokenwood’s established Rayner single-vineyard shiraz bottling. The viticulture is managed by Bondar and Ben Lacey.
Riverland
2022 Finalist
The 171 Jury Road Vineyard entered the Ricca Terra stable in late 2020, and interestingly it is not built around the warm-climate Mediterranean varieties that Ashley Ratcliff has become famous for. Rather, it is a celebration of ‘heritage’ varieties that were largely planted by returned servicemen and women who were granted land when they returned from both World Wars. Out of step with the highly mechanised bulk wine production that the region has become synonymous with, the vineyards are seen as liabilities by most, but Ratcliff saw other possibilities and set about resurrecting the old vines with an eye to producing premium wines that honoured the history of their origin.
South Australia, Riverland
2020 Innovative Vineyard of the Year
2020 Finalist
Ashley and Holly’s Ratcliff’s Ricca Terra Farms set out to shake up perceptions of the Riverland as a region that only grew grapes for generic bulk wine. They believed that by implementing quality-minded practices and focusing on climate-apt varieties, they would be able to unlock the region’s potential. By any measure, they have succeeded, elevating the profiles of grapes like nero d’avola, fiano, aglianico and arinto in the process. But that wasn’t all, with the Caravel Vineyard planted relatively recently to largely celebrate Portuguese varieties, like touriga nacional, tinta cão and tinta barroca, along with some more Italians. The fruit goes to their own Ricca Terra and Terra do Rio labels, as well as being sold to top makers, such as Bellwether, Unico Zelo, Shaw + Smith, Alpha Box & Dice, Jumpin’ Juice and Gatch Wine.
Western Australia, Frankland River
2023 Finalist
Initially planted in 1996, and expanded by Edwina and Larry Cherubino since 2010, the now 80-hectare Riversdale Vineyard is under the stewardship of Cherubino, with Jonno Reeve supporting vineyard management. The estate has dual-aspect sites, the Riversdale North block, facing north, and Riversdale South block, facing south. Across the property they have 15 grape varieties, from classics such as shiraz and cabernet sauvignon – where they remarkably have 20 clones, to alternative varieties like mencia, fiano, greco, and nebbiolo, as they aim for climate suitability. An impressive roll call of wines come from Riversdale vineyard, starting with the business’ own ‘Cherubino’ label, as well as Singlefile, and Penfolds wines.
Granite Belt
2022 Finalist
The Savina Lane Vineyard is a cool site in the sunny state of Queensland, with its suitability to grape-growing owing to the lofty elevation and the distinctive soils of the Granite Belt. Brad and Cheryl Hutchings work with old-vine shiraz – some of the region’s first vines – and a clutch of less-common varieties, including fiano and graciano. They farm with a carefully tailored organic nutrition program that saw a previously somewhat mismanaged vineyard slip into natural balance three years after they bought the property. That push towards revitalisation also extends beyond the 3.4-hectare vineyards, with a native replanting program aimed at rewilding the remaining 20-odd hectares.
Hunter Valley
2022 Finalist
The Scarborough Wine Co. has five vineyard sites in the Hunter Valley, with the Hermitage Road Vineyard acquired in 2007. The vineyard has been lovingly revitalised from the former conventional approach by partners in life and vines Liz Riley and Jerome Scarborough, who is also the winemaker. Sustainability is the central pillar of the operation, with a push to close the loop on waste and increase biodiversity in and around the vineyard blocks. In the 15 years under their stewardship, the improvement in soil health and structure and the increase in fruit quality has been palpable. The vineyard supplies fruit for both the Scarborough and Offshoots range, as well as to some other makers.
Orange
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
See Saw Wines, in the New South Wales high-altitude region of Orange, has committed to sustainability across their three vineyard sites, as well right through the production and packaging of their wines. The operation is now all certified organic, with viticulturist Brendan Jarrett focusing on building a balanced system that is built on healthy soil and minimal water use. Their Annangrove Park Vineyard accounts for around 40 per cent of their output, with the vineyard arrayed over a 200-metre range in elevation, topping out at 900 metres, with great variation in aspects and soil types. Chardonnay and pinot noir are natural stars, but the vineyard also has the region’s only prosecco, along with marsanne, sauvignon blanc and syrah, which go to making wines under the See Saw banner, from classic varietal wines to forays into pét-nats and skin contact ‘whites’.
Henty
2021 Finalist
The Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard is a significant one. Home to one of this country’s greatest rieslings, the site in south-western Victoria is also acclaimed for varietal bottlings of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. The very cool marginal climate presents numerous viticultural challenges, but it also positions the site as one for premium fruit and premium wines. With a quarter of a century at the viticultural helm, Larry Sadler employs the collective knowledge of his long-serving team and a close relationship with the winemakers in producing the highest quality fruit across over 90 hectares of vines.
Great Western
2022 Finalist
The Seppelt Great Western is the oldest continuous wine producer in the Grampians region, with the historic winery sitting atop a kilometre and a half of 19th century tunnels used for maturing wine. While Seppelt has other vineyards in the region, along with elsewhere, the 100-odd hectares of mainly shiraz that wrap around the winery is the heart of the Great Western operation, providing fruit for their pinnacle wines, including the benchmark ‘Show Sparkling’ Shiraz’ and flagship ‘St Peters’ Shiraz. Although the vineyard was replanted in the 1960s – meaning there are no ancient vines – it is the heritage clonal material and nuanced management techniques that set the Great Western Vineyard apart. The vineyard has been tended by James McKenzie since 2017
South Australia, Lenswood
2020 Finalist
Michael Hill Smith and Martin Shaw are Adelaide Hills pioneers, championing the vinous virtues of the hills long before many of the region’s celebrated makers were of drinking age. With two sites in the region, their loftiest and coolest is the Lenswood Vineyard, a 20-hectare site planted to chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. Currently in organic conversion, the site is managed by Murray Leake, who is also overseeing an ambitious project to double the vine density without removing any of the mature vines.
Tasmania
2023 Finalist
2021 Finalist
Small Wonder is a new brand on a mature property in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley, specialising in pinot noir, chardonnay and aromatic whites. In 2020, Goaty Hill was sold to the Overstory group – which also has vineyards in Margaret River – by the founders after two decades on the property. Vineyard manager Wayne Nunn in consultation with Dylan Grigg has converted the site from 20 years of conventional practcies to certified organic viticulture, and together with group winemaker Andrew Trio, the team have undertaken concerted works to map and understand the micro terroirs of the site. Pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris make up the varietal mix across 25 hectares of varied aspects and soil.
South Australia, Barossa Valley
2023 Finalist
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Suzi Hilder and Wayne Ahrens’ Smallfry Wines is centred around their Barossa vineyard in Vine Vale. With a slew of vines over 100 years old, as well as climate-apt newer plantings, the pair grow grenache, shiraz, semillon, riesling, mataro, tempranillo, trousseau, marsanne, roussanne, cabernet sauvignon, cinsault, pedro ximènez and bonvedro. Their 18 hectares under vine has been certified organic/biodynamic since 2011, and they practice regenerative agriculture, encouraging species diversity of plants, animals and microfauna/flora. As well as making their own natural wines under the Smallfry imprint, the pair sell grapes to some leading makers, including Frederick Stevenson, Les Fruits, Ad Lib, Rasa and Sierra Reid.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2020 Finalist
Bernard Smart and his son Wayne are the current custodians of a bush vine grenache vineyard first planted by Bernard’s father in 1922. The site is one of the highest and coolest in McLaren Vale, returning fruit that produces wines of distinctive fragrance and detail. Bernard still works the land, tending the vines in the low-impact way he has evolved over his more than 70 years there. Today, that fruit goes to the likes of S.C. Pannell, Thistledown and Willunga 100, making expressions that are helping to redefine the possibilities for Australian grenache.
Yarra Valley
2021 Finalist
Greg Kerr’s Solitude Estate may not be a familiar name to many, but its former moniker, Tibooburra Vineyard, will likely ring bells for Yarra Valley enthusiasts. The fruit from the Upper Yarra site is made into wine under Kerr’s estate label but it has also notably contributed to the wines of some of the Yarra’s leading small makers: Gary Mills (Jamsheed), Andrew Marks (The Wanderer), Luke Lambert (Lambert) and Jayden Ong (One Block). While chardonnay and pinot noir are the key varieties, a ’90s roll of the dice on shiraz has also seen the grape star on the 29-hectare vineyard.
Victoria, Beechworth
2020 Finalist
Barry and Jan Morey’s Sorrenberg, in an elevated cool site in Beechworth, is somewhat of a Victorian legend, a family enterprise with a low-key attitude that has steadily seen their wines attain cult-like status, rubbing shoulders with some of their more ostensibly glamorous neighbours. It may be the quality of the wines that has built their reputation – one of the region’s finest chardonnays, arguably Australia’s best gamay, an equally esteemed sauvignon blanc and semillon blend, and an exemplary cabernet blend – but behind the label, the impeccable biodynamic farming and focus on addressing local and global environmental issues deserves just as much attention.
Tasmania
Finalist
2023 Finalist
Palisander vineyard, in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, was originally planted with 1-hectare of pinot noir and riesling vines in 2004, and later purchased by Samantha Connew – the talented winemaker behind the Stargazer label. Since then, Connew expanded the plantings to 5-hectares with the addition of chardonnay, gamay, pinot blanc, pinot gris, and gewurztraminer. The viticulture is managed by Bryn Williams with a holistic approach rather than simply a grape monoculture – providing economic sustainability as well as biodiversity. Palisander stands out for its depth of pinot noir and chardonnay clones, and unique focus on producing Alsatian blends.
Riverland
2023 Finalist
2021 Finalist
The Riverland has long been the bulk wine heart of South Australia, with growers churning out cheap fruit pumped up with irrigation. And while the region will likely always serve this function, the script is being rewritten by players like Starrs Reach, who both sell premium fruit and make wine under their own label. Sheridan Alm runs the operation with a focus on minimal inputs, sustainability and restoring non-vineyard land, including Mallee scrub, wetlands and floodplains. With grenache and mataro core varieties, Alm is intent on proving that the Riverland can focus on quality on a large scale, growing grapes that suit modern wine styles that focus on bright fruit flavours and freshness.
Tasmania
2022 Finalist
2021 Finalist
It is over 30 years since Steve Lubiana set up shop in the Derwent Valley, only a short drive from Hobart, with the Stefano Lubiana Vineyard now occupying just over 28 hectares. Certified biodynamic for nearly a decade, it was Tasmania’s first to achieve accreditation, and was the island state’s only one until very recently. Pinot noir and chardonnay take centre stage, but there are also aromatic whites, syrah and small plots of malvasia and blaufränkisch planted. The wines veer from those classically styled, including several single block bottlings, to ones of a natural bent raised in amphora, while the original motivation for the move south – sparkling wine – sees six individual expressions, including a vintage that slumbers for a decade on lees.
NSW/ACT, Orange
2023 Finalist
Building on the experience of his first vineyard in the Central Ranges, Jonathan Hambrook looked to the high-altitude cold climate of the Orange region for his next site. The viticulture at Stockman’s Ridge, planted from 2012, reflects Hambrook’s thoughtful approach. This includes a focus on repairing soils to the cultivation of a diverse 6-hectare vineyard planted with a density of approximately 3,400 vines per hectare. The selection of varieties is both traditional and exploratory, featuring pinot noir, shiraz, zinfandel, cabernet franc, merlot, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, and grüner veltliner – the latter of which represents a pioneering planting in the region.
South Australia, Eden Valley
2023 Finalist
Located in the Eden Valley’s southeastern corner, a stone’s throw from Springton, Stonegarden Vineyard is a historic gem first planted from 1858. Under Glen Monaghan’s stewardship since 2015, this 20-hectare vineyard nurtures a diverse array of varieties including grenache, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, riesling, muscat, mataro, and more, without herbicides, embodying a minimalist viticulture ethos. Stonegarden’s vines, over 165 years old, contribute to an impressive roll call of wines. Labels such as Stonegarden Wines, Chateau Tanunda, John Duval, Kellermeister, Head Wines, Eperosa, and Brothers At War showcase the vineyard’s grenache, with prices ranging from $65 to $500, underscoring the exceptional quality derived from this historic site.
Bendigo
2022 Finalist
The Sutton Grange Winery vineyard is a few years into its third decade, growing French and Italian varieties in the granitic soils that surround Mount Alexander. Those soils lend the wines a distinct character, which is enhanced by foundational sympathetic farming incorporating organic and biodynamic practices (not certified). The vineyard has the oldest aglianico vines in Australia, while Sutton Grange were also early adopters of fiano and have long flown the flag for elegant, mineral and spicy syrah. Today, the vineyard is managed by Sue Hamilton.
Western Australia, Frankland River
2020 Vineyard of the Year
2020 Finalist
With the viticulture managed by Lee Haselgrove, the Swinney Vineyard is one of Frankland River’s prime sources of quality grapes, supplying producers as game changing as Brave New Wine to those as established as Penfolds, as well as filling the bottles of the Swinney family’s eponymous label. With about 160 hectares under vine, the site is managed sustainably, with a specialisation in the regional stars – cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and riesling – but they have also planted varieties to balance increasingly erratic weather patterns, including a significant investment in bush vine grenache, a variety and a growing method that is rare in the Great Southern.
Victoria, Heathcote
2023 Finalist
In Tooborac, the southernmost point of the Heathcote wine region, amongst the verdigris-mossed granitic boulders of the hillside, emerges the Syrahmi Home Block Vineyard, the labour of love for shiraz by Adam Foster. The Syrahmi label was launched in the mid-2000’s as a roaming project, taking in parcels of fruit from across Heathcote. However, it was the planting of the ‘Home Block Vineyard’ in 2017 that was the masterstroke. Since then, the vines have been hewn with blood, sweat and tears into the granitic soils at a high-density by Adam Foster alone. This young vineyard is the fastidious next chapter in an obsession and unwavering commitment to make the ultimate expression of shiraz, with the first release of wines coming from the 2019 vintage, due to be released in 2024.
Tasmania
2020 Finalist
A short drive from Launceston, Tamar Ridge’s Kayena Vineyard has over 130 hectares of vines, with a strong focus on pinot noir across almost two dozen clones. Viticulturist Ben Pietsch employs technology to optimise operations, from compost applications, to irrigation, to identifying underperforming blocks, but many of the solutions are far from technical, such as roaming poultry and insectary plantings to control pests. Fruit from the vineyard goes to making aromatic whites and pinot noir for the Tamar Ridge label, as well as sparkling wine under the Pirie brand.
Orange
2021 Finalist
Tamburlaine is a touchstone for organic wine in this country, having been certified for over three decades. Starting with a Hunter Valley base, owner Mark Davidson expanded into the cool Orange region in the late ’90s when he established the Borenore Vineyard. Organic certification is bolstered with biodynamic practices, with Mark Pengilly and Clayton Kiely managing the farming. The vineyard quickly established itself as the flagship of the Tamburlaine portfolio, producing gold medal wines from all the varieties on the property, along with a significant collection of trophies. The vineyard produces wines across the range, from more everyday offerings to the Reserve and ultra-premium Marlowe bottling.
Southern Fleurieu
2022 Finalist
There are few people who have positively influenced the Australian wine industry as much as Brian Croser has, from instituting winery best practices to pioneering wine styles to education and the exploration of untested vineyard areas. One of those sites is in the elevated cool and wet maritime climate of the Fleurieu Peninsula, buffeted by the Southern Ocean and isolated from a wine-growing community and ready labour. But the Foggy Hill site is one that Croser thought would make exceptional, characterful pinot noir based on climate and soil data, that it would become a truly “distinguished site” to add to the Tapanappa roster.
Victoria, Heathcote
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Ian Hopkins was drawn to Heathcote by a love for the style of shiraz that was being wrought there from the ancient Cambrian soils. A piece of red dirt on the Mount Camel Range was acquired, and the first vines – shiraz, of course – for his own venture were planted in 2002. That vineyard has now expanded to around 30 hectares, with drought-tolerant varieties like nero d’avola, fiano and carignan, and Rhône stars like grenache and mourvèdre, joining the roster, with some planted at high density and others as bush vines. Tobias Ansted holds both the winemaking and viticulture reins, with the farming certified organic but forever being pushed to exceed those standards.
Mornington Peninsula
2021 Finalist
Ten Minutes by Tractor’s reputation is built on articulating the differences between their four key vineyards with single-vineyard expressions of chardonnay and pinot noir, along with broader regional expressions and separate bottlings that reflect the lower elevation sites as well as higher elevation sites of the Mornington Peninsula. In 2016, they planted arguably the boldest venture for the region, with a high-density planting of pinot noir across just under 1.5 hectares. And while those vines are too young to turn out a single site offering, the early results are creating considerable excitement amongst the viticulture and winemaking teams.
Victoria, Gippsland
2020 Finalist
It’s all in the name really. The Wine Farm in Koonwarra, South Gippsland, is a vineyard-centric operation, where Neil and Anna Hawkins lovingly tend their 3 hectares of vines according to Demeter biodynamic methods (in conversion). Making varietal wines from pinot noir, shiraz, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and gewürztraminer, as well as a rosé and pét-nat, the style is lithe and mineral forward, with a mission to reflect the land and how it’s farmed in the glass – a feature that is becoming ever clearer as the years pass.
Victoria, Yarra Valley
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
The Yarra Valley’s Thousand Candles – which was launched to much fanfare in the 2011 vintage – has settled into a long stride, with the benefits of a decade under the biological farming methods of Stuart Proud returning big dividends. The business is built on making their own wines as much as it is selling ultra-premium fruit to renowned local makers, including Levantine Hill, Coldstream Hills and Santolin. While the wine on launch was firmly pitched at the top end of the market, the focus for Proud, who both grows – alongside vineyard manager David Ammerlaan – and now makes, is to reflect fruit and vines in an unadorned, hype-free way, a reflection of place and the season.
New England
2023 Finalist
2021 Finalist
Mark Kirkby’s Topper’s Mountain Vineyard was planted over two years to an eclectic mix of 17 grape varieties in the elevated cool of New South Wale’s New England region. Over two decades, the near 10-hectare vineyard has seen many varieties removed with almost as many taking their place, searching for the best vine-to-site matches. The viticultural approach is low impact, with sheep grazing amongst the vines through the cooler months and under-vine slashing in spring. The estate wines consist of varietal bottlings and field blends, some whites with skin contact and some reds with extended macerations, and all with sulphur as the only addition.
South Australia, Barossa Valley
2020 Finalist
Torbreck’s Hillside Vineyard is a piece of Barossa history. With the first plantings dating back to 1850, it lays claim to some of the region’s oldest shiraz vines. But the significance of the site is as much about the future as it is the living museum of old and ancient vines. A restoration and replanting program run by chief viticulturist Nigel Blieschke has seen the 15 hectares of shiraz and grenache vines expanded to almost 40 hectares, with Rhône varieties like carignan, counoise, grenache blanc and roussanne joining the Barossa standards. Key to Blieschke’s approach has been an emphasis on building resilience in the soil and vines, with a broader view to every aspect of the 100-hectare property, from caring for historic buildings to preserving and enhancing remnant native vegetation.
Barossa Valley
2022 Finalist
Damien Tscharke takes sustainability and transparency very seriously, with his vineyards and winery being certified both organic and biodynamic – a rarity in the Barossa. Solar power meets the energy needs, and only rainwater and recycled wastewater is employed in the winery and for irrigation, while all compost and biodynamic preparations are made inhouse as they work towards a closed loop farming operation. The motivation for this approach is centred around larger environmental goals as much as it is around making better and more expressive wine. Tscharke’s Gnadenfrei North Vineyard is a young one, first planted in 2017, and it is dedicated to the classic red varieties of the region and a handful of white Rhône varieties. It’s a suite of grapes that through the genetic adaption of old Barossa vine material and carefully selected climate-apt emerging varieties, Tscharke believes will be making balanced expressive wines for generations to come. The site currently yields an ultra-premium grenache blanc, a single-vineyard shiraz and a grenache rosé.
Barossa Valley
2022 Finalist
The Turkey Flat Vineyard has been farmed by the Schulz family since 1865, though the oldest plantings precede their tenure. First planted in 1847, the site has some of this country’s most ancient vines, but they were almost lost in 1987 under the notorious ‘vine pull scheme’. Thankfully, the decision was made to start producing wine rather than just selling fruit, with the Turkey Flat brand born and the first commercial vintage coming in 1990. That decision revived their fortunes, and it also helped buoy the image of Barossa wines. Today, the Schulz family continue their stewardship with a focus on reinvigorating the old vines and establishing new ones from the ancient material. The site is farmed by Mark Przibilla with a sustainable mindset, building biodiversity and rising to the challenges of climate change.
Margaret River
2021 Finalist
Planted in 1967, Tom’s Vineyard was the first commercial vineyard in Margaret River. Vasse Felix now farm over 300 hectares across the region, but it is the Tom’s Vineyard site in Wilyabrup on Caves Road that is reserved for their most prestigious bottlings, producing the Premier and Icon ranges, including the flagship red from the oldest vines – own-rooted cabernet sauvignon and malbec – named after the estate’s founder, Tom Cullity. Bart Molony manages the viticultural operations, with most of the vines certified organic across the four sites, including Tom’s Vineyard and the onsite winery.
NSW/ACT, Pokolbin
2023 Finalist
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
The Hunter Valley’s Somerset Vineyard has been responsible for some landmark wines, from back in the days of Maurice O’Shea in the first half of the 20th century, then later for Lindeman’s at its peak in the 60s, 70s and 80s, as well as supplying fruit to Len Evans as he reshaped the Australian wine landscape. Today, Angus Vinden tends 22 hectares of vines dedicated to his family’s eponymous label, with the Hunter stalwarts of shiraz and semillon leading the way, though he also makes some more left-field offerings under the Headcase imprint from varieties like tempranillo and gewürztraminer. Vinden has given this historic vineyard a new lease of life through regenerative inspired principles, with organic certification the next goal.
Adelaide Hills
2022 Finalist
Originally working only with sourced fruit, David Bowley’s Vinteloper found a home vineyard in the Adelaide Hills only for it to be savaged by fire in 2019. Restoring those lost vines is a demanding project, but it goes hand in hand with his process of regenerative agriculture of both vineyard and non-vineyard land. Extensive planting of native flora, a considered water management strategy and solar power for all electricity needs are all part of Bowley’s approach that is tilted to sustainability on both a local and larger scale, while constantly pushing for quality gains. The site is responsible for the ‘Home’ Shiraz and a pinot noir, shiraz and pinot gris in the Vinteloper ‘White Label’ range.
Margaret River
2022 Finalist
First planted in the late 1970s, Voyager Estate is one of Margaret River’s oldest vineyards. Located in the Stevens Valley in the subregion of Wallcliffe, the vineyard now occupies over 100 hectares, but it is a recently planted 1.2-hectare block of cabernet sauvignon that is causing considerable excitement amongst the team. That section, called V9Y, was propagated from the original vines and is one day destined for the flagship cabernet, or perhaps a solo bottling. As with the whole estate, the vineyard is certified organic and managed by Glen Ryan, who has worked at Voyager for over two decades.
Western Australia, Margaret River
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
In the Stevens Valley in the subregion of Wallcliffe, Voyager Estate is one of Margaret River’s oldest vineyards, first planted in the late 1970s (though it was called Freycinet Estate until 1991). Today, under the watchful eye of viticulturist Steve James, the vineyard occupies over 100 hectares, with the regional stars chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon taking the lead, though there are another 12 varieties planted, including tempranillo and grenache. Recent organic certification now applies to the winery and over a third of the vines, with the remainder not far behind.
Beechworth
2021 Finalist
Raquel and Hugh Jones made their tree change from busy city careers in 2014, buying a Beechworth vineyard and launching their Weathercraft label in 2016. The vineyard had been set up in 1998 for premium wine production. It was a conventionally managed site, but the couple were intent on more natural methods. The shiraz-dominant vineyard has since been tilted towards Iberian varieties, with tempranillo and albariño joining the roster across almost 6 hectares. By focusing on soil health, herbicides, insecticides and pesticides have been eliminated, with natural methods of pest and weed management employed. Once all going to high-end contract clients, the fruit is now all used for the Weathercraft label.
Victoria, Macedon Ranges
2020 Finalist
Wilimee is one of the oldest vineyards in the Macedon Ranges, originally planted in the early 1980s to pinot noir and chardonnay. A cool site at around 600 metres, sparkling wine production was a cornerstone for over two decades, before hard times stopped operations. In 2013, Ben Ranken and Sally Richardson bought the ramshackle vineyard and set about resurrecting it through regenerative agricultural practices. While the Wilimee brand has expanded, Ranken still cultivates much of the site to sell grapes to some of the region’s most respected makers, including Matt Harrop and Joshua Cooper.
Broke Fordwich
2022 Finalist
The Hunter Valley’s Winmark Wines is a chardonnay specialist, with even the Hunter stalwart variety semillon making way to render the site pure in its pursuit of the Burgundian variety across its 11.33 hectares of vines. Once the home of Poole’s Rock and a raft of critically revered chardonnays from the 2000s, the site fell into neglect around 2011 until being rescued in 2016 and resurrected over the following years to now produce a suite of Winmark chardonnays from the relatively accessible to the distinctly premium. The site is managed by Liz Riley and Dave Gosser.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2023 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Reborn from 19th century ruins by Greg Trott, Wirra Wirra is one of McLaren Vale’s most treasured wineries. The home vineyard has grown from a humble plot of shiraz to occupy over 20 hectares, with cabernet sauvignon, grenache, tempranillo and touriga nacional joining the roster, and all carefully planted across geological nuances that are best suited to each variety. Anton Groffen runs the viticultural operations under biodynamic certification, with the vines supplying the fruit for the flagship shiraz bottlings, the ‘Chook Block’ and ‘RSW’, as well as their iconic ‘Church Block’ red blend, amongst other key lines.
South Australia, Barossa Valley
2023 Finalist
The hero of the ‘The Tri-Centenary Vineyard’ is 1.12 hectares of 820 gnarly bush vines of grenache. Planted in 1889, the oldest vines are 135 years of age, and with further plantings in 2003 and 2016 across the 18-hectares, the average vine age is over 50 years, with around 15-hectares comprising of grenache, and a further speckling of shiraz and grenache blanc vines. Cuttings from these vines support Yalumba Nursery’s propagation of select vine material. The vineyard features deep, sandy loam layers underlain with red-brown clay. With careful management, dry grown vines on these soils can consistently produce outstanding quality fruit. A handful of wines are made from this vineyard, the most esteemed of which is the ‘Yalumba Tri-Centenary Grenache’.
McLaren Vale
2022 Old Vineyard of the Year
2022 Finalist
The beating heart of the lauded Yangarra Estate Vineyard is the collection of bush vine grenache that was planted a year after the cessation of hostilities in World War II. That vineyard accounts for over a quarter of the old vine grenache in McLaren Vale. It’s not that long ago that this might have been seen as a liability, but with the grape’s star truly on the rise, it represents one of the most precious resources in the Vale. And that growing consumer appreciation for the grape has been heavily influenced by the wines made by Pete Fraser from fruit farmed by Michael Lane, with over a decade and a half of biodynamic management and deep focus on regenerative agriculture and sustainability. The High Sands Vineyard is a 1.7-hectare section on deep sands at the highest elevation, which produces exceptional and distinct fruit that goes to make Yangarra’s flagship ‘High Sands’ bottling.
South Australia, McLaren Vale
2021 Finalist
2020 Finalist
Viticulturist Michael Lane and winemaker Peter Fraser have worked hand in glove at McLaren Vale’s Yangarra Estate for 20 years, steering the wines to ever-greater heights through a program that puts vineyard front and centre. Fraser is one of this country’s most skilled makers – no argument – but the long-term quality goals the pair had for the estate were always built on reinvigorating their soil and returning a natural harmony to the site. Today, Lane meticulously manages nearly 90 hectares of vines to A-grade biodynamic standards, working across a suite of Southern Rhône varieties, with grenache taking the lead.
Victoria, Yarra Valley
2023 Finalist
Established in 1969 by Dr. Bailey Carrodus, the Yarra Yering vineyard emerged before the modern viticulture industry in Yarra Valley took shape, marking it as a true pioneer of modern Yarra Valley. With Andrew George at the helm of viticulture for more than a decade now, this dry-grown, 28-hectare historic vineyard is evolving with consideration of a changing climate and sustainable practices. It boasts an especially diverse array of grape varieties in the context of the Yarra Valley, from classic chardonnay and pinot noir, through to a number of the more exotic, including alvarelhão, tinta amarela, and sousao, to name a few. The site grows truly iconic wines, made today by Sarah Crowe, such as their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, their ‘Dry Red Wine’ range, and their ultra-premium ‘Carrodus’ range.
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