Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wineries 2024: 76–100

Best wineries Australia

The wineries ranked 76–100 in the Halliday Top 100 Wineries showcase South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania, with South Australia accounting for 10 of the featured producers. The Adelaide Hills wineries are Gentle Folk, Murdoch Hill and, of course, Shaw + Smith. Also making the list for some of the best Coonawarra wineries are Parker Estate and Penley Estate. Looking for a McLaren Vale shiraz? The Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah is an Australian icon wine.

Winemaker of the Year Liz Silkman's label Silkman Wines features at number 78. And if you're after Hunter Valley winery accommodation, you can't go wrong with a visit to Pooles Rock.

Seven Victorian wineries feature across six regions. Beechworth wineries include Fighting Gully Road and Eldorado Road. If you're heading to the Geelong wine region, then Scotchmans Hill is a must, as is its chardonnay, pinot noir and syrah. For wineries near Ballarat, Eastern Peake is just a 25-minute drive from Ballarat Central. Norm Latta and Di Pym established Eastern Peake over 40 years ago, and it's now under the guidance of their son, Owen.

View the Top 100 Wineries: 1–25

View the Top 100 Wineries: 26–50

View the Top 100 Wineries: 51–75

Gentle Folk | Fighting Gully Road | Silkman Wines | Deep Woods Estate | Scotchmans Hill | Delamere Vineyards | Best’s Wines | Tapanappa | Parker Coonawarra Estate | Flowstone Wines | Eastern Peake | Castle Rock Estate | De Bortoli | Eldorado Road | Pooles Rock | Murdoch Hill | Flametree | Collector Wines | Pewsey Vale Vineyard | Clarendon Hills | Spinifex | Penley Estate | Adelina Wines | Shaw + Smith | Tahbilk

76. Gentle Folk

In another life, Gareth and Rainbo Belton were both marine scientists specialising in phycology (the study of marine plant life) before wine lured them to the Adelaide Hills’ Basket Range. Friends Alex Schulkin (The Other Right) and James Erskine (Jauma) were influential at the time, and the Gentle Folk brand was perhaps more associated with some of the vin de soif wines they initially made, and a decidedly natural vibe. The essence of that is true now, in the best sense, in that the vines are farmed with organic practices and the only winery addition is a little sulphur. The core of the range, though, is a suite of single-site chardonnay and pinot noir of effortless purity, detailed texture and clear site-specific delineation. Add to that the ‘Village’ wines, which draw in other varieties, such as sangiovese, gamay and syrah, from a range of vineyards, and with general trend towards mid-weighted drinkability but at no expense to detail and character, and Gentle Folk is one of the Hills’ most exciting producers.

5 ★ winery | Halliday profile | Gentle Folk | @gentlefolkwine

77. Xanadu Wines

Glenn Goodall has amassed an embarrassment of riches during his time at Xanadu. And although his 26-year stint is substantial, the number of trophies, golds and other accolades indicate a career twice as long, if not longer. Things aren't slowing, either, with the recent releases as good as anything from this elite estate. That’s helped somewhat by the brilliant 2023 vintage, but the reality is the 2022s were also exceptional. On that more recent vintage, Jane Faulkner writes: "The ’23 vintage is turning out to be a very special one in Margaret River both with chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon..." That was from her review of the 97-point 2023 Reserve Chardonnay, and the 2023 Stevens Chardonnay matched that result. The upper tier cabernets are yet to be released, but the anticipation is palpable. This is a brilliant address, consistently thrilling at the top end, and always overdelivering at the more accessible end.

5 ★ winery | Xanadu Wines profile | Winery website | @xanaduwines

78. Torbreck Vintners

Torbreck was a bold endeavour, founded on a fundamental belief that the Barossa could produce some of the world’s great wines. That was driven by Dave Powell and funded by investors, and the best fruit was bought, almost at no consideration to expense. Those wines had an explosive impact, charming local and international markets. Behind the scenes, Torbreck has had some exceptional winemakers at the tiller, including Dan Standish and Craig Isbel. Today, the mission remains the same, if the bombast of years prior has well and truly settled. What hasn’t changed is the talent quality, with local legend Ian Hongell heading up the winemaking. The vineyard resources have swelled over the years, with the farming best practice under Nigel Blieschke’s care, and the grower sites are still some of the finest in the region. In the cellar, there has been a long-term evolution away from small, impactful oak, instead prioritising the expression of place and vine material, predominantly old or ancient. Torbreck is as important a maker today as it was when it launched, but it has settled into a long stride, no longer trying to impress, serenely confident in its sympathetic framing of the best of the Barossa.

5 ★ winery | Torbreck Vintners profile | Winery website | @torbreckbarossa

79. Swinney

The Swinney property has been largely responsible for shifting the needle on what is possible for grenache in Frankland River, and it has also vigorously championed mourvèdre alongside Frankland Estate. Set on a vast grazing property, there are now 160 hectares of vines with the fruit sold to makers large and small. In fact, the resource has been a vitally important one for those without vineyards to launch and diversify their labels with quality fruit – that impact has been meaningful. For the eponymous wines, a small fraction of the best fruit, largely riesling, grenache, syrah and mourvedré, goes into both the estate range and elevated Farvie wines. The riesling is further proof of the quality of the variety in Frankland River – if anyone needed it – combing deep mineral expression, while the Rhòne reds are marked by distinctive tannic structure, spice and gamey savouriness. They are impressive wines, and not for anything overt in the winery, with the vastly experienced Rob Mann having a light touch. It is that site, and the decisions made in the vineyard, such as growing as bush vines, that mark the Swinney wines as something truly special.

5 ★ winery | Swinney profile | Winery website | @swinneywines

80. Howard Park

Howard Park began with John Wade back in 1986, when he made a riesling and a cabernet under that name, but it was in 1993 that the Burch family joined him, making wine from both Margaret River and Great Southern, building a label of profound impact, both then and now. In 1996, the family’s Leston vineyard was first planted on their Wilyabrup property, and a cellar door was established in Denmark. Today, the Burch family’s business is broad ranging, from the Howard Park wines through to wines made locally and in Burgundy in partnership with Pascal Marchand. The vineyard resources include Allingham in southern Karridale and Mount Barrow and Abercrombie in Great Southern. That dual investment, putting the two regions on equal footing, has been powerful, and the wines have been consistently compelling, with Nic Bowen heading up winemaking since 2021. Today, the range is expansive but always considered, with a deep commitment to a sparkling wine program sitting side by side with the classic varieties of the two regions. Cabernet and chardonnay naturally shine, but so does rosé (a gold for the 2024), and that first vintage is honoured by a continued commitment to topflight riesling.

5 ★ winery | Howard Park profile | Winery website | @howardparkwines

81. Seppeltsfield

Nowhere in the world, but for at Seppeltsfield, does anyone mature vintage fortified wine for 100 years before release. We have Benno Seppelt to thank for that, who selected a barrel from the 1878 harvest to mature for a century before release. In 1978, it duly was, 47 years after his death. And it has been released every year since. The fact Seppeltsfield survived the corporate ownership to-and-fro of the 1980s, ’90s and early ’00s was a marvel. The fact that the Para 100-Year-Old Tawny project survived the accountants’ clutches in the darker days perhaps even more so. Under the Randall Wine Group ownership, that legacy was assured, but just as importantly so was the historic property. Today, the wines have never been better, from the exceptional fortified wines through a range of table wines, and from varieties both stalwart and emerging. 

5 ★ winery | Seppeltsfield profile | Winery website | @seppeltsfield

82. Levantine Hill

Levantine Hill is an ambitious venture. The Jreissati family added to the original 1999 vineyard in 2009, planting around a gentle hill, with their Yarra home at the top. A restaurant and substantial cellar door were also built, as well as a hotel which is yet to open. It could be a major visitor attraction without the wines, but they certainly take those very seriously. Paul Bridgeman is the long-term winemaker, which was a coup at the time, having headed the winemaking at Yarra Yering prior. Before that, he was with Steve Webber at De Bortoli during arguably its most fertile time, working with makers unknown then but now familiar to almost every Australian wine lover. The range covers Yarra Valley classic varieties, from estate bottlings to the Family Paddock wines, which are sourced from those blocks radiating from around the house. Levantine Hill also make a chardonnay and shiraz under the Optume label, wines that are intended to show just what the Yarra is capable of. They are no-expense spared wines, and with a price tag that is intended to place them up with the great wines of the Yarra. It’s a statement of confidence in region, fruit and maker. The 2026 Companion recorded eight gold-medal scores for the estate, with the 2019 Samantha's Paddock Mélange Traditionnel Bordeaux-style blend the peak at 97 points. Levantine Hill is ambitious, but it has invested heavily in both vineyards and talent, and the rewards are flowing.

5 ★ winery | Levantine Hill profile | Winery website | @levantinehill

83. Eldorado Road

Eldorado Road’s Paul Dahlenburg and Lauretta Schulz’s own project, after successful wine careers at various addresses, was never going to be a cookie-cutter operation. When you consider that they have been nurturing an 1890s vineyard in the Warby Ranges near Glenrowan back to some kind of health and productivity after decades of neglect, this is clearly very personal. Those tortured grey vines twist out of the brutal rocky soils on what the couple have called Dulcie’s Block, after the now late owner of the property. Economically foolhardy and physically demanding, the rescue effort is not about numbers. It’s about history, and to let those vines go would be neglectful, callous even. The pair also chose grapes to hero that rarely command a meaningful premium, including nero d’Avola, fiano, durif and aucerot. As said, this is personal. The 2024 Fiano scored 96 points in the 2026 Companion, and both neros from 2023 were also gold medallists. That’s uncommon for those varieties, but the pair have banked on their capacity to make elevated expressions, and they treat them accordingly. Leased shiraz and Rhône white varieties complete the picture here. In total, Eldorado Road secured six gold-medal scores in the 2026 Companion, including 96 points for the 2022 Persévérence from Dulcie’s ancient vines. Eldorado is home to compellingly individual wines, ones of character and verve.

5 ★ winery | Eldorado Road profile | Winery website | @eldoradoroad

84. Bulman Wines

Mark Bulman is in the elite ranks of arguably the most exciting movement in Australian wine of late, the grenache… revolution, renaissance… call it what you will. Mark made a name for himself while the winemaker at Turkey Flat, lifting the Jimmy Watson in 2017 with the 2016 grenache – the first grenache to win it. Having worked in cooler climes, grenache was not really on his radar until presented with a panoply of parcels and the freedom to experiment. That cultivated a deep passion for the grape, for uncovering its more aromatic, refined yet structured side. Today, he makes thrillingly pure, elegant and detailed wines from both Blewitt Springs and the historic Stonegarden Vineyard, Eden Valley, working from 19th century vines. Plus, he regularly turns out one of the country’s best rosés. It’s only two releases in for his single site grenache pair, and already they are must-buys on release.

5 ★ winery | Bulman Wines profile | Winery website | @bulman_wines

85. Syrahmi

Adam Foster’s Syrahmi was always intended as a moving feast, sourcing fruit from across the Heathcote region as interesting shiraz sites cropped up. It somewhat mirrored Adam’s path in the early days, travelling the world as a chef and making wine, principally in France’s Rhône Valley. He’s a passionate lover of the great wines of the world, but the Rhône just tugs at him that bit more emphatically. Heathcote ended up doing the same, with he and his wife Pip buying a property in Tooboorac in 2017. That property had a house and lots of olive trees, but no vineyard. And that was perfect. The Syrahmi modus operandi could continue, with a winery built on site. A small vineyard – big enough to make enough wine but small enough to do it all himself – was planted to ideal specifications in the granitic soils. That Home Block High Density Shiraz has made quite the splash, vying for line honours with his celebrated La La bottlings. Of course, Adam is also a dab hand with sangiovese and mourvèdre, and the range stretches to whites, with both a blended white and Macedon chardonnay made by Pip under the Garden of Earthly Delights label.

5 ★ winery | Syrahmi profile | Winery website | @syrahmi.wine

86. Forest Hill Vineyard

The first vineyard planted in the Great Southern, in 1965, Mount Barker’s Forest Hill still works from the old riesling and cabernet sauvignon vines propagated from Houghton’s. The first cabernet from the 1972 vintage was even made by the great Jack Mann himself. The 1975 Riesling famously won nine trophies and a dozen golds, and it still holds that record on the Western Australian wine show circuit. There’s some history here, in other words. Those old vines still go to the Block 1 Riesling, while 1975-planted vines go to make the Block 2. The Block wines are integral to the Forest Hill story, showing the detail and variation across the progressively planted site. The Lyons family have owned the property since 1996, significantly upgrading the vineyards and facilities. Guy Lyons is the general manager and winemaker, alongside senior winemaker Liam Carmody. Guy is a deeply passionate about their site and region, and it shows in the wines, which are keenly differentiated based on location and vine material, with winemaking subservient. Excellent chardonnay, shiraz, cabernet and malbec are made along with the rieslings, garnering a total of six gold medals in the 2026 Companion.

5 ★ winery | Forest Hill Vineyard profile | Winery website | @foresthillwines

87. All Saints Estate

The Rutherglen wine region is steeped in history, with fortified wine the foundation. Naturally, table wines are abundant, but it is with fortified wine that it soars. It’s somewhat fortunate that Rutherglen has maintained its traditions, and across several elite makers, with All Saints one of the finest. Fortified wine once totally dominated the Australian wine industry, with table wine a mere trickle. Somewhat swiftly, those roles were flipped, and many a maker pivoted or was lost. Rutherglen is still an Aladdin’s cave for lovers of the sticky stuff. All Saints is hard to miss, with its heritage-listed ‘castle’, flags fluttering over its ramparts. It’s an old-fashioned introduction, but All Saints, though devoted to tradition, also have thoroughly modern sensibilities. That shows in their elevated destination restaurant offering, Kin, and their more casual diner, Bonnie. Both are helping to lift the profile of the region for visitors. As a wine lover, though, the superlative range of tawny, muscadelle and muscat are worth the trip alone, crowned by the Museum expressions with both the Muscadelle and Muscat registering 100 points in the 2026 Companion. The Rare bottlings are both just two points back and fine relative value for the quality, character and deeply resonant history. 

5 ★ winery | All Saints Estate profile | Winery website | @allsaintsestate

88. William Downie

There was a time that Bill Downie was the enfant terrible of the wine world. He still is perhaps, though his way has always been one of genial approachability and a broad smile – pretence-free. A disruptor, though. A couple of decades back, the days of heavily extracted and oaked pinot noir cresting over 14 per cent alcohol were in full swing when he took the hands-off route, extracting through what some would call ‘infusion’ now. Whole berries, locked down, native yeasts, slowly, slowly. It was hugely influential. He went all in early, spending every spare cent on Burgundy, and every possible moment going there to work. That led to a high-density planting in Yarragon, Gippsland, with his wife, cheesemaker Rachel Needoba. His impact on that community, on farming, on making, his quiet mentorship of those working with him, and those around him, has been incalculably important. Bill’s winemaking hasn’t changed, ceding authority to site, season and grape, as it should be. Like all good disruptors, Bill has changed the industry for the better.

5 ★ winery | William Downie profile | Winery website | @williamdownie

89. Eperosa

Brett Grocke was the Winemaker of the Year for the 2021 Companion. It’s a big achievement, especially for a viticulturist. That’s tongue in cheek, of course. It’s not that long ago that winemakers got all the glory, and some would say they still do. Sure, it was Brett’s making that took out the gong, but it was as much a validation that the best wine is made from the ground up. A sixth-generation Barossan, Brett farms two sites. The Magnolia Vineyard in Vine Vale was first planted in 1890. Dry grown and blessed with enough natural water resources, it is treasure of the region. The Krondorff vineyard is home to the winery, a state-of-the-art off-grid operation, utilising gravity and natural thermal regulation, as well as storing ample rainwater. Farmed organically and with regenerative practices, the wines are made quietly and sympathetically, respecting the fruit and the tale it tells of the land. Brett’s wines are soulful and personal, echoing with the fundamental commitment to do everything the right way.

5 ★ winery | Eperosa profile | Winery website | @eperosawine

90. TarraWarra Estate

TarraWarra is such a symbol of the Yarra. It’s got some serious history, and it’s a prime visitor destination, from the stylish cellar door wedged into the hillside to the celebrated restaurant and the world-class TarraWarra Museum of Art. It’s one of those estates, where it feels like if it is firing, the whole region benefits. And boy is it firing. Sarah Fagan heads up the winemaking team as of 2023, which was also around when the vastly experienced Samantha Isherwood was employed as general manager and Chris Beard as vineyard manager. Sarah is well-known for working at De Bortoli for two decades, with a good portion as Steve Webber’s right hand. It’s no secret that De Bortoli under Steve has been a talent academy, nurturing some of our finest makers, who have spread out to make their own significant impact on the wine world. Sarah is not much one for the limelight, but she’s as good a winemaker as it comes, rigorously educated but also a natural – intuitive, perceptive and wise enough to know when to be hands off. The other great asset for TarraWarra was securing a lease on the fabled Swallowfield Vineyard, surrounded by forest in the cool of Gembrook on decomposed granite. Vintage 2024 was the first full season for Sarah, and her 2024 Swallowfield Chardonnay garnered 97+ points, with the pinot noir a point back. Golds also went to the 2024 Estate Chardonnay and the 2024 Southern Slope Vineyard Chardonnay. As Philip Rich summed it up: "These are exciting times at TarraWarra..." 

5 ★ winery | TarraWarra Estate profile | Winery website | @_tarrawarra_

91. Montalto

What was intended to be a retirement project for John and Wendy Mitchell when they bought the Red Hill vineyard in 1998 has evolved over the past almost-three decades into one of the Mornington Peninsula’s main attractions. It’s not hard to see the appeal. Even in winter, when the vines are bare and the beaches are empty, it’s tough to get a table at either the restaurant or the more-casual piazza, which slings some of the best woodfired pizzas on the Peninsula. But what elevates the Montalto experience is the quality of its wines. The original vineyard, which will celebrate 40 years next year and is managed by viticulturist Dan Prior, provides fruit for the estate wines including The Eleven and North One, but chief winemaker Simon Black also sources from several leased sites within the region for the premium single-vineyard range. The 2023 Tuerong Chardonnay was the pick of the six wines tasted for the 2026 Companion, with Jane Faulkner claiming, “I can’t recall a better chardonnay off this site,” and scoring it 96 points. Of the Syrah off the same site, which she gave 95, she wrote: “It’s a cracking wine and you’d drink it over many pinots from the region.” It's sometimes hard to find a winery that offers both a top-tier, genuinely family-friendly cellar door experience and wines you’d actually want to drink, but you will at Montalto. 

5 ★ winery | Montalto profile | Winery website | @montaltovineyard

92. Burton McMahon

The McMahon name is a famous one, with Dylan McMahon’s grandfather, Dr Peter McMahon, planting Seville Estate, and driving it to considerable success. His grandson further elevated the Yarra great under changing ownership for over two decades. Today, that legacy is borne by others, with Dylan continuing his own project alongside his friend Matt Burton of Gundog Estate. Begun in 2010, it’s a quiet thing, in a way. No dedicated website. No cellar door (unless you go to the Hunter). No fanfare. It’s a cliché perhaps, but the wines do the talking – beautifully detailed, fine-boned yet intense and expressive wines from some of the Yarra Valley’s finest sites. And, for the quality and sense of place, excellent value. Plus, the pair have recently taken on the long-term lease of a mature Gladysdale site, giving the project an anchor for an even more exciting future.

5 ★ winery | Burton McMahon profile | Winery website

93. Thomas Wines

Andrew Thomas is a McLaren Vale lad, but a stint at Tyrrell’s saw him settle in the Hunter. Leaving Tyrrell’s in 1997 after 13 years and starting his own label was somewhat groundbreaking. Back then, Hunter startups were well-resourced operations of scale. Thommo had limited resources and no desire to be too big to miss the fine detail. He, arguably, was the first to represent a new Hunter movement, still influenced by the classics, but tuned to his sensibilities rather than slavishly following expectations. What followed were semillons that both were built to age and some that were designed to be attractive in their youth, while the reds were classically medium weight and savoury, with distinguished vineyard sites providing the delineation. That was the essence of things: only sourcing from exceptional vineyards and giving them room to express themselves. Thommo’s biggest assets are both long-term relationships with prime growers and the home Braemore vineyard, one of the finest sites for semillon in the region. The entries for the 2026 Companion garnered no less than nine golds. With his eldest son, Dan, working by his side, Thommo is making the best wines of his life.

5 ★ winery | Thomas Wines profile | Winery website | @thomaswineshuntervalley

94. Tahbilk

Tahbilk was established in 1860, and it has been in the Purbrick family for 100 years. Blessed with 1860s shiraz vines, it also famously has 1927-planted marsanne, possibly the world’s oldest. It’s a place that wears its history on the outside, yet it is also very progressive in its approach. Much of that progression is focused on sustainability and reducing environmental impact. The winery was certified carbon neutral in 2013, large areas have been returned to natural wetlands and over 160 hectares have been replanted to restore native bushland. With Alister Purbrick retired from winemaking, Joanne Nash, Alan George and Brendan Freeman manage the substantial operation of around 120,000 cases. Tahbilk make a considerable amount of quality everyday wine, but they also produce wines that scale the heights, with the pinnacle 1860s Vines Shiraz from 2021 rated 97 points by Jeni Port. In fact, in the 2026 Companion, Jeni gave eight gold-medal scores, and all to the Tahbilk strong suits of marsanne, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon. There has been a changing of the guard at Tahbilk, but this Victorian treasure seems no better positioned to launch into its next century of family ownership.  

5 ★ winery | Tahbilk profile | Winery website | @tahbilkwines

95. Elanto Vineyard

Elanto Vineyard won Best New Winery in the 2026 Companion, with 2023 the first vintage made from those 11 hectares of close-planted chardonnay and pinot noir vines across eight abutting climats. New, for sure, but vigneron Sandro Mosele is no newcomer, with the project a distillation of decades of experience and acclaim, and made possible by the shared vision and deep resources of Tony Todaro. No expense spared, but all about the wine (with no cellar door or the like), and the firm belief that close-planted vines, with roots digging deep, was the hard-fought route to making truly exceptional wine. It’s difficult to argue with that on the evidence of the first two vintages, straight out of the gate brilliant, reflecting an exceptional site, peerless viticultural planning and execution and the calm assurance of a maker to let those twin attributes speak.

5 ★ winery | Elanto Vineyard profile | Winery website | @elantovineyard

96. Dominique Portet

Dominique Portet’s name still presides over the family’s Yarra Valley estate, but it is his son Ben – a 10th-generation winemaker – that heads up operations now, though with Dominique certainly still firmly in the frame. Well-known for rosé, both sparkling and still, the Fontaine range is accented with a single-site aspirational iteration of real complexity, with every release since the first in 2020 ranked as gold, with the current 2024 rated 96 points. The 2024 Fontaine Rosé is $28 and snares a silver, as Philip Rich says, it "deserves its place as one of Australia's bestselling and most loved premium rosés." That’s a theme at Portet, with the accessible and the aspirational treated with equal respect. Take the $125 2022 Réserve de Famille, a 97-pointed cabernet that Philip says is, "top notch and built for the long haul". Then consider the 2024 Fontaine Cabernets at 95 points and $28, which he calls, "one of the Yarra's absolutely best buys." The Portet range is broad, encompassing what the Yarra does best, from multiple-site and single-vineyard wines, and it is quality through and through.

5 ★ winery | Dominique Portet profile | Winery website | @dominiqueportet

97. Crittenden

There’s a bit of a new era at Crittenden. Not much is changing from a wine perspective, with Garry long since retired, though ever present. The ranges remain the same, if the benefits of moving the estate vineyards to sustainable practices some years ago, eschewing synthetic chemicals and focusing on soil biology, are still showing ever increasing positives for the fruit and the wines. The cellar door remains a major destination, and the restaurant will soon be back under family control. That may not sound like a big development, but the restaurant was always a critical part of the Crittenden story, and the revamped space overlooking the vines will be a valuable tool for engaging with the wines as they are intended, at table, and with complementary food. Especially perhaps in showcasing the Cri de Coeur Sous Voile Savagnin. A paean to the flor styles of the Jura, it is a wine much loved by afficionados but requiring context to gel with those less familiar. Crittenden today, run by second-generation custodians Rollo and Zoe is thriving, with the vineyards never healthier and the wines on an ever-upward arc.

5 ★ winery | Crittenden profile | Winery website | @crittendenwines

98. Mordrelle Wines

Mordrelle is a family affair. It’s in the name. Martin Moran and his wife Michelle Dreckow: Mor–dre-lle. A portmanteau. But the ‘dre’ from Dreckow just as much includes Michelle’s parents, who sliced off a piece of their farming property for the Mordrelle winery in 2010. From their home in Hahndorf, Mordrelle work with both Adelaide Hills and Langhorne Creek fruit, playing to the varietal strengths of both across an impressively extensive portfolio. Martin delves deeply into a fine suite of malbec (blends and solo), a clue to his Argentine heritage, while never being hemmed in by that link, and is equally excelling at sparkling wine, chardonnay and aromatic whites, including pushing the boundaries with grüner veltliner.

5 ★ winery | Mordrelle Wines profile | Winery website | @mordrelle_wines

99. LS Merchants

Dylan Arvidson and his partner Taryn have built something special in Margaret River. Dylan has worked at some notable addresses, but his way was always to lean into the lifestyle, and not just because he is a keen surfer. The couple’s cellar door on their small vineyard in Cowaramup is a laid-back affair, somewhat different to many of the grand cellar doors of the region. Laid back, sure, but Dylan takes his wine very seriously, sourcing broadly from Margaret River, Geographe and Great Southern, as well as working from the home site. The wines are broad ranging in varietal selections and incorporate methods classic to those more avant-garde. The wines are hard to pin down, except for impeccable fruits sources and calm, lo-fi making. A pair of rieslings both scored gold in the 2026 Companion, one from Frankland and one from Margaret River, so too chardonnay and cabernet, while a white blend based on skinsy riesling was built for food and carefree drinking. The wines are thoughtful, built for different moments, and they are both adventurous and respectful for each region’s proven strengths. 

5 ★ winery | LS Merchants profile | Winery website | @ls.merchants

100. Morris of Rutherglen

It could comfortably be argued that Rutherglen Muscat and Topaque (nee Tokay) are Australia’s most significant and unique contribution to the world of wine. How well that is recognised is another matter, but the wines are national treasures, with soleras dating back well into the 19th century. Morris is one of the finest exponents of Rutherglen fortified wines, including tawny and apera styles, with sixth-generation winemaker Madden Morris at the helm. They also make a suite of table and sparkling wines, along with awarded whiskies. It’s the range of old Rutherglen fortifieds that mark Morris as one of our greatest makers, though, with the prices absurdly fair for world-class wine and an irreplicable history in a bottle.

5 ★ winery | Morris of Rutherglen profile | Winery website | @morrisofrutherglen

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