Halliday magazine

The magazine features insights from James Halliday and the tasting team, the most sought-after wine reviews (100 new-release tasting notes in each issue), travel features through Australia and New Zealand's great wine regions, plus profile pieces, amazing recipes with wine matches and more.

Issue #80  – on sale from Thursday September 11, 2025

Notes from the editor:

The 2026 Halliday Wine Companion was officially launched at our Awards night in late August. Plenty of industry stars were again in attendance, including the Halliday Tasting Team, the country’s top winemakers and viticulturists, and our event sponsors and partners, although I’d be lying if I said the absence of a particularly impressive set of eyebrows (and the man they’re attached to) went unnoticed.

The 2026 edition of the Halliday Wine Companion is the first in its 40 years not to feature contributions from our founder James Halliday, and since he retired to Sydney, the first Awards night without him in attendance. But as I say elsewhere in this issue, rather than dwell, we took the opportunity to celebrate his legacy and the colossal contribution he’s made to Australian wine, for which every single person in that room – and I’d wager, everyone reading this magazine – will be eternally grateful.

In this issue, you’ll find interviews with all the major winners from the 2026 Halliday Awards, as well as the top wines of the year. We also dive deep into the wines from Brunello di Montalcino, explore sauvignon blanc’s serious side, and profile one of McLaren Vale’s most exciting winemakers.