Halliday Wine Companion has officially announced its highly anticipated Award winners for the year. Celebrating the very best in Australian wine, the coveted 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards recognise the nation’s top wines, winemakers, viticulturists and wineries.

Hosted at Ormond House, part of Melbourne’s iconic The Commons Collective, the Awards ceremony featured a first look at the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion and revealed winners across seven major categories including Wine of the Year, Winery of the Year, Winemaker of the Year, Viticulturist of the Year, Best New Winery, Dark Horse Winery and Best Value Winery.

Halliday also honoured Brian Croser, a new inductee into the James Halliday Hall of Fame: Australian Wine Industry, an award that acknowledges individuals in the Australian wine industry who are deemed to be of the highest regard and significance. Seventeen of Australia’s best wines were celebrated as award winners for their varietal categories. This year’s Awards also saw the introduction of an exciting new category, Wildcard of the Year, an award created to advocate for the lesser known – whether it be variety, technique, style or region.

The Halliday Wine Companion Award winners were determined collaboratively by the Halliday Tasting Team, including Dave Brookes, Jane Faulkner, Jeni Port, Katrina Butler, Marcus Ellis, Mike Bennie, Philip Rich, Shanteh Wale and Toni Paterson MW.

“We take great pleasure in announcing the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Award winners and extend our congratulations to each of them. The sheer magnitude of talent, the calibre of wines, the dedication to not only the art of winemaking but the restoration and preservation of our land was as apparent and resolute as the wines before us.

We are immensely proud to acknowledge this year’s winners, and tonight we celebrate the very greats of the Australian wine industry, the winners representing the diversity of winemaking regions from across the country. The Tasting Team reviewed over 7000 wines for the 2026 Companion, and we’re proud to be able to share the results and indeed the new edition of the guide with fellow enthusiasts, industry peers and newcomers.”

– Halliday Wine Companion Head of Tasting Katrina Butler

The Awards also mark the release of the wine-enthusiast’s bible, the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion, which is available in stores nationally from Thursday August 21, and online at winecompanion.com.au.

The Companion is the bestselling and definitive guide to Australian wines, wineries and grape-growing regions. The 2026 edition of the Companion includes over 5000 tasting notes and scores, and there are more than 7000 new notes available online at winecompanion.com.au.

The 2026 Awards featured winners from regions across Australia, providing a wonderful picture of the tenacity and diversity of the nation’s wine industry. Victoria took home more varietal awards than any other state, including Pinot Noir,

Pinot Grigio, Cabernet & Blends, Rosé, Fortified, and the inaugural Wildcard of the Year. South Australia shone too and represented our Red Wine and Wine of the Year winner alongside the 3rd inductee into the James Halliday Hall of Fame:

Australian Wine Industry, and Viticulturist of the Year. The Hunter Valley took home the prestigious Winery of the Year award, and WA also performed remarkably, being awarded White Wine of the Year and Winemaker of the Year alongside Other Whites & Blends and Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year.

James Halliday Hall of Fame: Australian Wine Industry – Brian Croser

2026 HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

Winery of the Year – Brokenwood, Hunter Valley, NSW

Winemaker of the Year – Virginia Willcock, Vasse Felix, Margaret River, WA

Viticulturist of the Year – Dr Dylan Grigg, Vinya Vella and Meristem Viticulture

Best Value Winery – Bondar Wines, McLaren Vale, SA

Best New Winery – Elanto Vineyard, Mornington Peninsula, VIC

Dark Horse Winery – bakkheia, Geographe, WA

Wine of the Year – Thistledown Wines This Charming Man Single Vineyard Clarendon Grenache 2024, McLaren Vale

2026 HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION VARIETAL WINNERS

Grenache of the Year | Red Wine of the Year | Wine of the Year – Thistledown Wines This Charming Man Single Vineyard,

Clarendon Grenache 2024, McLaren Vale – 98 points

Chardonnay of the Year | White Wine of the Year – Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2023, Margaret River – 99 points

Shiraz of the Year – Koomilya JC Block Shiraz 2022, McLaren Vale – 99 points

Sparkling Wine of the Year – Stefano Lubiana Prestige 2011, Tasmania – 98 points

Riesling of the Year – Leo Buring DWB17 Leonay Riesling 2024, Eden Valley – 98 points

Semillon of the Year – First Creek Wines Museum Release Oakey Creek Vineyard Semillon 2017, Hunter Valley – 98 points

Sauvignon Blanc of the Year – Weaver Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Adelaide Hills – 97 points

Pinot Gris/Grigio of the Year – Tar & Roses Pinot Grigio 2024, Central Victoria Zone – 96 points

Other Whites & Blends of the Year – tripe.Iscariot Kroos Chenin Blanc 2023, Margaret River – 98 points

Rosé of the Year – Sutton Grange Winery Fairbank Rosé 2024, Central Victoria Zone – 96 points

Pinot Noir of the Year – Mount Mary Pinot Noir 2023, Yarra Valley – 98 points

Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year – Devil’s Lair Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Margaret River – 98 points

Cabernet & Blends of the Year – Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1 2023, Yarra Valley – 99 points

Other Reds & Blends of the Year – Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 8 Winemaker’s Selection Shiraz Cabernet 2023, Hunter Valley – 98 points

Sweet Wine of the Year – Calabria Family Wines 3 Bridges Botrytis Semillon 2024, Riverina – 96 points

Fortified Wine of the Year – All Saints Estate Museum Muscadelle NV, Rutherglen – 100 points

Wildcard of the Year – Lethbridge Wines Yellow NV, Geelong – 96 points