The Halliday Wine Companion has announced its Award winners for the year, celebrating some of the nation’s top wines, winemakers, viticulturists and wineries in its guide to all things Australian wine.
Hosted at Ormond House, part of Melbourne’s 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.
Source: Halliday Wine Companion
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. Over 945 wineries are featured in the 2026 guide, a few less than last year.
Halliday Wine Companion head of tasting, Katrina Butler, said the judges take great pleasure in announcing the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Award winners and extending 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,” said Butler.
“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 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 a new category – Wildcard of the Year – an award created to advocate for the lesser known, whether it be variety, technique, style or region.
Major award recipients included:
- James Halliday Hall of Fame: Australian Wine Industry – Brian Croser
- 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
Brown Brothers Winery received the People’s Choice Award, voted by over 10,000 consumers across the country. The King Valley winery scored highest across a number of criteria, including the cellar door experience, friendliness of staff and quality of the wines.
Brown Brothers multi-venue operations manager, Georgia Beavis, said: “The People’s Choice win just gives us more energy to keep creating and surprising our guests with more reasons to return to our beautiful part of the world.”
For the full list of varietal winners or to view the 2026 Companion, head to winecompanion.com.au.
