2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards announced at industry night

2023 Haliiday winemaker of the year Glenn Goodall. Image courtesy Xanadu

The 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards were hosted at the Stokehouse restaurant in St Kilda, Melbourne last night.

The ceremony celebrated the best of the best, recognising the nation’s top wines, winemakers, viticulturists and wineries setting the industry benchmark for the Australian wine sphere.

The Awards were hosted by Halliday Wine Companion’s chief editor Tyson Stelzer and renowned wine journalist and Tasting Team member Jeni Port in front of a crowd of 125 guests. They were joined throughout the night by founder James Halliday AM, as well as the wider Halliday Tasting Team to announce this year’s honourees.

They presented the nominees and declared this year’s winners. The pair discussed this year’s intensive tasting and Award judging process, conducted blind for the first time in the Companion’s history.

“This year’s results are a wonderful testimony to the tremendous diversity of Australian wine at the top of its game,” Selzer said.

“Our winners hail from the who’s who of large estates in famous regions and from small boutiques in remote outposts. It’s exciting to see unexpected places and estates stepping forward with wines that have topped their classes.

“It is with immense pride that we introduce the winners of the Halliday Awards 2023, the most anticipated announcement on the Australian wine calendar.”

The Awards also mark the release of the wine-enthusiast’s bible, the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion, available in stores nationally. The book is a guide to Australia’s leading wines, wineries, and grapegrowing regions, including all Award winners and tasting notes.

This year’s major Awards-represented regions include Margaret River, Tasmania, Yarra Valley, Great Western, and Adelaide Hills, with the varietal winners spanning five states: South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania.

Xanadu Wines Chief Winemaker, Glenn Goodall was awarded the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year.

Goodall was awarded the highly anticipated accolade after two years of being shortlisted.

“I’m excited and feel very honoured to receive the Halliday Winemaker of the Year award. I’ve been fortunate enough to lead the Xanadu team for many years, and winemaking is definitely a team sport,” Goodall said.

“This award acknowledges everyone, including our growers, who have been involved in the Xanadu journey over the years, and I feel really proud to represent this group.”

2023 MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

Winery of the Year – Pooley Wines, Tasmania
Winemaker of the Year – Glenn Goodall, Xanadu Wines, Margaret River, WA
Viticulturist of the Year – Tom Carson, Serrat, Yarra Valley, VIC
Best New Winery – Living Roots, Adelaide Hills, SA
Dark Horse Winery – L.A.S. Vino, Margaret River, WA
Best Value Winery – Deeps Woods Estate, Margaret River, WA
Wine of the Year – Best’s Wines Foudre Ferment Riesling 2021, Great Western – 96 points

2023 VARIETAL WINNERS

Sparkling White of the Year – Gilbert Family Wines Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay 2016 Orange
Sparkling Red of the Year – Teusner MC Sparkling Shiraz 2017 Barossa Valley
Sparkling Rosé of the Year – Pipers Brook Vineyard Kreglinger Brut Rosé 2017 Tasmania
Rosé of the Year – Spinifex Luxe 2021 Barossa
Sauvignon Blanc of the Year – Flowstone Wines Queen of the Earth Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Margaret River
Other Whites (and Blends) of the Year – Briar Ridge Vineyard Albariño 2021 Hunter Valley
Semillon of the Year – Brokenwood Sunshine Vineyard Semillon 2014 Hunter Valley
Riesling of the Year (two winners) – Henschke Julius Riesling 2021 Eden Valley, Best’s Wines Foudre Ferment Riesling 2021, Great Western
Chardonnay of the Year – Stella Bella Wines Luminosa Chardonnay 2020 Margaret River
Pinot Noir of the Year – Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir 2020 Tasmania
Grenache (and Blends) of the Year – Chalk Hill Alpha Crucis Old Vine Grenache 2020 McLaren Vale
Other Reds (and Blends) of the Year – Koomilya Cabernet Touriga 2018 McLaren Vale
Shiraz of the Year – Battles Wine Granitis Shiraz 2020 Perth Hills
Cabernet Shiraz of the Year – Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard The Peake Cabernet Shiraz 2020 McLaren Vale
Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year – Bleasdale Vineyards The Iron Duke Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Langhorne Creek
Cabernet Sauvignon (and Family) of the Year – Mount Mary Quintet 2020 Yarra Valley
Sweet Wine of the Year – Brown Brothers Patricia Noble Riesling 2019 Victoria
Fortified Wine of the Year – Seppeltsfield 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny 1922 Barossa Valley