Junovate has announced that the James Halliday Top 100 event on Wednesday 25 November will be held virtually for the first time.

In reassuring words, Halliday says that 2020 has not affected the quality of the wines submitted for tasting.

“Despite the misfortunes that have fallen on Australia’s winemakers over the past 12 months, let me reassure you that the 1055 wines submitted for this year’s Top 100 were extremely good,” said Halliday.

Wine lovers have an opportunity to be ‘virtually’ included in the conversation, as Halliday shares his insights about this year’s best wines from across Australia.

The event will explore the Top 100 wines (white, red, sparkling and Champagne) across vintages, varietals and price points, ensuring that there’s something for every taste and budget.

It will also give people a glimpse into some of Australia’s smaller, family-owned and run wineries that you may not see in major retailers.

Joining James to discuss this year’s best Australian wines is wine writer, Katie Spain.

“It’s been a tough year for the wine community but the resilience and camaraderie within the industry has been heart-warming,” she said.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to help James shine a light on some of the outstanding wine and brands out there – large and small.”

The event will include a Q&A where James will share his recommendations including what to drink over the festive season.

As well as the Top 100 virtual event, Junovate, through its initiative ‘The Cellar Door Challenge’, is introducing additional activity to connect people with wines they love, while supporting cellar doors across the country.

Halliday’s virtual wine assistant, Juno, has been trained to answer questions about the Top 100 wines by price, points, varietal, state and region. She’ll even read out James’ tasting note. Here are 50 questions you can ask Juno to get started.

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