Australia’s 52 top wineries of 2024

More than 10,000 wines are tasted for The Real Review’s Top Wineries of Australia list, a compilation spanning nearly 400 wineries this year. Here, Good Weekend presents the best 52 from that list – plus 11 must-try drops, the biggest movers and the highest-rating regions.

1. Yarra Yering

LOCATION: Yarra Valley, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Elegant, fruit-driven cabernet and shiraz varietals and blends, pinot noir and chardonnay, but especially the cabernet-based Dry Red Wine No. 1.
HUON SAYS: The top wines this year were three 2021s, Carrodus Cabernet Sauvignon (a jaw-dropping 99-pointer), Dry Red Wine No. 1 and Dry Red Wine No. 2, and two 2022s: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Expensive? Yes, but exceptional, too.

2. Henschke

LOCATION: Eden Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Iconic Hill of Grace and Mt Edelstone single-vineyards shirazes, age-worthy rieslings and the full gamut of rich Barossa and Eden Valley red styles.
HUON SAYS: The sublime Hill of Grace 2018 topped the list for Henschke this year, followed by Julius Riesling 2023, Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2018, Tappa Pass Shiraz 2021 and Keyneton Euphonium 2020.

3. Wine By Farr

LOCATION: Geelong, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Single-vineyard pinot noirs and chardonnays from its own Moorabool Valley vineyards, also spicy shiraz and arguably Australia’s finest viognier.
HUON SAYS: The Shiraz 2021, Côte Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 and Côte Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 were stand-outs, with the 2022 Chardonnay and 2021 Tout Près Pinot Noir also in the mix.

4. Penfolds

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Australia’s most famous wine, Grange shiraz, which heads an eye-watering array of monumental red wines – mostly shirazes – but also immaculate chardonnays Yattarna and Reserve Bin.
HUON SAYS: There are so many great wines to choose from! The Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 169 2021 pushed Grange 2019 for the top spot, as did the multi-vintage chardonnay blend, Yattarna V. The RWT Barossa Shiraz 2021 and Yattarna 2021 also starred.

5. Oakridge Wines

LOCATION: Yarra Valley, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Superfine chardonnays, perfumed pinot noirs, elegant cabernet sauvignons and much more, all single-vineyard, with the 864 label topping the range.
HUON SAYS: Four 864 bottlings shone this year – the 864 Winery Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, 864 Funder & Diamond Drive Block Chardonnay 2021, 864 Henk Vineyard Aqueduct Block Pinot Noir 2022 and 864 Oakridge Vineyard Close-Planted Syrah 2021 – closely followed by the Original Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021.

6. Seppeltsfield

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Spellbindingly complex, ancient fortified wines with
100 Year Old Para Tawny at the pinnacle, but increasingly superb reds as well.
HUON SAYS: The 1924 100 Year Old Para Tawny topped the list, the Para Rare Tawny NV looks good value at $80, while the Westing and Northing shirazes from the 2021 vintage also impressed.

7. Bindi Wines

LOCATION: Macedon Ranges, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Highly detailed single-block pinot noirs and chardonnays, all grown on the Bindi vineyard, the blocks divided by aspect and soil type in a way that is straight out of Burgundy.
HUON SAYS: Kaye, Block 5 and Original Vineyard Pinot Noirs from the 2022 harvest were stunningly good, while the 2021 chardonnays, Quartz and Kostas Rind, also thrilled.

8. Cullen Wines

LOCATION: Margaret River, WA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Diana Madeline cabernet blend and Kevin John chardonnay, Vanya cabernet sauvignon and much more, all grown on estate vineyards that are totally committed to biodynamic management.
HUON SAYS: The heroic Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot 2022 was a stand-out, closely followed by Kevin John Legacy Series Flower Day Chardonnay 2022.

9. Hentley Farm

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Unapologetically big western Barossa reds from shiraz, grenache, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and more, with names like The Beauty, The Beast, Clos Otto, Von Kasper and The Creation.
HUON SAYS: Clos Otto and The Beast, both terrific 2021 shirazes, came out on top, but The Old Legend Grenache 2022 also wowed us, while the H-Block Shiraz Cabernet 2021 added another facet to the offering.

10. Tolpuddle Vineyard

LOCATION: Coal River Valley, Tas
BEST KNOWN FOR: Just two wines – chardonnay and pinot noir – but they are extraordinary. The pinot is a trailblazer for power with precision, the chardonnay gorgeously refined and layered.
HUON SAYS: Cousins Michael Hill Smith and Martin Shaw of Shaw + Smith have developed these single-vineyard wines in spectacular fashion since 2011, underlying the wisdom of buying this vineyard. The 2022s of both stole
our hearts.

11. Bass Phillip

LOCATION: Gippsland, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Australia’s most expensive pinot noir (the Reserve at $835), some say the country’s best, but the full range of pinot noirs and chardonnays are superb. Its gamay, gewürztraminer and nebbiolo also shine.

12. Tyrrell’s

LOCATION: Hunter Valley, NSW
BEST KNOWN FOR: A suite of single vineyard shirazes from the Hunter’s largest collection of centenarian vine plantings, comprising its “Sacred Sites”.

13. Giaconda

LOCATION: Beechworth, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: A statuesque, full-throttle, ultra-complex chardonnay that many rate as Australia’s best tends to hog the limelight from its shiraz and pinot noir, which are also superb.

14. Mount Pleasant

LOCATION: Hunter Valley, NSW
BEST KNOWN FOR: Outstanding single vineyard shirazes and semillons from some of the Hunter’s oldest and most revered vineyards.

15. Yalumba

LOCATION: Barossa & Eden Valleys, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Great Eden Valley rieslings, Barossa/Eden Valley shirazes and Coonawarra cabernets; a champion of cabernet-shiraz blends and viognier whites in both dry and sweet forms.

16. Levantine Hill

LOCATION: Yarra Valley, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Audaciously priced wines from a showpiece winery/cellar door/restaurant complex at Coldstream: chardonnay, pinot noir, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon are the specialties.

17. Brokenwood

LOCATION: Hunter Valley, NSW
BEST KNOWN FOR: Some of the region’s finest and most age-worthy semillons and shirazes, especially reserve labels ILR semillon and Graveyard Vineyard shiraz.

18. All Saints Estate

LOCATION: Rutherglen, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Spellbinding, old fortified wines, led by muscat and topaque/muscadelle under the Grand and Museum labels.

19. Eisenstone

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Shiraz and only shiraz, but what shiraz! Big, bold wines sourced from some of the northern and western Barossa’s most distinguished growers.

20. Rieslingfreak

LOCATION: Clare Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Riesling and only riesling, sourced from top growers
in the Clare and Eden Valleys and issued under an astonishing array of numbered labels: dry, off-dry, semi-sweet, sparkling and fortified, to delight lovers of the grape.

11 MUST-TRY WINES: HUON’S SELECTION

Most top wines these days are expensive. Our Winery of the Year, Yarra Yering, for instance, doesn’t produce much in the way of bargain bottles, but plenty of other top wineries do. Their icon wines might cost several hundred dollars a bottle, but further down the list you can find wonderful bargains. These are my personal picks for the top 11, with value-for-money being front of mind.

21. Hardys

LOCATION: McLaren Vale, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Iconic Thomas Hardy cabernet sauvignon and Eileen Hardy chardonnay and shiraz at the pointy end of pricing, but also the HRB (Heritage Reserve Bin) range of outstanding value varietals.

22. Wolf Blass

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Big, rich and long-living South Australian reds – mainly shiraz – from Barossa, Eden Valley, Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale vineyards.

23. Pooley Wines

LOCATION: Coal River Valley, Tas
BEST KNOWN FOR: Riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir – and these days even shiraz – sourced from the Pooley family’s own vineyards and vinified by Anna Pooley and husband Justin Bubb.

24. Wendouree

LOCATION: Clare Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Traditional full-bodied Clare reds from its own, very old vineyards, and made in its timeless stone winery: shiraz, malbec, mataro and cabernet sauvignon are consistently great.

25. Ten Minutes By Tractor

LOCATION: Mornington Peninsula, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Cool-climate, high-altitude chardonnays and pinot noirs from several estate-owned vineyards, recently capped by Trahere, the new super-reserve wines.

26. Wynns Coonawarra Estate

LOCATION: Coonawarra, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Cabernet sauvignon and shiraz under several labels,
topped by flagship blends John Riddoch cabernet and Michael shiraz, plus occasional single-vineyard specials and elegant, fruit-driven, V&A Lane reds.

27. Dandelion Vineyards

LOCATION: McLaren Vale, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Rugged, full-bodied shiraz, grenache, mataro and blended reds, but also very smart merlot and cabernet – the reds sourced from Barossa and Eden Valleys and McLaren Vale, with the whites from Adelaide Hills.

28. Hickinbotham

LOCATION: McLaren Vale, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Impressive single-vineyard reds of cabernet, shiraz, grenache and blends from a mature vineyard at Clarendon, in the highest part of the McLaren Vale region.

29. Torbreck

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Rugged, power-packed reds from old vines in the northern and western Barossa. The top wine is the $850 The Laird, but perhaps it’s most famous for its big boy reds RunRig and The Steading.

30. Mount Mary Vineyard

LOCATION: Yarra Valley, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: The super-elegant Quintet, a blend of all five red Bordeaux varieties – and one of Australia’s most collected reds – chardonnay, pinot noir and underrated sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle blend, Triolet.

31. The Lane Vineyard

LOCATION: Adelaide Hills, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Chardonnay, shiraz, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, gamay and sparkling wines, all of which are among the Hills’ most rapid, recent improvers.

32. De Salis Wines

LOCATION: Orange, NSW
BEST KNOWN FOR: Chardonnay, pinot noir, fumé blanc and a suite of idiosyncratic and expensive sparkling wines, which undergo long ageing
on the lees.

33. Serrat

LOCATION: Yarra Valley, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Elegant, spicy shiraz viognier, scented pinot noir, refined chardonnay and grenache, all produced from the close-planted family vineyard, near Yarra Glen, of Yabby Lake chief winemaker Tom Carson and his wife Nadège.

34. Yering Station

LOCATION: Yarra Valley, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: The Rathbone family’s main gig produces a full range of wines, focusing on chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and their mellow, long-matured Yarrabank sparkling wine.

35. Yangarra Estate

LOCATION: McLaren Vale, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Rhône varietals of great distinction, especially grenache, shiraz, mourvèdre, red and white blends and preservative-free versions. But it’s especially known for the most expensive grenache in Australia: High Sands ($325).

36. D’Arenberg

LOCATION: McLaren Vale, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: A mind-numbing profusion of labels with many eccentric flourishes, focused on Rhône and Mediterranean varieties, especially shiraz, grenache, mataro and GSM blends, the most noted being The Dead Arm, The Ironstone Pressings and rare, special Scarce Earth bottlings.

37. Polperro

LOCATION: Mornington Peninsula, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: A dazzling line-up of single-vineyard pinot noirs from elevated Red Hill sites, as well as rich chardonnay and pinot gris; Mill Hill and Talland Hill pinots are the highlights.

38. Langmeil Winery

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: An extraordinary line-up of reds, covering a wide range of price points, specialising in shirazes from old vines in Barossa and Eden Valleys, climaxing with The Freedom 1843, from the Barossa’s oldest
shiraz vineyard.

39. Shaw + Smith

LOCATION: Adelaide Hills, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Increasingly impressive Lenswood Vineyard pinot noir and chardonnay, sumptuously spicy Balhannah Vineyard shiraz, and arguably Australia’s most consistent and loved sauvignon blanc.

40. John Duval Wines

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Classic Barossa full-bodied reds, playing to the regional strengths of shiraz, grenache, mataro and blends thereof, while the flagship, Integro, is a magnificent cabernet shiraz.

41. Grosset

LOCATION: Clare Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Riesling, under three main labels – Polish Hill, Springvale and Alea – but also the stunning cabernet blend Gaia, and polished Adelaide Hills chardonnay and pinot noir.

42. Pfeiffer Wines

LOCATION: Rutherglen, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Fortified wines, which are the key to this winery’s standing, as we might expect in this region (muscat, topaque, tawny and various styles of apera), with the Grand and Rare bottlings of muscat and topaque wowing our tastebuds.

43. A. Rodda Wines

LOCATION: Beechworth, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Ultra-refined chardonnays from several regions, especially those from the Smith’s Vineyard, the oldest plantings in Beechworth, while Adrian Rodda’s cabernet blends, under the Tête de Cuvée and Cuvée de Chez labels, are well worth hunting down.

44. Pepper Tree Wines

LOCATION: Hunter Valley, NSW
BEST KNOWN FOR: An impressive range, covering many varieties and several regions (Hunter, Orange, Coonawarra and Wrattonbully). The PJP Cabernet Sauvignon, Coquun Shiraz and Alluvius Semillon are especially impressive.

45. Seppelt

LOCATION: Western Victoria, Vic
BEST KNOWN FOR: Two of the greatest of Great Western shirazes (St. Peters Shiraz and Show Reserve Sparkling Shiraz) are simply outstanding, while riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier from the chilly Drumborg vineyard in the Henty region also excite.

46. Moss Wood

LOCATION: Margaret River, WA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Cabernet sauvignon, which is the clear stand-out at this legendary vineyard, while chardonnay and pinot noir have their moments, and cabernet sauvignon and merlot from the Ribbon Vale Vineyard increasingly impress. But the new excitement is the lovely barrel-fermented Elsa sauvignon blanc.

47. Stargazer

LOCATION: Coal River Valley, Tas
BEST KNOWN FOR: Superb rieslings, tensioned chardonnays and delicate, ethereal pinot noirs from Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, crafted by the
talented and widely experienced Samantha Connew.

48. Rockford

LOCATION: Barossa Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Basket Press Shiraz and sparkling Black Shiraz are institutions, but the Eden Valley and Vine Vale rieslings, the Dry Country Grenache, Rod & Spur Shiraz Cabernet and Moppa Springs GSM blend, delight us regularly.

49. S. C. Pannell

LOCATION: McLaren Vale, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: An expanding and ever-amazing range of grenache and shiraz, but nebbiolo, aglianico, delicious Arido rosé and inventive tempranillo touriga are also all demonstrations of the creative talent that is Stephen Pannell.

50. Jim Barry Wines

LOCATION: Clare Valley, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: A vast array of labels, including uncountable rieslings – all superb – full-bodied reds leaning mostly on shiraz and cabernet, Australia’s only assyrtiko, and all majestically crowned by The Armagh shiraz.

51. Bekkers Wines

LOCATION: McLaren Vale, SA
BEST KNOWN FOR: Just four wines: grenache, syrah, a syrah grenache blend and the new Clarendon Syrah, debuting at $300 a bottle from the 2021 vintage: nothing is cheap here but everything is appropriately deluxe drinking.

52. Chatto Wines

LOCATION: Huon Valley, Tas
BEST KNOWN FOR: Pinot noir, Jim Chatto’s obsession. The Isle bottling from his family’s vines is the flagship, but every vintage there’s a choice of pinots sourced from various subregions and vineyards – all Tasmanian.

THIS YEAR’S TOP 10 MOVERS

Every year, several wineries move up the list. This could be due to an outstanding vintage, a change of personnel or ownership resulting in improved quality, or simply that we’ve tasted wines we haven’t seen before. Ten Minutes By Tractor (25th), Serrat (33) and De Salis (32) all missed out previously because they hadn’t consistently submitted tasting samples. D’Arenberg leapt from 267th place on The Real Review’s larger list to 36 this year because while we’d tasted some of its wines, we hadn’t seen its best for a while.

1. Yalumba
Up to 15 from 42. The Caley 2018 scored 99 points: it is a sublime wine and in our opinion the best vintage yet of this flagship Coonawarra cabernet/Barossa shiraz blend. Octavius 2018, Signature 2019, Virgilius 2021 and Menzies 2018 all helped boost the score.

2. Dandelion Vineyards
Up to 27 from 169. Red Queen of the Eden Valley Shiraz 2021 is a great wine that fully supports its $300 price. This, and Faraway Tree McLaren Vale Grenache 2022, Firehawk Of the McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021 and Moonrise Kingdom McLaren Vale Shiraz Grenache Petite Sirah 2022, were the wines that impressed the most, while Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling 2023 was close behind.

3. Hickinbotham
Up to 28 from 166. These wines have been superlative since they first appeared but the addition last year of two cellar-aged releases, 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon CC208 and 2014 Shiraz CS222, boosted their stocks. As well, flagship The Peake Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz peaked out at 97 points, equalling its best performance. And 2021 was a top year for Brooks Road Shiraz and The Nest Cabernet Franc.

4. The Lane
Up to 31 from 77. There’s been a noticeable lift in the quality of these wines in recent years, thanks in part to youthful winemaker Turon White, who recently departed to do his own thing (his label is Turon, also Adelaide Hills). The top wines, Heritage, seem fresher and more fruit-driven, while the Provenance cabernet franc, gamay, syrah and tempranillo have all excited us.

5. Pfeiffer
Up to 42 from 148. The big scorers for Pfeiffer are their Rare and Grand muscats, topaques and Rare Tawny, while the 2018 vintage of Christopher’s VP is one of the best we’ve seen of this line. Like the tawny, it’s fashioned from Portuguese varieties.

6. Mount Mary Vineyard
Up to 30 from 65. The 2021 Quintet is a sublime wine, and headed the list for Mount Mary. We had not tasted all of the 2021s in time for this year’s Top Wineries, but the excitement from the 2020 chardonnay, 2020 Triolet and 2020 pinot noir lingers, while a new wine we reviewed this year, the 2017 Réflexion Fumé Blanc, also thrilled our palates.

7. A. Rodda
Up to 43 from 66. The single-block 2021 chardonnay from the Triangle Block of the Smith’s Vineyard in Beechworth joined the regular Smith’s wine (2022) this year, more proof that Adrian Rodda makes some of the finest chardonnays in Australia. This year, a 2022 Baxendale Vineyard Whitlands bottling joined the party.

8. S. C. Pannell
Up to 49 from 104. The 2021 Merrivale Shiraz, from old vines just outside the cellar door, topped the list this year and is a bargain at $45. Old McDonald Grenache 2021 and Smart Grenache 2021 are top vintages of regular performers, while the Tempranillo Touriga 2021 also wowed us – a $35 wine that scored 95 points.

9. Yering Station
Up to 34 from 97. Yering Station Reserve Shiraz Viognier was one of the first such blends to make a splash, and the 2021 vintage maintains the excitement. Reserve Chardonnay, Reserve Pinot Noir and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – all 2021s – help explain this winery’s surging stocks.

10. Stargazer
Up to 47 from 114. Winemaker Sam Connew goes from strength to strength. Her Palisander Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 was a stand-out this year, described as “an effortlessly powerful wine that intrigues and beguiles”. The 2022 chardonnay and 2023 riesling also shone.

TASTE THE TOP WINERIES: SPECIAL OFFER FOR GOOD WEEKEND READERS

The Real Review is holding a series of tasting events, masterclasses and dinners to celebrate the Top Wineries of Australia 2024, featuring more than 40 of the top wineries.

• Melbourne: Tasting and Masterclass (June 29) at Ormond Hall, The Commons; Dinner (July 2, Huon Hooke in conversation with Good Weekend senior writer Konrad Marshall) at Matilda, South Yarra.
• Sydney: Tasting and Masterclass (July 6) at Ovolo Woolloomooloo; Dinner (July 9, Huon Hooke in conversation with Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland) at Poetica Bar & Grill, North Sydney.

Good Weekend readers who purchase tickets before May 31 will go into a draw to win a six-pack of wines (valued at over $500) including from Winery of the Year, Yarra Yering.

Visit The Real Review for its full list of nearly 350 top wineries of 2024.

To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.