Australia’s top drops are coming to Vintage Cellars
2021 Halliday Wine Awards celebrate the country’s best wines
6 August 2020
Vintage Cellars is the new home of Australia’s top wines with the prestigious Halliday Wine Companion award-winning wines including Wine of the Year now available to customers across the country both instore and online.
After more than 9,000 tastings, esteemed wine critic James Halliday AM and his expert team last night named the top Australian wines for 2021 with the best of the best hailing from regions far and wide, spanning from Western Australia to Tasmania.
The awards showcased the resilience and strength of the proud wine industry and were a welcomed celebration of Australian wine following a year when wineries across the country have been plagued with fire, drought and the devasting effects of coronavirus on the hospitality industry.
This year’s major awards went to Henschke in the Barossa Valley, Varney Wines in McLaren Vale, Brokenwood Graveyard in the Hunter Valley to Best’s Wines in Greater Western and Yarran Wines in the Riverina.
The accolade of Wine of the Year was awarded to Brokenwood’s 2018 Graveyard Shiraz receiving 99 points for its excellent colour, suppleness and perfect balance.
With 2018’s rare conditions producing the best wine since the “golden year” of 1965, there are just 500 cases of Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz produced with limited stock of the winning 2018 vintage now available at selected Vintage Cellars stores for $300 per bottle.
James Halliday said that after such a difficult year, with specific challenges for those in the wine community, there is more cause for celebration than ever.
“I am still optimistic about what lies ahead. There isn’t a winemaker worthy of the name who doesn’t step up to the plate with the ambition of producing better wines than they have achieved in prior vintages,” Mr Halliday said.
Vintage Cellars Business Category Manager Ed Scully said Vintage Cellars was proud to partner with Halliday Wine Companion to bring the award-winning wines to customers across Australia.
“We’re thrilled to work with industry legend James Halliday to bring the cream of the crop to Vintage Cellars. As Australia’s fine wine specialist, our partnership with Halliday Wine Companion allows us to make these award-winning wines accessible for customers seeking to add highly sought-after bottles to their personal collections,” Ed said.
The Awards acknowledge wines across a range of price points, such as Value Winery of the Year, Best’s Great Western, whose winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Bin 1 Shiraz are available at Vintage Cellars for just $25 per bottle.
The awards mark the release of the wine-enthusiast’s bible, the 2021 Halliday Wine Companion, available in all bookstores from today. The book is a comprehensive guide to Australia’s leading wines, wineries, grape growing regions and includes all award winners and over 4,000 tasting notes.
For more information about the 2021 Halliday Wine Companion Awards winners and wines, visit
https://www.vintagecellars.com.auOpens in new window
2021 Halliday Wine Companion Awards winners
Winery of the Year: Henschke, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Wine of the Year: Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, Hunter Valley, 2018 – 99 points
Winemaker of the Year: Brett Grocke of Eperosa Wines, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Value Winery of the Year: Best’s Wines, Great Western, Victoria
Best New Winery: Varney Wines, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Dark Horse Winery of the Year: Yarran Wines, Riverina, New South Wales
2021 VARIETAL WINNERS
Riesling – 2019 Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard Riesling – 98 points
Chardonnay – 2017 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay – 99 points
Semillon - 2014 Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon – 99 points
Sauvignon Blanc – 2018 Flowstone Queen of the Earth Sauvignon Blanc – 97 points
Other White Varieties and Blends – 2019 Stargazer Tupelo – 97 points
Sparkling – 2005 House of Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged – 99 points
Sweet – 2018 Lethbridge Botrytis Riesling TBA – 99 points
Rosé – 2019 Nocturne Carbunup SR Sangiovese Nebbiolo Rose – 96 points
Pinot Noir - 2017 Bannockburn Serré Pinot Noir – 99 points
Cabernet Sauvignon – 2016 Moss Wood Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon – 99 points
Cabernet Sauvignon and Family – 2018 Mount Mary Quinet – 99 points
Shiraz – 2018 Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz – 99 points *Also Winner of the Wine of The Year Award
Grenache and Blends – 2018 Brothers at War Single Vineyard Grenache – 99 points
Shiraz Viognier – 2019 Serrat Yarra Valley Shiraz Viognier – 98 points
For further information, please contact Coles Media Line (03) 9829 5250 or
media.relations@coles.com.au
