Where to find star Tasmanian wines when visiting

Planning to visit Tasmania and wanting to know where to find interesting local wines on restaurant lists?

The judges for the 2025 Tasmanian Wine List of The Year award have done some work for you - this week naming the finalists in the state wide competition.

A record 16 venues from around the island have been selected as finalists in the 2025 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards.

The program recognises local venues going the extra mile to champion the island’s home-grown wine.

Finalists have been chosen from an exceptional field of nominated venues based on the diversity and representation of Tasmanian wine on offer as well as the quality of wine service and local knowledge.

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies congratulated the 2025 finalist venues:

“The quality of this year's award entrants has been incredibly high and it's great to see a number of new venues being deservedly recognised as finalists this year," she said.

"The ever-increasing efforts our hospitality venues are making to highlight, promote and support Tasmanian wines is very valuable for both our local wine producers and visitors to these venues."

"The Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards were instigated to encourage and recognise venues of all locations, styles and sizes who are our local wine champions, and the award categories allow for diverse offerings to be individually and equitably assessed.

"This year's finalists represent a wide range of some of Tassie's most well-known fine dining institutions alongside casual and specialised experiences, not just in our major cities but all the way from the Huon Valley to the East Coast, Cradle Mountain and Stanley in the North West."

The announcement also marks the commencement of the People’s Choice voting campaign, which invites Tasmanian wine lovers to visit and vote for their favourite finalist venue.

Among the awards under consideration by the judging panel include Best Hobart / Launceston Wine List, Best Regional Wine List and Best Small Wine Bar List, as well as the overall champion Tasmanian Wine List of the Year.

Public voting in the People’s Choice Wine List of the Year closes on Sunday, November 2, and votes can be submitted at winetasmania.com.au/vote. The winners of each 2025 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year Award category will be announced on November 5.

The following eateries (listed in alphabetical order) have been selected as finalists:

# Black Cow Bistro, 70 George Street, Launceston TAS 7250, blackcowbistro.com.au
# Driftwood Restaurant, 13 North Terrace, Lauderdale TAS 7021, driftwoodrestaurant.com.au
# Grain of the Silos, 89 Lindsay Street, Invermay TAS 7248, grainofthesilos.com.au
# Harvest and Light, 6 Church St, Geeveston TAS 7116, harvestandlight.com.au
# Hellyers Restaurant at Discovery Resorts Cradle Mountain, 3816 Cradle Mountain Road, Cradle Mountain TAS 7306, discoveryholidayparks.com.au/resorts/cradle-mountain/dining
# Lost Captain Restaurant & Taphouse, 2-4 Short St, Huonville TAS 7109, lostcaptain.com.au
# Mures Upper Deck, Victoria Dock, Davey Street, Hobart TAS 7000, mures.com.au/upper-deck
# Peppina, 2b Salamanca Place, Hobart TAS 7000, peppinarestaurant.com
# Piermont, 12990 Tasman Hwy, Swansea TAS 7190, piermont.com.au/restaurant/
# Stanley Wine Bar, 2 Church Street, Stanley TAS 7331, stanleywinebar.com.au
# Stillwater, 2 Bridge Rd, Launceston TAS 7250, stillwater.net.au
# The Branch Swansea, 7 Maria St, Swansea TAS 7190, thebranchswansea.com.au
# The Old Bank of Geeveston, 13 Church Street, Geeveston TAS 7116, theoldbankofgeeveston.com.au
# The Whaler, Salamanca Pl, Battery Point TAS 7004, thewhaler.com.au
# Urban Greek, 103 Murray St, Hobart TAS 7000, urbangreek.com.au
# WunderBar & Restaurant, 45 Goulburn St, Hobart TAS 7000, www.wunderbar.au

# Disclosure: The writer was a judge for these awards until standing down this year.

Brokenwood and Willcock honoured

Hunter Valley standout Brokenwood (above) and Virginia Willcock from Vasse Felix were the big winners this week when Halliday Wine Companion officially announced its award winners for the year.

Celebrating the best in Australian wine, the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards recognise the nation’s top wines, winemakers and viticulturists.  

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. 

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 MW.

The Awards also mark the release of the wine-enthusiast’s bible, the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion, which is available in stores nationally from Thursday August 21, and online at winecompanion.com.au.

The winners:

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

Grenache of the Year | Red Wine of the Year | Wine of the Year – Thistledown Wines This Charming Man Single Vineyard,

Clarendon Grenache 2024, McLaren Vale – 98 points

Chardonnay of the Year | White Wine of the Year – Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2023, Margaret River – 99 points

Shiraz of the Year – Koomilya JC Block Shiraz 2022, McLaren Vale – 99 points

Sparkling Wine of the Year – Stefano Lubiana Prestige 2011, Tasmania – 98 points

Riesling of the Year – Leo Buring DWB17 Leonay Riesling 2024, Eden Valley – 98 points

Semillon of the Year – First Creek Wines Museum Release Oakey Creek Vineyard Semillon 2017, Hunter Valley – 98 points

Sauvignon Blanc of the Year – Weaver Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Adelaide Hills – 97 points

Pinot Gris/Grigio of the Year – Tar & Roses Pinot Grigio 2024, Central Victoria Zone – 96 points

Other Whites & Blends of the Year – tripe.Iscariot Kroos Chenin Blanc 2023, Margaret River – 98 points

Rosé of the Year – Sutton Grange Winery Fairbank Rosé 2024, Central Victoria Zone – 96 points

Pinot Noir of the Year – Mount Mary Pinot Noir 2023, Yarra Valley – 98 points

Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year – Devil's Lair Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Margaret River – 98 points

Cabernet & Blends of the Year – Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1 2023, Yarra Valley – 99 points

Other Reds & Blends of the Year – Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 8 Winemaker's Selection Shiraz Cabernet 2023, Hunter Valley – 98 points

Sweet Wine of the Year – Calabria Family Wines 3 Bridges Botrytis Semillon 2024, Riverina – 96 points

Fortified Wine of the Year – All Saints Estate Museum Muscadelle NV, Rutherglen – 100 points

Wildcard of the Year – Lethbridge Wines Yellow NV, Geelong – 96 points

So you’d like to drink Tassie wine. In Tasmania

So you are in Tasmania? You want to eat out and enhance your meal with some Tassie wine.

There are wines from big-name wineries that appear on lists throughout the state.

But you’d like to sample fairly priced wines from some smaller producers, many of whose wines do not make it to the mainland.

The Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards, announced last night, offer a good guide to where wine lovers might find some rewarding choices

Tasmanian Wine List of the Year award recipients:
Hobart/Launceston + Overall Tasmanian Wine List of the Year: Black Cow Bistro
Best Small Bar Wine List: Stanley Wine Bar
Best Regional Wine List: The Old Bank of Geeveston
Peoples' Choice Tasmanian Wine List of the Year: Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village
Highly Commended: The Agrarian Kitchen, T42 Hobart, Grain of the Silos.

I was one of the judges for these awards, although a swag of biometrics and algorithms also hold sway.

I thought the list submitted by Aloft, in Hobart, was a very strong contender, but somehow it did not even merit a highly commended. I also liked the Peppina list, particularly, and Mudbar, much more than my bot mates.

That said, the winning list from Black Cow Bistro in Launceston is excellent and a worthy recipient.

Wine Tasmania also released the new 2025 edition of its Tasmanian Wine Trails publication at the Tassie Wine Stars event. 

This brochure, concierge map and accompanying online directory serves as the go-to guide for visiting Tasmania’s cellar doors across four parts of the state - the North-West, Tamar Valley, East Coast and Southern Wine Trails respectively.

With Tourism Tasmania this week launching a new campaign encouraging locals to get out and explore closer to home this summer, Wine Tasmania is encouraging locals and visitors alike to put the Tasmanian Wine List of the Year venues and experiences showcased in the 2025 Tasmanian Wine Trails publication on the bucket list.

"We Tasmanians are spoiled for choice when it comes to extraordinary local wine and food experiences. The word is definitely out, with 23% of all visitors to Tassie in the year to June 2024 calling into a cellar door during their stay, staying longer in our regional areas and spending more than other visitor segments,” Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies said.

See winetasmania.com.au

A chance to sample some of Australia's best wines

Coravin, a leader in wine preservation business, is teaming up with Halliday Wine Companion, the definitive guide to Australian wine, to showcase some of the country's top drops in September.

The collaboration will see wine lovers able to taste their way through sparkling wines, riesling, pinot noir, and grenache, from the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards at venues that use the Coravin system.

The tour will be gracing venues across Sydney, Victoria, and Adelaide, for the month of September: Fix Wine Bar & Restaurant in Sydney, Archive Wine Bar in Geelong and 2KW Bar & Restaurant in Adelaide.

The Coravin World Wine Tour special-edition wine list includes Halliday’s recently awarded ‘Wine of the Year: Oakridge 864 Drive Block Funder & Diamond Vineyard Chardonnay 2022.

Patrons will be able to enjoy the winning wines in either full-sized glasses or sample-sized tasting pours.

“When Halliday unveils its top wines, the wine world listens," says Coravin founder Greg Lambert.

"It’s notoriously difficult to get your hands on these truly exceptional wines once they have been announced as winners.

"It's long been our aim to make the world of fine wine more accessible by the glass, so we’ve partnered with Halliday for our second-ever Coravin World Wine Tour in Australia to give wine fans the opportunity to taste the country's top wines without hassle, commitment, or the price tag, of purchasing them by the bottle.”

Coravin devises are used by wine professionals to preserve their wine’s freshness for weeks or even months.

The Coravin World Wine Tour is running in five countries over September, including the United States, United Kingdom.

For more details visit www.coravin.com.au/pages/coravin-world-wine-tour

Tetsuya snares a new Michelin star

Influential Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda has earned another Michelin star just six months after opening a new restaurant.

Sagetsu by Tetsuya was this month awarded a star in the third edition of the annual Michelin Guide Dubai.

The restaurant only opened in February but was listed among four two-star and 15 one-star restaurants in Dubai.

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said: “Dubai is now truly recognised as an international gastronomic destination and its impressive development continues year on year. Its appeal isn’t just with international travellers or local gourmets; talented chefs and restaurateurs from around the world are now also attracted by its vibrant dining scene and arrive keen to make their own mark in the city."

Tetsyua's in Sydney, an icon over almost four decades, will close its door on July 31 but the Japanese-born chef still runs eateries in Singapore and Dubai. He also operates Wakuda restaurant at The Venetian resort in Las Vegas. 

The award came just weeks after Japanese restaurant Waku Ghin, helmed by Wakuda in Singapore, dropped to the one-star tier after holding two stars for several years.

Sagetsu by Tetsuya, part of the One&Only One Za'abeel complex, earned praise from the Michelin inspectors.

"In a place where the moon and sand meet, as the name suggests, chef Tetsuya Wakuda's cuisine brings together Japanese precision and French techniques," the guide says.

"The tasting menu clearly conveys the essence of the dishes, highlighting balanced flavours made with few ingredients.

"The signature dishes, such as a sea urchin with Bohan shrimp, are complemented by the restaurant’s remarkable sake selection. An omakase experience is recommended to step into the mind of the chef. The décor is minimal and chic as it uses a lot of stone and wood, helping to create a serene Japanese atmosphere, with views of Dubai’s urban skyline."

Sagetsu by Tetsuya is located on a 120-metre cantilever between two high-rise towers.

Discover some Barossa wine gems - and then linger longer

Schubert Estate makes wines of power and precision, but tends to fly under the radar compared to some its higher-profile Barossa neighbours.

I've been working my way through some impressive wine releases and added their new tasting room to my "to do" list for my next visit.

The pioneering Schubert family planted vineyards along Roennfeldt Road in the Barossa in 1915, selling grapes to many neighbour wine producers.

In 2000, a small parcel was retained, yielding a single barrel of wine carrying the Schubert Estate name and the image of a goose - which the family chose as a symbol of courage, strength, and adventure.

Almost a quarter of a century on, winemaker Matt Reynolds produces artisan wines of style and substance.

The winery recently took out a Double Gold/ Diamond Trophy award at the Sakura Japan’s Women’s Wine Awards. 

For visitors, Schubert Estate "recently opened a magnificent new wine room and three-bedroom luxe residence", reports wine business consultant Howard Duncan.

The Wine Room (below) is open Monday-Friday11am-4pm and at weekends by appointment. The structured tastings include a complimentary sample platter and last for around 45 minutes.

Wines are also served by the glass and bottle, and can be paired with a gourmet platter.

For those wanting to stay awhile, the recently unveiled Residence, a classic old homestead, is set among he vineyards and gardens and offers premium self-contained accommodation for up to six people.

There are three double bedrooms, two with en suite bathrooms, and a fully equipped kitchen.

See https://schubertestate.com/pages/the-residence

Grain of truth: Best Tasmanian wine list unveiled

 

Are you visiting Tasmania and keen to check out wine lists that offer a compelling range of wines from the island state?

The 2023 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards were announced today, with the highest accolade, the Judges' Choice award, going to Launceston’s Grain of the Silos in the Peppers Silos Hotel.

Peppina in Hobart, which has arguably the best overall list in the state, and Mures Upper Deck were highly commended.

The best regional wine list was awarded to Kermandie Hotel, while Stanley Wine Bar received awards for both best small wine bar list and the people’s choice wine list.

Other highly commended lists included Launceston’s Little V and regional entrant The Imbibers, located at Oatlands.

Unlike other award programs, the Tasmanian Wine List of the Year has a hyper-local focus and seeks to identify those venues that go the extra mile in championing the island’s wines and produce.

Previous winner Stillwater in Launceston, with another outstanding list, did not enter this year.

“The depth and quality of the local wine offering from all finalist venues was a step up this year, reflecting the growing sophistication of the island as a wine and food destination," said Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies.

"Not only did we see an increase in new and geographically-dispersed entrants, their wine lists featured a much greater range of wine producers, locations, varieties and vintages than previously seen. We commend and thank all of our finalist venues for the excellent role they play in promoting the island's wines to locals and visitors alike."

2023 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year award winners:

# Judges’ Choice Best Wine List – Grain of the Silos (highly commended: Mures Upper Deck & Peppina)
# Judges’ Choice Best Small Wine Bar List – Stanley Wine Bar (highly commended: Little V)
# Judges’ Choice Best Regional Wine List – Kermandie Hotel (highly commended: The Imbibers)
# People’s Choice Best Wine List – Stanley Wine Bar

# The writer was a member of the judging panel

Emerging hospitality leaders awarded Tranche scholarships

With the hospitality industry in Australia suffering from a severe shortage of talent, the Hill-Smith family's Tranche Scholarship recognises some of the brightest and best in the industry. 

Lily Lapper, restaurant manager of Merivale’s Sydney venue Mr Wong and Sam Bray, head chef at Manky Sally’s, the Hobart taphouse of Moo Brew, were this week named the winners of the scholarships. 

Over 130 applications were received from many sectors of the wine and hospitality industries, with seven finalists interviewed. 

The Tranche panel was so impressed by the calibre of finalists, it was decided to award two scholarships.

Tranche, the brainchild of Michael Hill-Smith MW and his daughter Mathilda, said in a statement: "Both Lily and Sam had a clear understanding of their future and the future of the hospitality industry. 

"Both winners had a focused plan for how they would use the Tranche funds - who they wanted to visit and why, and how it would be of benefit to the industry."

Lapper (right) was previously restaurant manager at two-hatted Laura on the Mornington Peninsula and has also worked at the Carlton Wine Room. 

Her scholarship-funded trip will focus on further developing her leadership skills, visiting businesses that have a strong reputation for prioritising their team's wellbeing and hospitality tenure, while maintaining a profitable business.

Regular readers of Gourmet on the Road will be familiar with Bray (below), who has staged at world-renowned Noma, and worked in some high-profile kitchens before putting down roots in Tasmania. 

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After originally working at MONA, he now head chef at Manky Sally’s in Hobart, which is on a path to becoming a zero-waste kitchen. 

Bray recently undertook the WSET Level 2 as well as an applied science certificate at the University of Tasmania to build his knowledge on fermentation to upcycle by-products from the hospitality, wine and brewing industries. 

He plans to visit pioneering zero waste and sustainably-minded restaurants and volunteer at not-for-profit ‘Food for Soul’ founded by Massimo Bottura.

“Lily and Sam are impressive and inspiring," says Tranche chair Michael Hill-Smith. 

"Both these emerging leaders have a keen sense of how they can improve the status quo in terms of work conditions and sustainability within the restaurant sector.”

The annual scholarship of $15,000 is awarded to emerging leaders in the Australian wine and hospitality industries to enable them to expand their horizons.

Honours pile-up for Hobart hotel

It has been quite a fortnight for The Tasman, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart, with the luxury hotel collecting a swag of honours.

Adding to its recent string of accolades, the hotel was named Metro Accommodation of the Year at the Tasmanian Hospitality Awards for Excellence.

The Tasman also achieved two silver awards for Best Deluxe Accommodation and Best Bar Experience at hotel bar Mary Mary.

Signature restaurant Peppina, meanwhile, collected gold awards for Best Restaurant in a Hotel or Accomodation Venue and Wine List Of The Year for the best list in the state,

The Tasmanian Hospitality Awards for Excellence celebrate and acknowledge outstanding achievements within the state’s hospitality industry.

These wins followed hot on the heels of The Tasman’s recognition in Condé Nast Traveler 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards, where The Tasman was voted Tasmania’s best hotel and recognised as one of the top 10 hotels in Australia and New Zealand by the global luxury travel bible.

Earlier this year, Peppina, helmed by star chef Massimo Mele, also took out the top honour for Tasmania in the annual Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards.

Just a few days ago, Peppina was recognised as having Australia’s best listing of Tasmanian wines, and the best wine list in the state, at the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards - recognition for the work of sommelier Michael Fisher (image, top).

“In just two weeks our team has enjoyed enormous success at some of the most prestigious awards in our industry," said The Tasman general manager Stephen Morahan.

"It is such an honour to be recognised for our quality offering at The Tasman, which has become a true standout for the region.

”I congratulate our talented head sommelier Michael Fisher and our team at Peppina for their dedication and passion in crafting an outstanding wine list that is leading the way in Tasmanian hospitality."

Regular readers will know that I am quite cynical about many of these rewards, but it is quite a run of success for the 152-room hotel (above) that only opened in December 2021. 

It is the first Luxury Collection by Marriott International property in Australia and is located at Parliament Square overlooking Hobart waterfront,

For more information visit www.thetasmanhobart.com and www.peppinarestaurant.com/

 

Global recognition for Brisbane hotel

 A boutique Brisbane hotel has upstaged properties in Sydney and Melbourne and been named No.12 in a list of The World’s Best 50 Hotels 

The Calile Hotel was also named best in Oceania in the inaugural The World’s 50 Best Hotels awards announced in London today. 

 

The invitation-only event, attended by representatives from the 50 nominated hotels, was held in the historic Guildhall. 

In attendance for the ceremony, The Calile Hotel co-owner Catherine Malouf said she was extremely proud to be representing the Malouf family (owners) and employees from The Calile at such a significant celebration.

 

"This is a win for our team, our collaborators, our loyal guests and a win for Brisbane as a destination, and we are humbled to represent the Australian hotel industry on the world stage,” she said. 

 

"There is no doubt The Calile Hotel has carved a name for itself and sparked a trend in ‘urban resorts’ with its bold architectural commitment, sustainable practises and by embracing its local and sub-tropic climate within an urban setting." 

 

There are, of course, several of these lists, but it is nonetheless noteworthy recognition. 

 

 Speaking at the opening of the awards event, the managing director of World’s 50 Best Group Tim Brooke-Webb said: “The 50 Best Hotels has redefined hospitality - setting new standards and pushing boundaries to create unique moments for your guests.” 

So plenty of hype there. 

 

Hotel general manager Rob Unson said: “Being named 12 in the world was a fitting fifth birthday present for the 175-room boutique hotel and a great win for Australian tourism.

 

"It takes an outstanding team to deliver outstanding guest experiences, and I want to take a moment to thank the hotel team – from our housekeepers to our pool attendants, maintenance and kitchen teams and our front of house guest service attendants –who go above and beyond to welcome our guests back through the arches time and time again.”

 

Voting criteria was based on selecting seven best hotel experiences during the voting period. Voters were asked to consider every element of the hotel’s operation from first contact point, to room comfort, quality of food and beverage, on-site facilities and check out. 

Why so many awards are a crock of poo

I was once on the judging panel of a major regional tourism award.

The entrants all had compiled highly impressive declarations of their worthiness.

The only problem was that I knew from my own experience - of actually visiting these applicants - that some of those entries were bunkum.

But the panel chair said firmly that "personal experience should not come into it". We had to judge solely on the applications in front of us. Even if we knew they were dishonest.

I stood down from that panel asap.

My point is that there are so many awards nowadays that it seems just about everyone can win a prize if they are smart enough to pay a professional to craft their nomination.

Two press releases crossed my deck this week that raised my hackles.

One was about top tourism towns.

One of the big winners was a town that is surrounded by ugliness and has very little, in my eyes, to commend it.

The win will probably boost regional tourism and garner some headlines. But I fear a lot of visitors will be disappointed with what they find.

The next press release told me that the state of Victoria has been nominated as a finalist for the 2023 Wine Region of the Year at the 24th annual Wine Star Awards.

Now Victoria produces some very fine wines. But it is not a wine region. It is a state.

In fact, the press release pointed out that Victoria "is recognised as having a diverse range of climates and winemaking styles across its 21 regions".

Victoria is the same size or bigger than many entire European countries, so the judges are being asked to compare apples with onions. It is 370km from the Mornington to Rutherglen for heaven's sake. That's some region. 

  
The other nominees for 2023 Wine Enthusiast Region of the Year are Lambrusco in Italy; Provence in France; Charlottesville in Virginia in the US; and Swartland in South Africa. 

All of which actually are wine regions. 

If a Victorian region were competing against them it should be the Yarra Valley, the Mornington Peninsula. Heathcote or Rutherglen. Not the whole flipping state. 

Swartland, for instance, covers 3,707 square kilometres, while Victoria, around the same size as the British Isles, is 227,600 square kilometres.

If Victoria as a whole is a contender the it should be up against the likes of the Western Cape, Oregon, Umbria etc. 

So when you read about some great wine or travel triumph in your local media, be sceptical, and take a look at the judging parameters. 

All may not be as it seems.

Calling hospitality businesses in Tasmania

Hospitality venues in Tasmania are being encouraged to support the local wine industry and enter the 2023 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year Program.

Now in its sixth year, the Wine List of the Year program was initiated to recognise the contribution by the island’s restaurants, bars, cafes, pubs and wine retailers in promoting local wines and their producers.

"While our island’s wine is overwhelmingly supported by locals, wine is deeply intertwined with the visitor experience too," said Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies.

"During the 12 months to March 2023, 24% of all visitors to Tasmania called into a cellar door during their stay, reflecting the importance of our wine to the overall visitor offering."

Submissions for the 2023 awards program are now open, with the key requirement being that venues stock and promote local Tasmanian wine as a part of their overall offering.

Four key award categories recognise venues in Launceston, Hobart and regional areas, in addition to a category focused on small but high-quality wine lists.

The overall Judges’ Choice award is then chosen from these four winners, while the People’s Choice award will invite the public to vote for their favourite venue from a list of finalists.

"Through the Wine List of the Year program, Wine Tasmania seeks to celebrate those venues that go the extra mile to share what it is that makes Tassie and its wine so awesome," said Davies.

"Our many small Tasmanian wine producers value the support of their friends in local hospitality and retail businesses and we look forward to promoting the finalists and award winners in 2023."

The overall winner will also gain direct free entry into the Australia-wide Wine List of the Year awards.

Tasmanian on-premise and off-premise licensed venues - regardless of size - are encouraged to nominate at winetasmania.com.au/wloty2023 by October 2, 2023.

Finalists will be announced and the People’s Choice voting campaign will commence from October 9, with the winners scheduled to be announced on November 13.

# The writer is a member of the judging panel for these awards.

All the Halliday Wine Companion award winners

If you want to sell wine by the bucketload there is one easy solution: take out one of the major awards at the Halliday Wine Companion awards. 

That's why wineries from Bleasdale in Langhorne Creek to Oakridge in the Yarra Valley are this morning expecting to be inundated with orders.

The 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Awards were announced last night and the book is on sale now. 

This year’s honourees and Award winners were presented by the Halliday Tasting Team, chief editor Campbell Mattinson, founder James Halliday AM, as well as judges Dave Brookes, Jane Faulkner, Jeni Port, Philip Rich and Shanteh Wale.

The book is a comprehensive guide to Australia’s leading wines, wineries, and grape growing regions, including all award winners and tasting notes. RRP $45.

JAMES HALLIDAY HALL OF FAME

James Halliday Hall of Fame: Wine – Seppeltsfield 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny 1923, Barossa Valley, SA (100 points)

James Halliday Hall of Fame: Wine Industry – Prue Henschke of Henschke Wines, Keyneton, SA

2024 MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

Winery of the Year – Bleasdale Vineyards, Langhorne Creek, SA

Winemaker of the Year – Kate Goodman, Penley Estate, Coonawarra, SA

Viticulturist of the Year – Mark Walpole, Fighting Gully Road, Beechworth, VIC

Best New Winery – Joshua Cooper Wines, Victoria

Dark Horse – Anderson & Marsh, Alpine Valleys, VIC

Best Value Winery – Oakridge Wines, Yarra Valley, VIC

Wine of the Year – Yangarra Estate Vineyard Old Vine Grenache 2021, McLaren Vale, SA

2024 VARIETAL WINNERS

Red Wine of the Year – Yangarra Estate Vineyard Old Vine Grenache 2021, McLaren Vale, SA – 99 points

White Wine of the Year – Landaire at Padthaway Estate Chardonnay 2021 Padthaway – 98 points

Sparkling Wine of the Year – Sittella Wines Grand Prestige Late Disgorged 2010 Pemberton – 97 points

Riesling of the Year – Limefinger Solace Riesling 2022 Clare Valley – 98 points

Chardonnay of the Year – Landaire at Padthaway Estate Chardonnay 2021 Padthaway – 98 points

Semillon of the Year – Pepper Tree Wines Museum Release Limited Release Tallawanta Single Vineyard Semillon 2013 Hunter Valley – 99 points

Sauvignon Blanc of the Year – Domaine Naturaliste Sauvage Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Margaret River – 96 points

Pinot Gris/Grigio of the Year – Mayer Bloody Hill Villages Healesville Pinot Gris 2022 Yarra Valley – 96 points

Other Whites & Blends of the Year – John Kosovich Wines Bottle Aged Reserve Chenin Blanc 2018 Swan Valley – 98 points

Rosé of the Year – Sutton Grange Winery Fairbank Rosé 2022 Central Victoria Zone – 97 points

Pinot Noir of the Year – Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 Yarra Valley – 98 points

Grenache & Blends of the Year – Yangarra Estate Vineyard Old Vine Grenache 2021 McLaren Vale – 99 points

Shiraz of the Year – Murdoch Hill The Landau Single Vineyard Oakbank Syrah 2021 Adelaide Hills – 99 points

Cabernet Shiraz Blend of the Year – Bleasdale Vineyards Wellington Road Shiraz Cabernet 2021 Langhorne Creek – 98 points

Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year – Bleasdale Vineyards The Iron Duke Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Langhorne Creek – 98 points

Cabernet & Family of the Year – Houghton C.W. Ferguson Cabernet Malbec 2020 Frankland River – 98 points

Other Reds & Blends of the Year – Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 3 2021 Yarra Valley – 97 points

Sweet Wine of the Year – De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2020 Riverina– 96 points

Fortified Wine of the Year – All Saints Estate Museum Muscat NV, Rutherglen – 100 points 

AirAsia triumphs for 14th straight year

I have invariably been impressed by AirAsia, as regular readers will be aware. I also recently took an airasia Superapp famil.

I was not surprised, then, to hear this week that AirAsia has been voted the world’s best low-cost airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023 for an unprecedented 14th consecutive time.

The awards results covered over 325 airlines with AirAsia emerging on top in its hotly contested category.

Over 100 nationalities of travellers participated in the online survey, with 20.23 million eligible entries counted in the results from September 2022 to May 2023, a period when AirAsia had steadily increased its network back to over 130 destinations.

In accepting the award at a ceremony at the Paris Air Show 2023 in France on Tuesday, Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes said: “We are immensely proud and grateful for this meaningful award given to us by the Skytrax organisers, voters, and the incredible supporters of AirAsia.

"Getting an award of excellence for 14 consecutive years is a remarkable achievement, one that fills our hearts with joy and humility. This is an extraordinary feat for any company in any industry, even more so for our proudly Asean brand.”

Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, said: “AirAsia is a survey passenger favourite and has delivered a remarkable degree of consistency year-on-year since the world's best low-cost airline category was introduced to the awards programme in 2010.

"The recognition from customers should be a great source of pride for the airline management and staff in what has been a difficult period as travel returns after the Covid pandemic.”

With 170 planes already back in service across the group, AirAsia expects to have all 204 reactivated by the end of August.

To celebrate AirAsia today launched sales fares from:
$149 from Perth to Bali or Jakarta
$234 from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Gold Coast direct to Kuala Lumpur
$294 from Sydney direct to Bangkok
From NZ $134 from Auckland to Sydney
From NZD $479 from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur

Saluting the best of the best in Australian tourism

From major international operators to single-person businesses, Australia's best of the best in the tourism industry have been honoured at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.

In an event held at Doltone House in Pyrmont, the tourism industry celebrated the premier tourism businesses in the country.

“This is the biggest annual celebration of tourism business excellence in Australia - and we have much to celebrate recognising and elevating the very best of what tourism has to offer in this great country of ours,” said Shaun de Bruyn, chairperson, Australian Tourism Awards.

 
“Each of our award nominees have reached the status of absolute excellence in tourism and business.

“As an industry we are susceptible to many external factors, which has been highlighted over the past several years, but we continue to innovate, collaborate and come back strong. Many of our tourism operators are going from strength to strength, bouncing back after the worst of the pandemic."

There were 75 awards presented across 25 categories with a gold, silver and bronze winner
announced for each category.

Here is the full list of winners:

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island Tourism Experience
GOLD- wukalina Walk TAS
SILVER - Spirits of the Red Sand QLD
BRONZE - Angkerle Atwatye - Standley Chasm NT

Cultural Tourism
GOLD - Geelong Gallery VIC
SILVER - The Cedars Hahndorf SA
BRONZE - Venture North Safaris NT

 

Adventure Tourism
GOLD - The Hike Collective WA
SILVER- Ocean Rafting QLD
BRONZE - Bendleby Ranges SA

New Tourism Business
GOLD - Wildcat Mackay QLD
SILVER – CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park VIC
BRONZE – Sequoia Lodge SA

Tour & Transport Operators
GOLD - Fun Over 50 Holidays QLD
SILVER - The Hike Collective WA
BRONZE - Air Adventure Golf TAS

Major Tour & Transport Operators
GOLD - SeaLink WA
SILVER- Searoad Ferries VIC
BRONZE - Sea World Cruises QLD

Caravan & Holiday Parks
GOLD - BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort QLD
SILVER - BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park TAS
BRONZE - Oasis Tourist Park NT

Hosted Accommodation
GOLD - Bli Bli House QLD
SILVER - Tallawarra Homestead VIC
BRONZE - Redwing Farm SA

Unique Accommodation
GOLD - Jamala Wildlife Lodge CBR
SILVER - Woodhouse Activity Centre SA
BRONZE - Mitchell Grass Retreat QLD

Self-Contained Accommodation
GOLD - The Woods Ocean Grove VIC
SILVER - Tree Chalets WA
BRONZE - Villa Talia TAS

Ecotourism
GOLD - Live Ningaloo WA
SILVER - Tasmanian Walking Company TAS
BRONZE - Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort QLD

Tourism Retail and Hire Services
GOLD - Willie Creek Pearls WA
SILVER - Sydney Harbour Kayaks NSW
BRONZE - Uluru Audio Guide NT

Visitor Information Services
GOLD - Mudgee Region Tourism NSW
SILVER - Quilpie Visitor Information Centre, Museum & Gallery QLD
BRONZE - Bendigo Visitor Centre VIC

Business Event Venues
GOLD - Pullman Bunker Bay Resort WA
SILVER - Darwin Convention Centre NT
BRONZE - Peppers Silo Hotel TAS

Tourism Restaurants & Catering Services
GOLD - Char Restaurant and The Darwin Club at Admiralty House NT
SILVER - Potager NSW
BRONZE - Mures Tasmania TAS

Tourism Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries
GOLD - Bangor Vineyard Shed TAS
SILVER - Courabyra Wines NSW
BRONZE - Billson's Brewery VIC

Tourism Marketing & Campaigns
GOLD – ‘Viva Bendigo’ by City of Greater Bendigo VIC
SILVER - MidCoast Council - Destination Barrington Coast NSW
BRONZE - Tourism Tropical North Queensland QLD

Excellence in Food Tourism
GOLD - Coal River Farm TAS
SILVER - CORE Cider House WA
BRONZE - Margan Wines & Restaurant NSW

3-3.5 Star Accommodation
GOLD - Urban Camp Melbourne VIC
SILVER - Broadwater Resort Busselton WA
BRONZE - Magnums Unique Accommodation Airlie Beach QLD

4-4.5 Star Deluxe Accommodation
GOLD - Cape York Peninsula Lodge QLD
SILVER - Ship Inn Stanley TAS
BRONZE - The Byng Street Boutique Hotel NSW

5 Star Luxury Accommodation
GOLD - Mt Hay Retreat NSW
SILVER - COMO The Treasury WA
BRONZE - Eos by SkyCity Adelaide SA

Festivals & Events
GOLD - Outback Queensland Masters QLD
SILVER - Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival VIC
BRONZE – Tumbafest Inc NSW

Major Festivals & Events
GOLD - The Darwin Festival NT
SILVER - Tesselaar KaBloom VIC
BRONZE - Optus Stadium – AFL Grand Final 2021 WA

Tourist Attractions
GOLD – Bundaberg Rum Distillery Visitor Experience QLD
SILVER – Katherine Outback Experience NT
BRONZE – Willie Creek Pearl Farm WA

Major Tourist Attractions
GOLD - Adelaide Zoo SA
SILVER - National Zoo & Aquarium CBR 

BRONZE - Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary QLD

Image: Bangor Vineyard Shed  

Supermarket giants shine in Product of the Year voting

There are dozens of wine shows around Australia - sometimes several in a week. 

But who knew there are also competitions for everyday supermarket items like soups, hot drinks and cookies? 

Supermarkets are not everyone's best friend right now; rising prices and the insistence of self check-out counters have left many shoppers incensed.

But the results of the 2022 Product of the Year voting suggests that consumers still find plenty to enjoy at their local Woolworths and Coles stores.

Coles collected 11 awards and Woolworths five of the 33 gongs.

Now in it’s 14th year in Australia, Product of the Year (POY) is promoted as the world’s largest consumer-voted awards program in which over 5,000 Aussie shoppers have their say and vote for their favourite supermarket and grocery products. 

"The rising cost of living has definitely changed the FMCG landscape, with affordability now the most important consideration for Australians making their weekly grocery trip," says Product of the Year director Sarah Connelly. 

POY winners trend show a consumer focus on health and wellbeing in 2022. 

You can check out the winners at the website. They include Coles Brand soup and extra virgin olive oil, Lyre's Pink London Spirit (non alcoholic) and Moccona Mochas. 

Most absurd premise winner: Birds Eye "Plant Based Greek Lamb style strips".

 Unfortunately, we do not know how many entries there were in each category. 

Halliday wine awards finalists unveiled

The release of the annual Halliday Wine Companion is among the key dates on the Australian wine calendar and this year’s shortlisted wineries, winemakers and viticulturists were unveiled today. 

For the first time this year, judging for the Halliday Wine Companion Awards was conducted as a blind tasting by the full Halliday Tasting Team, which was once again led by wine critic founder James Halliday AM and wine communicator Tyson Stelzer, the chief editor. 

The panel has chosen the top-rated Australian wines, winemakers, wineries and viticulturists from more than 8000 wines tasted for this edition and over 50 new wineries.

The shortlist represents just about every corner of Australia’s wine map, with wineries from Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, and New South Wales included in the nominees. 

The People’s Choice Award, it returns for a second year to recognise Australia’s best winery experience as judged by those who have visited. 

Voting will take place online at winecompanion.com.au. 

The awards ceremony will be held at the Stokehouse in St Kilda on Wednesday, August 3. 

Seven major trophies will be announced on the night: Wine of the Year, Winemaker of the Year, Winery of the Year, Viticulturist of the Year, Best Value Winery, Best New Winery, and Dark Horse Winery, with the year’s top varietal winners also awarded across nineteen categories, including Red Wine of the Year and White Wine of the Year, as well as varietal categories. 

Finalists are: 

WINERY OF THE YEAR: Bannockburn Vineyards, Giant Steps, Grosset, McHenry Hohnen Vintners, Pooley Wines, Serrat, Stargazer Wine, Yangarra Estate Vineyard. 

WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR: Adam Wadewitz, Shaw + Smith, Bryan Martin, Ravensworth, Glenn Goodall, Xanadu, Greg Follett, Lake Breeze Wines, Ian Hongell, Torbreck, Natalie Fryar, Bellebonne, Rob Mack, Aphelion Wine, Tom Carson, Serrat.

VITICULTURIST OF THE YEAR: Adrian Hoffmann, Dimchurch Vineyards, Bruce Chalmers, Chalmers, Chris David, Windows Estate, Hannah McKay, Pooley Wines, Michael Lane, Yangarra Estate Vineyard, Tom Carson, Serrat.

BEST VALUE WINERY: Bondar Wines, Bleasdale Vineyards, Deep Woods Estate, Duke’s Vineyard, Garagiste, Hoddles Creek Estate, Nick O’Leary Wines, Riposte, Xanadu Wines.

BEST NEW WINERY: Arila Gardens, Chance Encounter, Clarnette, Living Roots, Mabenki, Montague Estate, Ossa Wines, Solum Wines, Trait Wines, Usher Tinkler Wines.

DARK HORSE WINERY: Aylesbury Estate, Kimbolton Wines, L.A.S. Vino, Pt. Leo Estate, Yarradindi, Zilzie Wines

Hunter Valley stars recognised

Back in the 1980s - long before I started writing about wine - we regularly made the trip from Sydney to the Hunter Valley to fill our boot with wines to last us through the next few months. 

Among our destinations were Terrace Vale, where Alain le Prince crafted wines with French style, and Wyndham Estate, home of master marketer Brian McGuigan. 

At this week's 2022 Hunter Valley Legends & Wine Industry Awards l was honoured to not only share a table with le Prince and McGuigan, bothy Hunter Legends, but also with one of this year's winners: Neil McGuigan.

The Hunter always knows how to put on a show and the event at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort saw a record number of Hunter Valley wine and tourism businesses recognised for excellence, commitment and quality.

After close to 50 years of active service to the industry, Brian McGuigan AM was announced as Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association Honorary Patron.

And his younger brother Neil was named Hunter Valley Wine Legend for 2022: With Brian's wife Faye McGuigan also a Hunter Legend, the family's decades of service to the wine industry have been deservedly recognised.

The event also saw a poignant tribute from Phil Ryan to recently departed veteran Hunter winemaker Karl Stockhausen.

The winners of the 2022 Legends and Wine Industry Awards are:

Riedel Young Achiever of the Year: Alex Beckett (Briar Ridge Vineyard)
HVWTA Tourism Operator of the Year: Beyond Ballooning
HVWTA Accommodation Operator of the Year: Spicers Guesthouse
Jurds Viticulturist of the Year: Jerome Scarborough (Scarborough Wine Co.)
Wine Selectors Cellar Door of the Year: De Iuliis Wines
First Creek Winemaking Services Winemaker of the Year: Liz Silkman (First Creek Wines & Silkman Wines)
HVWTA Outstanding Contribution of an Individual: Christina Tulloch (Tulloch Wines)
HVWTA Patron: Brian McGuigan AM
Hunter Valley Tourism Legend: Philip Hele OAM (Hunter Valley Resort & The Farm Hunter Valley)
Hunter Valley Wine Legend: Neil McGuigan

Image: from top from left to right, top: Alex Beckett, Philip Hele, Neil McGuigan, Jerome Scarborough, Mike De Iuliis. Bottom: Brian McGuigan AM, Julia Allen (owner of Beyond Ballooning), Liz Silkman, Christina Tulloch and Mark Whitnell (Spicers Group). Picture: Elfes Images.

Australians excel on the global stage

Regular Gourmet on the Road readers will know that I don't too much faith in wine show results, or claims that a wine, or a gin, is the "best in the world". 

That said, small producers from Australia have this week recorded noteworthy successes on the global stage. 

  
Gralyn Estate, a tiny Margaret River wine producer, was awarded the prized ‘Wine of the Year’ award at the London Wine Competition for its fortified wine, the Artizan Rare Muscat NV (above).

The wine was also named ‘Best in Show by Country’ and ‘Best Wine of the Year by Quality’ from 1,300 wines that were submitted from 36 countries including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand and Australia.

The Gralyn Estate Artizan Rare Muscat NV has also won 11 other trophies, so it is fair to assume it is a standout. 

Fortified wines are a speciality of Gralyn Estate and The Artizan Rare Muscat NV is produced using a solera system, where younger wines are blended in barrels storing older wines and hence termed non-vintage or NV. The solera in the Artizan Rare Muscat NV dates back 40 years.

Gralyn Estate was founded in Wilyabrup in 1975 and was the first to open a commercial cellar door in Margaret River in 1978. Current owners and winemakers Scott and Annette Baxter took the helm of Gralyn Estate two years ago from Annette’s parents, founders Graham and Merilyn Hutton.

“These wines are precious as there is considerable loss each year from evaporation, what’s described as the Angel’s Share, and this gives the wine its power," says Scott Baxter.

“The vineyard is mature, low yielding and produces lovely juicy fruit, which is very perfumed when young: think Turkish delight and rose petals, and as this material matures, we start to see more intense flavours of raisin and toffee." 

Think $125 for 375mls. Visit www.gralyn.com.au for more information.

At the same show, Orange’s Ross Hill Wines was awarded the 2022 ‘Best in Show by Varietal’ trophy for the 2019 Ross Hill ‘Pinnacle Series’ Chardonnay.

Meanwhile, "sustainable" wine label Tread Softly  from the Fourth Wave Wines stable, has launched two gins presented in floral bottles (above). 

For every six bottles of gin sold, Tread Softly will plant one native Australian tree to help restore deforested Australian bushland.

Tread Softly Gin is lighter in alcohol (37%), compared to most contemporary gins. The bottles are made from 100% recycled tinted glass. 

The first releases - a dry gin and a pink gin - were entered in the London Spirits Competition and both walked away with silver medals. That's certainly a decent start. 

They retail for $59.99. See www.fourthwavewine.com.au/treadsoftlywine-home

Tractor leaves wine list rivals trailing

Mornington Peninsula restaurant and cellar door Ten Minutes by Tractor has taken out the major prize in the Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards announced today. 

Marking the 28th year since the awards were launched in 1994, the winners of the 2021 Awards were announced online. 

Ten Minutes by Tractor also took out the 2021 Best Country Restaurant List and Best Victorian List.

“It's a story for the ages: a great restaurant and an astounding wine list that have evolved from the ashes of a 2018 fire which closed the venue for 18 months," said chief judge Peter Forrestal. 

"Owners Martin and Karen Spedding, chef Adam Sanderson and head sommelier Xavier Vigier all deserve credit for their part in the resurrection, recreating and revitalisation of Ten Minutes by Tractor. 

"In its wine list, they have reconceptualised the notion of the winery restaurant; given clearer definition to the idea of evoking a sense of place; offered a unique exploration of the wines of Mornington, placing them alongside the great wines of Australia and the world. 

"All this has made for a fascinating list. Xavier Vigier (below) takes his place alongside Australia's finest sommeliers as the latest winner of the Judy Hirst Award, given annually to the sommelier responsible for the winning list”.

 Of the overall Awards, Forrestal continued: "While the pandemic and its associated lockdowns made this arguably the most trying year ever for the hospitality industry, one of its signature trademarks - the wine lists - show a resilience and professionalism that flies in the face of such adversity. It continues a trend that we noted last year and reflects particularly well on the quality of education and training which is now widely available”.

The numbers of entrants in 2021 was an all-time high with a record number of 176 lists awarded three glasses. This compares to 157 last year and only nine in 1994.

The finalists for the top award were Bennelong, Bert’s Bar & Brasserie and Cirrus, all from Sydney, Cru Bar + Cellar in Brisbane and Florentino in Melbourne.

Cru Bar + Cellar won Best Wine Bar List, Best Listing of Queensland Wines, Best List of Wines by the Glass and Best Champagne List.

Awards convenor Rob Hirst said although for many, 2021 was harder in hospitality than it had been during the previous year, it was extraordinary to see the response translate into record entries in the awards.

Major winners were: 

 

Australia's Wine List of The Year: Ten Minutes by Tractor

Judy Hirst Award: Xavier Vigier

 

State/Territory winners

Best Wine List ACT:  The Boat House

Best Wine List NSW: Cirrus

Best Wine List QLD: Otto, Brisbane

Best Wine List SA: Hardy's Verandah

Best Wine List TAS: Fico

Best Wine List VIC : Ten Minutes by Tractor

Best Wine List WA : Settlers Tavern

 

Type of Trade award winners          

Best City Restaurant Wine List : Cirrus

Best Club Restaurant Wine List: Newcastle Club

Best Country Restaurant Wine List: Ten Minutes by Tractor

Best Hotel Restaurant Wine List: Black Bar & Grill

Best Pub Restaurant Wine List: The Watervale Hotel

Best Wine Bar List: Cru Bar + Cellar

 

Category award winners

The Tony Hitchin Award (Best New List): a’Mare

Best Wine List (50 Wines): Ishizuka

Best Wine List (100 Wines): Spice Temple, Sydney

Best Wine List (200 Wines): Fix Wine Bar + Restaurant

Best List of Wines by The Glass: Cru Bar + Cellar

Best Food & Wine Matching List: Pilu at Freshwater

Best Champagne List: Cru Bar + Cellar

Best Sparkling Wine List: Aria

Best Non-Alcoholic List: Ishizuka

Best Aperitif List: One Penny Red

Best Digestif List: Bistecca

Best Sake List: Sokyo

Best Beer List: Charred Kitchen & Bar

Best Listing of a Region's Wines: Settlers Tavern

Best Listing of Australian Wines: Bennelong

Best Listing of ACT Wines: The Boat House

Best Listing of NSW Wines: Charred Kitchen & Bar

Best Listing of Queensland Wines: Cru Bar + Cellar

Best Listing of South Australian Wines: Hardy's Verandah

Best Listing of Tasmanian Wines: Terrace Kitchen

Best Listing of Victorian Wines: Pt Leo Estate

Best Listing of Western Australian Wines: Wildflower

Best Wine List - Sommeliers' Choice Award: Quay Restaurant

Best Wine List - Australia's Choice Award: Il Lido

         

Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards was founded in 1994 by Rob and the late Judy Hirst, and Tucker Seabrook to recognise and reward the commitment, craft and talent of Australia’s sommeliers, as well as the investment by business owners, in building and maintaining great wine lists and the cellars behind them.

 # The writer is proud to be on the judging panel for the awards