2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards Held; Glenn Goodall Awarded Winemaker of the Year

2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards Held; Glenn Goodall Awarded Winemaker of the Year

The Stokehouse restaurant in St Kilda, Melbourne witnessed the announcement of the Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2023 on August 3.

The award ceremony was conducted to celebrate the best of the best in the wine industry. The event aimed to recognise and felicitate the top wines, winemakers, viticulturists and wineries who have been setting the industry benchmark over the years.

Halliday Wine Companion’s Chief Editor, Tyson Stelzer hosted the awards along with renowned wine journalist and Tasting Team member, Jeni Port with 125 guests in presence. The founder James Halliday AM and the wider Halliday Tasting Team marked their attendance at the event and announced the year’s honourees.

They announced the nominees and revealed the winners as well. The duo even shared this year’s intensive tasting and Award judging process which was conducted blind for the first time in the Companion’s history. Stelzer mentioned that this year’s results are a wonderful testimony to the tremendous diversity of Australian wine at the top of its game.

He further added, “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 ceremony also launched the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion which is available in stores nationally. The book is a complete guide to Australia’s leading wines, wineries, and grape-growing regions, including all the Award winners and tasting notes.

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

The 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year went to the Chief Winemaker of Xanadu Wines, Glenn Goodall. This prestigious award came to him after being shortlisted for two years.

After winning the award, he said, “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.”

“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.”

Here’s the list of the award winners:

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