Xanadu Wines Chief Winemaker, Glenn Goodall has taken out the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year award. Announced last night at Stokehouse, St Kilda, Mr Goodall was awarded the highly anticipated accolade after two years of being shortlisted.
“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,” Mr Goodall said.
Mr Goodall has been making wine at Xanadu since 2006 and the winery won the coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy in 2018 with the 2016 Xanadu Cabernet. The 2019 Xanadu Reserve Cabernet has been awarded the Best Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy at the National Wine Show of Australia eight years in a row.
Pooley Wines in Tasmania was named Winery of the Year and Tom Carson of Serrat in the Yarra Valley was named Viticulturist of the year.
Last night’s event was hosted by Halliday Wine Companion chief editor, Tyson Stelzer who said: “This year’s results are a wonderful testimony to the tremendous diversity of Australian wine at the top of its game. 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.”
Fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Henschke and his viticulturist wife Prue were in attendance to accept the award alongside joint winner Best’s Wines for Riesling of the Year.
Fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Henschke and his viticulturist wife Prue were in attendance to accept the award alongside joint winner Best’s Wines for Riesling of the Year.
“We are delighted that our 2021 Julius Riesling has been recognised as one of the best rieslings in Australia. Henschke has a long history of producing exceptional riesling, dating back to the 1960s when my father Cyril established a beautiful planting of riesling in Eden Valley,” said Mr Henschke.
“The 2021 Julius was the wine of the vintage. It is finely structured with excellent flavour intensity and concentration. A cool season with slow ripening on the vine has built incredible aromas of frangipani, Kaffir lime, citrus blossom and lime zest, with hints of green peppercorn. This wine has minerality and texture in spades, showing layers of lime, grapefruit and white peach on the palate, balanced by defined acidity and a long, crisp finish.”
“Our focus is always to enhance the natural flavours of the vineyard in our viticulture and winemaking processes. Prue’s biodynamic and organic techniques, such as planting native grasses in the rows, adding organic compost and straw mulch under the vines, all play a pivotal role in making excellent riesling,” said Mr Henschke.
Winemaker Alex Beckett took out the 2022 Hunter Valley Young Achiever of the Year award and Briar Ridge Vineyard Albariño 2021 Hunter Valley was winner of the 2023 Other White (& Blends) Wine of the Year.
Mr Beckett said: “The last few years have seen our team put tireless work into evolving the viticulture and winemaking behind our wines so to have that quality recognised is a wonderful feeling. Albariño is fast becoming to us, one of the key varietals for our region and we look forward to seeing the variety’s future success around Australia.”
2023 MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
- Winery of the Year – Pooley Wines, Tasmania
- Winemaker of the Year – Glenn Goodall, Xanadu Wines, Margaret River, Western Australia
- 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, Western Australia
- Best Value Winery – Deeps Woods Estate, Margaret River, Western Australia
- 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 – 97 points
- Sparkling Red of the Year – Teusner MC Sparkling Shiraz 2017 Barossa Valley – 95 points
- Sparkling Rosé of the Year – Pipers Brook Vineyard Kreglinger Brut Rosé 2017 Tasmania – 96 points
- Rosé of the Year – Spinifex Luxe 2021 Barossa – 93 points
- Sauvignon Blanc of the Year – Flowstone Wines Queen of the Earth Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Margaret River – 96 points
- Other Whites (and Blends) of the Year – Briar Ridge Vineyard Albariño 2021 Hunter Valley – 95 points Semillon of the Year – Brokenwood Sunshine Vineyard Semillon 2014 Hunter Valley – 97 points Riesling of the Year (two winners) – Henschke Julius Riesling 2021 Eden Valley – 98 points
- Best’s Wines Foudre Ferment Riesling 2021, Great Western – 96 points
- Chardonnay of the Year – Stella Bella Wines Luminosa Chardonnay 2020 Margaret River – 98 points
- Pinot Noir of the Year – Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir 2020 Tasmania – 96 points
- Grenache (and Blends) of the Year – Chalk Hill Alpha Crucis Old Vine Grenache 2020 McLaren Vale – 98 points
- Other Reds (and Blends) of the Year – Koomilya Cabernet Touriga 2018 McLaren Vale – 97 points
- Shiraz of the Year – Battles Wine Granitis Shiraz 2020 Perth Hills – 96 points
- Cabernet Shiraz of the Year – Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard The Peake Cabernet Shiraz 2020 McLaren Vale– 97 points Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year – Bleasdale Vineyards The Iron Duke Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Langhorne Creek – 98 points Cabernet Sauvignon (and Family) of the Year – Mount Mary Quintet 2020 Yarra Valley – 98 points
- Sweet Wine of the Year – Brown Brothers Patricia Noble Riesling 2019 Victoria – 95 points
- Fortified Wine of the Year – Seppeltsfield 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny 1922 Barossa Valley – 100 points
The 2023 Halliday Wine Companion, available in stores nationally from today.
