North East wines feature in acclaimed awards

HALLIDAY Wine Companion has announced its highly anticipated award winners for the year, with All Saints Estate taking home Fortified Wine of the Year. The Wahgunyah-based winery scored a perfect 100 points on its Museum Muscat NV to win the prestigious award for the second year running. Winemaker Nick Brown said it was a deeply gratifying accolade to take home the award. “It’s a true testament to the hard work and dedication of not just me, but the generations of winemakers who have crafted this wine over its 100-plus years,” he said. “The judges admired its luscious, rich character, which is a hallmark of high-quality fortified wine from Rutherglen. “This is a very proud moment for us.” The winery also received a five red star winery rating at the awards, recognising the “exemplary quality and typicity” of its wines. Another North East wine to feature in the awards was Brown Brothers, who scored a near-perfect 98 points with its 2018 Patricia Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut to win Sparkling Wine of the Year. Winemaker Cate Looney said she was immensely proud for the winery to receive such acclaimed recognition. "It is a testament to the dedication of our entire team and the exceptional terroir of the King Valley for sparkling wine,” she said. “This recognition motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and crafting wines that resonate with both wine connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts alike" “The 2018 vintage was considered a warm year but we source our fruit from the Whitland’s plateau where we are buffered from the hotter conditions and can retain exceptional acidity in our sparkling fruit. “It certainly was not an easy vintage for sparkling wine, but we have great access to exceptional fruit.” A former Winemaker of the Year winner, Ms Looney has been credited by the winery for propelling the sparkling wine to new levels. More than 7500 wines were tasted for the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion from over 1100 wineries. Victoria won more varietal awards than any other state for this edition, including White Wine of the Year, Wine of the Year, Sparkling Wine of the Year, and Fortified Wine of the Year. The Awards also marked the release of the wine-enthusiast’s bible, the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion, which is now available in stores nationally.

North East wines feature in acclaimed awards

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