Highly rated McLaren Vale wines to try

Below we introduce you to 12 McLaren Vale wines that are new editions to Wine Companion. They've each been tasted for the upcoming 2025 Halliday Wine Companion, which will be released in August.

Our Tasting Team has scored the wines between 91 and 96 points, placing each of them in the 'highly recommended' or 'outstanding' brackets.

McLaren Vale is just a 45-minute drive from Adelaide's CBD. The region sits on the Fleurieu Peninsula, between the Gulf St Vincent and the Mount Lofty Ranges, which provides a Mediterranean climate that is ideal for McLaren Vale's key varietals. 

While shiraz is McLaren Vale's flagship grape, the region is celebrated for its brilliant grenache (and grenache-based blends) and cabernet sauvignon, but the South Australian region is also home to lesser-known varietals including graciano and nero d'Avola.

Find your new favourite below – there's a mix of ready to drink and perfect to cellar wines – with price points varying from between $26 and $125.

Image credit: Kay Brothers.