2019

2019 Dark Horse of the Year Winner | Halliday Wine Companion

James Halliday by James Halliday for Ozpak

26 Jul, 2018

Darrin Gaffy has been running a shoestring operation on the Mornington Peninsula for 20-odd years, handling everything from the pruning and the winemaking to the bottling and the sales.

Darrin Gaffy has been knocking on the door of five stars since records have been kept for this purpose (1996 the first year). In that time, Principia has received four stars or, on eight occasions, four-and-a-half stars. This year he triumphed with the four wines submitted all receiving 95 or 96 points. Making wines with a self-imposed strict discipline of eschewing many pieces of equipment and/or additions isn’t easy, and achieving this outcome must be doubly satisfying – particularly when, as here, three were pinot noirs from a vintage that required extra skill from the winemaker.

 

Purchase award-winning Principia wine at The Australian Wine.

Explore more of the 2019 Halliday Wine Companion Awards.