The depth and breadth of the top end of other white varieties in Australia is exemplified in a final role call of no fewer than 12 different varieties and blends hailing from eight regions. Our final judging exemplified this diversity, with a Hunter albariño, Yarra marsanne, Mornington savagnin and Tasmanian gris rising to the top. Indicative of the importance in this category of building texture and complexity in the winery, our winner enjoyed wild fermentation, skin contact, partial barrel fermentation and lees age.
2023 Other Whites and Blends of the Year
Briar Ridge Vineyard Albariño 2021, Hunter Valley
95 points | Price when tasted $30
From vines planted in 1962. Released as a five-year-old wine. Chenin blanc from Swan Valley is a national, vinous treasure that's guided with expertise by the great crew at John Kosovich Wines. This is surprisingly fresh for its relative maturity, imbued with strong, lemony scents with accents of honeycomb, wet fern, pineapple and tonic water – very attractive aromas. The palate is squeaky and crisp, showing more of the lemony characters of the bouquet with additional dashes of tonic water, bay leaf and briny minerality with some chalkiness in texture, too. There's gentle maturation in play endowing the wine with savoury elements, and some honey-butter notes. It's in a brilliant place, vivid for the variety and maturing graciously (and I suspect very long). Delicious drinking ensues. – Mike Bennie
-
More top-rated other whites and blends from the 2024 Companion
-
Yalumba
The Virgilius Viognier 2021
Eden Valley -
John Kosovich Wines
Bottle Aged Reserve Chenin Blanc 2018
Swan Valley -
Mount Mary
Triolet 2021
Yarra Valley -
Crittenden Estate
Cri de Coeur Sous Voile Savagnin 2018
Mornington Peninsula -
First Creek Wines
Limited Release Small Batch Vermentino 2022
Hunter Valley -
Yalumba
The Virgilius Viognier 2020
Eden Valley -
Yangarra Estate Vineyard
Roux Beaute Roussanne 2021
McLaren Vale -
Yeringberg
Marsanne Roussanne 2021
Yarra Valley -
Brash Higgins
R/SM Saddlebags Hill Vineyard Riesling Semillon 2021
McLaren Vale -
Eldorado Road
Dreamfields Fiano 2022
Alpine Valleys -
Entropy Wines
Warragul Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2022
Gippsland -
Flowstone Wines
Margaret River Gewürztraminer 2021
Margaret River -
Hahndorf Hill Winery
GRU Grüner Veltliner 2022
Adelaide Hills -
L.A.S. Vino
CBDB Chenin Blanc Dynamic Blend 2021
Margaret River -
La Prova
Uno Fiano 2021
Adelaide Hills -
Sinapius
Single Vineyard Close Planted Grüner Veltliner 2021
Tasmania -
Stargazer Wine
Tupelo 2022
Tasmania -
Sutton Grange Winery
Estate Viognier 2021
Bendigo -
Windows Estate
Petit Lot Chenin Blanc 2021
Margaret River -
Yarra Yering
Dry White Wine No. 1 2021
Yarra Valley
The 2023 Halliday Wine Companion is available now. Secure your copy of Australia's most comprehensive wine guide here – and at all good bookstores.
*This is an edited extract from the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion, with reviews by Dave Brookes, Jane Faulkner, Ned Goodwin MW, James Halliday, Erin Larkin, Jeni Port, Philip Rich and chief editor Tyson Stelzer.
Top image credit: Wine Australia.
