Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wineries 2024: 26–50

Best wineries Australia

In the list of wineries ranked 26–50, you'll find 13 wine regions represented across five states. 12 of those wineries are from Victoria, and six of them are some of the top wineries in the Yarra Valley. Looking for the best wineries in Yarra Valley for lunch? Seville Estate, Medhurst and Coldstream Hills are all options. Also representing Victoria is Crawford River from Henty, Bannockburn Vineyards in Geelong, icon producer Sorrenberg in Beechworth, Syrahmi in Heathcote, Place of Changing Winds in the Macedon Ranges and, for those partial to a Grampians shiraz, there's Mount Langi Ghiran.

In South Australia, Rieslingfreak is a Clare Valley champion. When it comes to the Barossa Valley, Sami-Odi and Alkina Wine Estate are both 5-star wineries. Stella Bella and Leeuwin Estate are Margaret River wineries on the list, and Brokenwood and Lake's Folly are two wineries often featured on Hunter Valley wine tours.

View the Top 100 Wineries: 1–25

View the Top 100 Wineries: 51–75

View the Top 100 Wineries: 76–100

Rieslingfreak | Sami-Odi | Stella Bella Wines | Thistledown Wines | Leeuwin Estate | Lake's Folly | Seville Estate | Crawford River Wines | Bannockburn Vineyards | Alkina Wine Estate | Sorrenberg | Brokenwood | Gembrook Hill | Syrahmi | Place of Changing Winds | Medhurst | Hoddles Creek Estate | Battles Wine | Serrat | Elderton | Ashton Hills Vineyard | Coldstream Hills | Chatto | Clonakilla | Mount Langi Ghiran

26. Rieslingfreak

John and Belinda Hughes like riesling. A lot. Their label has immortalised John’s nickname while at university, where his love for the grape bordered on the obsessive. That obsession has not dimmed, with the portfolio of wines burrowing into almost every corner of possibility for the grape. Rieslingfreak is based in the Barossa, with grapes sourced from John’s family property in the Clare Valley, amongst others, as well as sites in the Eden Valley. The spectacular success of the label is how well the wines reflect both where they are grown but also how adroitly, how effortlessly, they slip into different style skins, soaking up modest to considerable sugar residuals while maintaining keen balance, or skipping down a traditionally dry line without austerity. The 2023 No.12 Flaxman Valley Riesling topped the varietal category in the 2025 Companion. And the 2024 wines are dipped in gold, with all eight wines submitted receiving 95 points or more, three of them 96 and four 97 and over. It’s an incredible achievement.

5 ★ winery | Halliday profile | Rieslingfreak | @rieslingfreakofficial