Halliday | Dave Brookes, Marcus Ellis, Mike Bennie, Jeni Port & Katrina Butler

"With ratings at our core, our Tasting Team is made up of some of Australia's best wine authorities responsible for specific regions across the country, which allows for continuity, connection and specialist expertise. The esteemed Tasting Team is made up of nine panelists: Dave Brookes, Jane Faulkner, Jeni Port, Marcus Ellis, Mike Bennie, Philip Rich, Shanteh Wale, Toni Paterson MW and Katrina Butler. Each authority is responsible for year-round reviewing the wines from specific regions across the country, which allows for continuity, connection and specialist expertise." - Wine Companion

THE FLAGSHIP SERIES

2021 Ares - 96 points
Barossa Valley Shiraz
"Deep magenta/crimson with wonderfully pure aromas of damson plum, blackberry and black cherry fruits. Hints of baking spices, cedar, dark chocolate, roasting meats, violets, panforte, olive tapenade, espresso and earth. Classic Barossa fruit weight and flavours but more contemporary and of the times, with an increased detail, fine, powdery tannins and plenty of sustain and energy on the lingering finish. A super release of this wine from a very strong vintage." - Dave Brookes, Published 17 February 2026

THE SINGLE VINEYARD SERIES

2023 Yacca Block - 96 points
Mengers Hill, Eden Valley Shiraz
"Shiraz sourced from Menglers Hill; shallow, skeletal grey sand loam with quartz gravel over weathered rock and yellow clay. Deep magenta/crimson with characters of ripe satsuma plum and dark and red cherry fruits cut with hints of baking spices, roasting meats, crushed quartz, violets, bay leaf, cold tea, sage, dark chocolate and earth. Full bodied, with a fine, bright acid driveline, powdered granitic tannins and wonderfully ripe plum and cherry fruits on the finish that stretch out nicely, showing impressive sustain and structural integrity." Dave Brookes, Published 03 February 2026

2023 Holy Grail - 95+ points
Seppeltsfield Road, Barossa Valley Shiraz
"An impressive deeply fruited shiraz sourced from a slice of the Two Hands estate in Seppeltsfield. Super dark crimson with ripe blackberry, satsuma plum and black cherry fruits layered with baking spices, dark chocolate, cedar, pan juices, panforte, ironstone and earth. There's a solid swell of black fruit on the palate, perhaps a touch of pastille lift, with a base of thick, silty tannin and a surprising freshness considering the fruit density and power. Very impressive." - Dave Brookes, Published 17 February 2026

2023 Secret Block - 95 points
Wildlife Road, Moppa Hills, Barossa Valley Shiraz
"A deeply coloured, powerful shiraz from the northern subregion of Moppa, with its deep grey-red loams studded with coarse quartz and ironstone gravel over clay; matured for 18 months in French oak, up to 50% new. Deep, impenetrable crimson with aromas of blackberry, damson plum and blueberry fruits with underlying baking spices, olive tapenade, blackforest cake, dark chocolate bullets, pan juices, ironstone and earth. Full bodied, with a sleek cremé-de-cassis fruit flow, compact, silty, ferruginous-edged tannins and a blackberry pastille brightness to the acidity." Dave Brookes, Published 03 February 2026

2023 Waterfall Block - 95 points
Waterfall Gully Road, Burnside, Adelaide Shiraz
"It's called Waterfall Block for a reason; the vines are horizontally planted on an incredulously steep slope that begs belief. It's a beautiful wine, with harmonious composition, the fruit – blood plum, mulberry, blackberry, black cherry – greedily soaking up the oak. Iodine, some graphite and char, sweet tobacco spice sewn in, yet the brightness and clarity of its fruit retains the final say through the finish. Tannins are fine and resolved, though some more time in bottle will see this integrate further. A gorgeous drink." Katrina Butler, Published 09 June 2026

THE GARDEN SERIES

2023 Samantha's Garden - 95 points
Clare Valley Shiraz
"This manages to be rich and powerful and still refreshing and fine boned. A feat! There's concentration of inky blackcurrant, blueberry, with woody spices, clove, cinnamon and cumin. And then the dark chocolate and cola characters kick in. It has a smooth textural profile, a little grip to finish, and yet holds a fine, sleek profile even with all the heft here. A punchy mouthful, done very well." - Mike Bennie, Published 01 June 2026

2023 Lily's Garden - 95 points
McLaren Vale Shiraz
"From a range of sites, with vines aged between 19 and 64. There’s a modern-traditional feel, if that makes sense. A lean into traditional intensity allied with a refinement of making and preservation of fruit purity. Black plum and cherry, boysenberry, violet, iris, iodine, anise, struck iron and earth, blackberry pastille, berry danish and baking spices. There's a refined fruit sweetness, curling into structure, the tannins carefully extracted, fine yet pervasive, the length sustained, savoury yet not overly drying. It’s a fine example of classic intensity made with a deft hand to reveal detail, not occlude it." Marcus Ellis, Published 10 March 2026

2023 Bella's Garden - 94 points
Barossa Valley Shiraz
"An elegant, supple shiraz with fruit characters of red and dark plum, red cherry, cranberry and a murmur of red apple bite. Hints of five-spice, citrus, tobacco, vanilla bean, charcuterie, fruit-and-nut chocolate and earth, with plenty of detail, superfine chalky tannins and a poised savoury lean as it trails off. It really is a lovely drink." Dave Brookes, Published 10 February 2026 

2023 Max's Garden - 94 points
Heathcote Shiraz
Signature Heathcote intensity on show – from the deep, dark purple hues to the wine's equally dark-fruited concentration and poise. It's a meeting of ripe fruit power, aromatic prettiness and a natural, mineral earthiness courtesy of ancient Cambrian soils. Blue fruits, plum, blackberry, gentle toasty oak and peppery spice, anise and chocolate ride long on svelte but juicy tannins. From a cool vintage; a wonderful, elegant wine emerges, lingering long." Jeni Port, Published 25 May 2026

2023 Charlie's Garden - 93+ points
Eden Valley Shiraz
A graceful Eden Valley wine that sits at the fulcrum of medium and full bodied. Shows nicely poised black cherry and dark plum fruits cut with hints of sage, five-spice, mountain herbs, tobacco, crushed rocks, crushed herbs, cedar, fruit-and-nut chocolate and violets. It all makes for very attractive drinking, with a savoury palate shape, fine-grained tannins and plenty of detail and nuance as it travels." Dave Brookes, Published 10 March 2026

THE PICTURE SERIES

2024 Gnarly Dudes - 92 points
Barossa Valley Shiraz
"Always solid value is this wine. Magenta-splashed crimson with juicy plum, blueberry, dark cherry and boysenberry fruits along with hints of Christmas cake, olive tapenade, brown spice, dark chocolate, pan juices, panforte, violets and earth. It's at the lighter end of full bodied with a bright driveline, fine, sandy tannins and a light savoury lean to its travel on the back end." Dave Brookes, Published 03 February 2026

2024 Brave Faces - 92 points
Barossa Valley GMS
"This year, the Brave Face's sees a blend of 81/16/3% grenache/mourvèdre/shiraz. As per usual, it's great value if you seek a medium-bodied red blend with plenty of space and detail. Lifted red cherry and red plum fruits, five-spice, gingerbread, citrus blossom, rose petals, cranberry and dried meats are all on display, with fine, silty tannins and a sweep of sour cherry on the back end." Dave Brookes, Published 03 February 2026