James Halliday's Top 100 wines of 2022
by James Halliday
Top whites under $30
by James Halliday
19 Nov, 2022
These 20 white wines range from $15 to $30 and provide serious bang for buck.
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"At the head of the list are – no surprise – eight world-class rieslings, at the end come the unexpected pinot gris, piquepoul and pecorino. 17 of the 20 wines came from the 2022 vintage."
The following wines were chosen from a total of 112 submitted.
2022 Riposte The Scimitar Single Vineyard Clare Valley Riesling
From a single, long-established vineyard, made by Tim Knappstein with a lifetime’s experience. Apple blossom and talc aromatics; a fleshy entry with abundant lime/lemon flavours gaining intensity on the finish, where balancing acidity makes its mark.94 points | $24 | Screwcap | 11.5% alc. | Drink to 2035 | Halliday profile | Riposte Wines
2022 Kilikanoon Mort's Block Watervale Riesling
Old, low-yielding vines. Light, bright green-quartz. The delicately perfumed bouquet takes some coaxing to reveal itself, the palate following without the need of persuasion. It is bright and lively, bringing citrus, Granny Smith apple, and slinky acidity from the first sip through to the lingering finish.96 points | $25 | Screwcap | 11.5% alc. | Drink to 2040 | Halliday profile | Kilikanoon Wines
2022 Rieslingfreak No. 4 Riesling
Don’t be fooled by John Hughes’ quirky business name. Eden Valley's dominant juicy lime fruit comes through at speed, backs off towards the back palate before surging on the finish and aftertaste, with white peach and grapefruit providing a high wire of acidity and length.96 points | $27 | Screwcap | 12% alc. | Drink to 2037 | Halliday profile | Rieslingfreak
2021 Mitchelton Blackwood Park Riesling
Fresh, lively, citrus all-sorts first up, balanced acidity lengthens the aftertaste. It's always been a good wine with upwards of 50 years under its belt, and better than expected from its site. It's remarkably light on its feet, with a crisp finish.94 points | $28 | Screwcap | 12.2% alc. | Drink to 2032 | Halliday profile | Mitchelton
2022 Forest Hill Vineyard Mount Barker Riesling
From Block 2, planted in 1975, and the youngest Highbury Fields site. The old vines provide the seemingly limitless depth to its length, texture and structure, the younger planting providing the lime blossom bouquet. Lovely cool grown wine from a very good region.96 points | $29 | Screwcap | 12% alc. | Drink to 2037 | Halliday profile | Forest Hill Vineyard
2022 Kerrigan + Berry Mt Barker Great Southern Riesling
The bouquet is that of a meadow of spring flowers crushed underfoot, with a sprig of lavender for good measure. The palate takes up the story, with juicy kaffir lime, lemon and crisp acidity all on the same page. This is riesling country.96 points | $29 | Screwcap, 11.5% alc. | Drink to 2032 | Halliday profile | Kerrigan + Berry
2022 Holm Oak Riesling
A flawless riesling, the bouquet with white flower and powdery apple blossom to start the conversation, before the sheer power of the mouth-watering lime juice and Meyer lemon take control. The length is prodigious, the flavours lingering long in the mouth.97 points | $30 | Screwcap, 11.8% alc. | Drink to 2042 | Halliday profile | Holm Oak
2022 O’Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling
Planted circa 2001, but organically grown and made since 2010. It has an evocative bouquet with its mix of citrus and talc which take shape on the palate, with its extraordinary staying power, acidity just as it should be.95 points | $30 | Screwcap | 11.5% alc. | Drink to 2032 | Halliday profile | O'Leary Walker Wines
2022 Audrey Wilkinson Hunter Valley Semillon
This leaps out of the blocks like an Olympic sprinter at the start of a 100m race. Lemons (green and Meyer) and Granny Smith apple are lashed by razor sharp acidity. Drink tonight or in 30 years time.95 points | $25 | Screwcap | 12% alc. | Drink to 2053 | Halliday profile | Audrey Wilkinson
2022 Deep Woods Estate Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc
Partial barrel fermentation adds another dimension to the citrus/snow pea and passionfruit of the wine, the rich bouquet marking a multi-layered palate that takes a split second to fill every part of the long, lingering palate with its grapefruit and nectarine palate.95 points | $20 | Screwcap | 13% alc. | Drink to 2025 | Halliday profile | Deep Woods Estate
2022 Sidewood Estate Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc
Gently pressed and fermented, using only free run juice. The distinct nettle on the bouquet catches attention until the delicious palate takes over, with grapefruit leading the way, supported by gooseberry and a hint of passionfruit. The finish is crisp and lip-smacking.95 points | $22 | Screwcap | 12% alc. | Drink to 2024 | Halliday profile | Sidewood Estate
2022 West Cape Howe Mount Barker Sauvignon Blanc
The fruit comes from the mature 30yo Langton Vineyard, with no tricks in the ferment. The wine has that group of sauvignon blanc flavours covering tropical, herbal, and gooseberry. Bright acidity with an edge of citrus provides an extra degree of length.94 points | $22 | Screwcap | 12.5% alc. | Drink to 2023 | Halliday profile | West Cape Howe Wines
2022 Cullen Mangan Vineyard Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
A 60/33/7 per cent blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon and verdelho, hand-picked on biodynamic fruit and flower days, naturally fermented with no acid additions. It has that oxymoronic coupling of intense, layered tropical fruit and a herbal undercut of lemony acidity.95 points | $29 | Screwcap | 13% alc. | Drink to 2027 | Halliday profile | Cullen Wines
2022 Amelia Park Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaker Jeremy Gordon is a gun A small portion wild yeast fermented in steel barrels has added a dimension of complexity to a wine that has a blend of herbal and tropical fruits that fit hand in glove. Margaret River does it again.95 points | $25 | Screwcap | 12.5% alc. | Drink to 2026 | Halliday profile | Amelia Park Wines
2021 Amelia Park Trellis Margaret River Chardonnay
Takes advantage of an over-supply of chardonnay fruit. Wild yeast fermented, and matured in French oak for 6 months. What's the catch, other than a plenitude of Margaret River Chardonnay? It's varietal, it's balanced and it's long. Fantastic value.94 points | $15 | Screwcap | 12.5% alc. | Drink to 2026 | Halliday profile | Amelia Park Wines
2021 Dominique Portet Fontaine Yarra Valley Chardonnay
From a single 20yo Upper Yarra vineyard, barrel fermented in French oak (10 per cent new) and matured for 9 months on lees. Sells itself short by emphasising its drinkability here and now; while the emphasis is on the fruit, there's complexity and a minimum five-year life span.94 points | $26 | Screwcap, 13% alc. | Drink to 2027 | Halliday profile | Dominique Portet
2022 Bleasdale Vineyards Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris
Mostly fermented cool in tanks; 25% is fermented with high solids and ambient yeasts in used puncheons. It’s arcane magic, giving pinot gris substance and flavour before a long, lemony, bright finish. It goes straight onto my wine list for Chinese restaurants.95 points | $22 | Screwcap | 13% alc. | Drink to 2024 | Halliday profile | Bleasdale Vineyards
2022 La Prova Adelaide Hills Pinot Grigio
Hand-picked early; whole bunch-pressed, passive oxidation of juice, slow cool ferment. A little slow out of the blocks, but has cascades of lime, pear and Granny Smith apple on the palate, girdled by crunchy acidity on the lingering finish.95 points | $27 | Screwcap, 12.5% alc. | Drink to 2026 | Halliday profile | La Prova
2022 Coriole McLaren Vale Piquepoul
This rare variety 'has been one of the favourite grape varieties of the Lloyd family for many years', easily understood once you have tasted this wine, a cross between fiano and marsanne. It has truly delicious and refreshing acidity on its finish.93 points | $28 | Screwcap | 12% alc. | Drink to 2030 | Halliday profile | Coriole
2022 Primo Estate Adelaide Hills Pecorino
This, says Primo Estate, is the first planting in Australia, and it's rare in Italy, its birth place in Le Marche. If this richly pungent vintage is typical of the variety, there will be a queue for rootlings. Pear, lemongrass, citrus and spice all clamour for attention.95 points | $30 | Screwcap | 12.5% alc. | Drink to 2024 | Halliday profile | Primo Estate
See the complete list of Top 100 wines.
Shop wines from the 2022 Top 100 at Sense of Taste.
Join us at Sydney's Campbell's Stores on November 29 to celebrate James Halliday's Top 100. Taste some of the wines crowned in the Top 100, along with other standout offerings from the wineries. Speak to the winemakers, and purchase directly from the producers. Tickets are $149 (+ booking fee) and are available from Eventbrite.
James Halliday’s Top 100 features in The Weekend Australian Magazine on November 19.
Some wines in this year's selection also feature on this site with notes by other Tasting Team members – as reviewed for Halliday Wine Companion.
Image credit: Wine Australia.
