Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wines

Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wines 2024: Best red wines over $50

Name: Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wines 2024: Best red wines over $50
Brand: Halliday Wine Companion

By The Tasting Team

10 Oct, 2024

These are the best Australian red wines over $50, as featured in the Halliday Top 100 Wines 2024.

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Best Australian red wines over $50

There is no shortage of great red wine in Australia and, if your budget allows, these are the best red wines priced at $50 or more. These 20 wines come from 14 Australian wine regions, truly putting regional diversity on show. The wines span Victoria's Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges, Bendigo, Mornington Peninsula, Alpine Valleys and Heathcote, Tasmania, the Hunter Valley in NSW, Coonawarra, Clare Valley, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale in SA, and the Great Southern's Frankland River and Margaret River in WA.

So, we see your search for 'nice red wine' and we raise you 20 bottles that are ranked in the upper echelon – these wines are all rated 96–98 points.

2022 Adelina Wines Shiraz, Clare Valley

This comes from 1915 plantings. On skins for around three weeks in concrete and matures in 700L oak barrels, with around 25 per cent new oak in this wine. Slimline and succulent expression of shiraz, though plenty of meatiness, rich, red berry fruits, woody spices and a strong currency of graphite minerality with an almost river-pebble texture, including the web of lacy, puckering tannin that stretches the wine so long and fine. A touch of rugged undergrowth-like character anchors the wine to Clare. It’s stellar stuff here, elegant but so very detailed in its fruit, spice and savoury elements. – Mike Bennie

2022 Ansted & Osicka 1970 Block Balgownie Cabernet Sauvignon, Bendigo

A collaboration between two talented Heathcote winemakers and one special parcel of old-vine cabernet yields super-impressive results. Complexity-plus meets one luxuriously textured, elegant and beautifully crafted cabernet sauvignon. Mulberry, cassis and loganberry lie warmly in the embrace of dried herbs, spice and aniseed – pristine and in balance all the way – against a gentle background of earth and woodsy oak. Fine, dense tannins run long and complete; a faultless piece of fruit sourcing and winemaking. Bravo! – Jeni Port

2022 De Bortoli Riorret Lusatia Park Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

From the Lusatia Park vineyard, planted at Woori Yallock in 1985. A combination of whole berries and whole bunches; matured on fine lees in new and used barriques. A light, bright crimson. Perfumed and alluring with its aromas of wild strawberry, cranberries, rosebush and spice. Fans out beautifully on the gently textured palate, finishing with drop dead gorgeous, silky tannins. Tops. – Philip Rich

2023 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

Named after the Applejack eucalypts that surround the vineyard, which was planted at Gladysdale in 1997 by Ray Guerin. Seven clones comprising 114, 115, MV6, D2V5, D5V15, Pommard and Abel. Whole bunches (40 per cent) and 20–25 per cent new French barriques. 2022 was a hard act to follow, but this superb wine gives it a shake. Exotic, aromatic and pure with its bouquet of wild strawberries, dark cherries, quince, spices and flowers. Densley packed, this saturates the palate, but, as always, it's light on its feet at the same time. Seamless tannins round out another benchmark for what's already a benchmark wine. – Philip Rich

2022 Joshua Cooper Wines Doug's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Macedon Ranges

I’ve been in love with Doug for a few years now, well I don’t know the man but the vineyard sure produces exceptional fruit as this is an exquisite wine. Cherries and kirsch, raspberry coulis and an abundance of exotic spices with some twiggy, whole-bunch punch, chinotto and a blood orange tang, too. In other words, there’s complexity and detail. Fruit and oak tannins frame the mid-weighted palate, which is plush and almost sensual. Overall, tannins are silky and glide across the palate helped on the way by fine acidity. Wow, what a wine. – Jane Faulkner

2022 Keith Tulloch Wine The Kester Shiraz, Hunter Valley

The Kester is produced from the finest selection of shiraz from the season. It showcases the quality of the fruit without obtrusion from dominant winemaking influence and has fabulous intensity and a graceful flow. You'll find pomegranates, plums, raspberries and red liquorice with dainty flecks of herbs and spice. Gentle extraction methods are employed during fermentation, and Francois Frères foudres are used for the maturation, so even on release, you will find tannins beautifully fine and integrated. The wine is perfectly medium-weight, juicy and succulent, with vitality, personality, concentration and harmony. – Toni Paterson MW

2022 Lake's Folly Shiraz Merlot Petit Verdot, Hunter Valley

This wine is in a class of its own, personifying elegance, distinctiveness and originality. It defies conventional stereotypes, and thankfully so! This does not look like a Hunter wine, nor does it look like its unorthodox blend of 47/34/19 per cent shiraz/merlot/petit verdot, all estate-grown. But it does look like a Lake's Folly, with all its purity, layers, perfume, composure and harmony. Few wineries have such a powerful and consistent style signature, and for this, it deserves high praise. Unashamedly medium-bodied with an ever-so-fine palate packed with notes of damson plum, cherry brandy, white roses, native violet and tuberose. It is graceful and has finesse and clarity in a way that few wines do. The oak handling has been exceptional, and the tannins are near-silent but ever-present. And all this in a challenging year. Bravo. – Toni Paterson MW

2023 Margan Wines White Label Single Vineyard Ceres Hill Barbera, Broke Fordwich

Now, this is lovely. Deeply coloured with gorgeous high-toned cherry and boysenberry notes. The front palate has that magic combination of tautness and intensity, creating a mouth-watering sensation. The tannins are soft, and the acidity is bright. The joy of this wine is the clarity of the fruit, its intensity, the faint underlying savouriness and the gently mouth-puckering finish. It is made from the oldest barbera in the valley, planted in '98 on its own roots. Indignous yeast. Maturation in neutral oak, 10 per cent whole bunch. Love it. – Toni Paterson MW

2023 Montalto Estate Syrah, Mornington Peninsula

The colour is outrageous – a vibrant black purple shot with ruby. Heady aromas come in next all floral and spicy with a touch of meaty reduction and wood smoke with some nori, too. While it snaps, crackles and pops with juicy, tangy fruit, this is savoury – a big part of its appeal. Some licorice infuses the black plums, the tannins ripe, slightly gritty and textural covering the mid-weighted palate with ease. Syrah made by a pinot noir specialist. Nice one. – Jane Faulkner

2019 Pipan Steel IX Nebbiolo, Alpine Valleys

There's a seamless poise to Pipal Steel (clone) IX, an almost effortless ease that undoubtedly betrays the effort required. Beautifully composed. The entrancing nebbiolo world of florals arises from the glass in potpourri, anise, rose, violet, lively baking spices and cherry, red berries, cola and earth. The palate is where the magic really happens: elegant, vibrant and trimmed perfectly in savoury, supple tannins that drive the wine long. A top wine from a top vintage. Boom! – Jeni Port

2022 Pooley Wines Cooinda Vale Pinot Noir, Tasmania

Another stunning release from the Cooinda Vale vineyard, near Campania, for Pooley Wines; 10 per cent whole bunches and matured in French oak (30 per cent new) for 10 months. It's a captivating wine. Blood orange, dark and red cherry with wild strawberry top notes. The spice tones are exotic and gentle amaro herbs waft in and out of the drinker's line of sight. Hints of wildflowers, game, sous bois, Chinese five-spice, dried citrus rind and earth. Elegant and spacious in the mouth, pillowy fine tannins settling on the fruit, acidity sapid and lending a subtle umami facet as the wine slowly unwinds. It's nuanced, graceful and enthralling. – Dave Brookes

2022 SC Pannell Old McDonald Grenache, McLaren Vale

This vintage, a cool year and a fine one, the pinnacle Pannell grenache wines need extra time. This, from Blewitt Springs, and 80-year-old vines, is majestic, corseted to a degree by the commanding tannins of the year, but not diminished by them. The Pannell mandate of preservation of freshness is still on full display, if with some initial reticence. Redcurrant, rosehip, raspberry leaf tea, crushed rose, bergamot, dried orange peel, musk, mace and white pepper – so layered – underscored by a bass note of old-vine depth serenely cruising in low gear, in no rush, quietly confident. It’s a stunning expression. – Marcus Ellis

2022 Swinney Farvie Mourvèdre, Frankland River

A strong candidate for best mourvèdre in this land. It delivers a very strong indication of the variety with inimitable flair of fine tannin, minerality and general complexity. Scents of violets, game meat, new leather, red cherry and cola. Beautiful to sniff on. The palate finessed with Italianate tannin profile, sinewy ribbons of spiciness mixed with a crushed granite-like mineral undertow. More cherry, darker to taste, more game meat and sense of florals, too. Succulence personified with exceptional length. Such a distinctly savoury wine with herbs, spice, meatiness and florals to the fore. Unreal stuff. – Mike Bennie

2018 Syrahmi La La Shiraz, Heathcote

It's a dense wine, it displays a significant volume of both fruit and oak, and it churns with tannin from the mid-point of the wine onwards. It's a svelte, smoky, complex version of the take-no-prisoners style. And yet, even though it is all that, it's a good deal more as well, thanks mostly to the wonderful length of its flavour but also to the wine's rare blend of kaleidoscopic flavour and all-around control. – Campbell Mattinson

2021 The Standish Wine Company The Schubert Theorum, Barossa Valley

Six parcels of shiraz picked and fermented separately, from Roennfeldt Road in Marananga, each with its own nuance contributing to the final blend. Pure blackberry from the north, plums from the southern end, white pepper from the flat section and the gorgeous blue fruits from the north-eastern corner. It is a stunning wine of great balance, detail and complexity. I used to call this 'Darth Schubert' when I lived in the Barossa due to its label. I think Dan liked that. At least he laughed. Intensely coloured with a head-spinning purity to its fruit profile, it's a hell of a wine from a cracking vintage. Beautifully composed and crackling with energy and vitality despite its opulent fruit profile. Tannins wide, commanding and powder fine fade slowly back into the lush ironstone-dusted blue fruits. Its epic. – Dave Brookes

2023 Thistledown Wines Sands of Time Single Vineyard Blewitt Springs Grenache, McLaren Vale

From the Trott vineyard in Blewitt Springs, planted in 1952 to deep sand. Fermented in alternating layers of whole bunches and crushed fruit in concrete; maturation in oak and concrete for 10 months. This is coiled but given air, the potential is evident, if not fully revealed. Blue and red floral notes, dark red cherries, orange oil and a humus-like earthiness. This is presently the most reticent member of the ’23 grenache suite, with acidity feeling vigorous against the tensile complement of tannins, both cinching in the fruit presently. Based on the track record and the impeccable framing of fruit and site that’s already evident, this will grow amply in stature, and what an exciting prospect that is. – Marcus Ellis

2020 Woodlands Eleanor Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

I love this wine. Everything is in perfect harmony. So much flavour and depth yet it is elegant and feels effortless. You’ll be tantalised by violets, mulberries, blackcurrants, bay leaf and smidge of menthol and the distinct Woodlands character, it’s a ferrou/stony attribute. Mid-weighted even, if the palate comes bolstered with cedary oak, the tannins plentiful yet precise. There’s as much a latent power here as beauty. The latter to impress now, the former to ensure the wine ages. One of the finest wines from Woodlands to date. Bravo. – Jane Faulkner

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra

A cacophony of blackberries, Bing cherries and elderberries. Blackcurrant leaf, acaí and prune skin. Black coffee, vanilla pod, ash and charcoal. Acidity wisps about the palate like magic, a mesh of thread-like tannins pull and draw the focus. A hint of dark chocolate bitters; the wine finishes perky with echoing tunes of granite. It's just so centered and chic. Pure cabernet poise. – Shanteh Wale

2022 Yangarra Estate Vineyard Hickinbotham Clarendon Grenache, McLaren Vale

Destemmed, crushed and fermented in 1800L ‘cocciopesto’ (or opus signinum – a Roman ‘concrete’ that was used in bathhouses, cisterns and aqueducts) amphorae, with about 150 days on skins before pressing and returning, with 15 months' total time. Compared to the Ovitelli, this often shows a little more forward fruit and textural flex. In a year like 2022, where tannins and savouriness are turned up, that brighter pop gives this an earlier appeal, though it is no less equipped with mouth-puckering grip and zippy acidity. Raspberry, pomegranate, redcurrant, rosehip, musk, anise, dried orange peel, the fruit impeccably framed on the nose, and bound by an intricate net of fine sandy tannin on the palate carrying incredibly long. It’s an exceptional release. – Marcus Ellis

2022 Yeringberg Yeringberg, Yarra Valley

A blend of 63/16/10/7/4 per cent cabernet sauvignon/merlot/petit verdot/malbec/cabernet franc. That's two great back-to-back vintages for this Yarra Valley and Australian classic. Bright crimson purple. A wonderful bouquet of perfectly ripened black cherries, blackcurrants, cedar (from the already integrated oak) and lavender. With its core of dark fruits and impeccably balanced, fully ripe yet silky tannins, this complex and harmonious wine is destined to join the ranks of the very best Yeringbergs. – Philip Rich

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