Want to escape to wine country? We’ve got plenty of places to pick from Down Under – Yarra Valley, McClaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Margaret River or the Hunter Valley, just to name a few. Within each region, you’ll find plenty of world-class vineyards and estates, offering top-tier drops at every price point. We're here to steer you in the right direction with our guide to the best wineries in Australia, but you can also take advice from The Real Review, one of Australia’s leading authorities in wine, who has just unveiled its highly anticipated annual list of the Top Wineries in Australia.
Taking out the top spot for Winery of the Year Australia 2024 was Yarra Valley winery Yarra Yering. It's the fourth year in a row that a Victorian winery has taken out first prize. And it's not the first time Yarra Yering has taken the crown, having won it back in 2021. The judges gave special mention to Yarra Yering’s Carrodus Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, which achieved an almost-perfect score of 99 points, along with its 2022 Chardonnay and its Dry Red Wine No 1 Cabernet Blend. We'll take a case of each, please. And maybe the vino-tasting job, too?
This prestigious prize was awarded by a panel of the nation's top critics who sampled more than 10,000 wines around the country – but their final decision isn't made lightly. To ensure consistency, the ranking is determined by a proprietary algorithm, which considers the rating and recency of reviews by The Real Review’s panel over two years.
Completing the top five of this year’s list is Henschke in second place (Eden Valley, South Australia), Wine by Farr in third (Geelong, Victoria), Penfolds in fourth (South Australia) and the 2023 winner, Oakridge in fifth (Yarra Valley, Victoria).
Across the board, the Barossa Valley leads the pack with the most wineries in this year’s 384-strong list, with South Australian wineries making up more than a third of the list. The next best-performing wine states were Victoria, claiming more than a quarter of the winning wineries, and the Margaret River with 15 per cent.
Curious to see which other wineries stood out from the rest? The full list of The Real Review Top Wineries of Australia 2024 can be found here. We don't know about you, but our wine racks could do with a few extra bottles.
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