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Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2021 announces shortlist

Halliday Wine

Halliday Wine Companion, the industry benchmark for Australian wine, has announced the return of its annual awards in ceremony form at the Stokehouse in St Kilda on 12 August. The event will also be broadcast locally and internationally on the website that evening. 

For the first time this year, judging for the Halliday Wine Companion Awards was conducted by the full Halliday Tasting Panel, led by renowned wine critic editor-at-large James Halliday and award-winning wine expert and chief editor, Tyson Stelzer. 

In March, all seven tasters – including Jeni Port, Ned Goodwin, Erin Larkin, Jane Faulkner and Tony Love – nominated candidates from their respective regions for all awards categories. The panel has jointly pinpointed the top-rated Australian wines, winemakers, wineries and viticulturists from over 9,000 entrants through a series of tastings, round-table discussions and collaborative decisions. 

This year ceremony will present seven major trophies including a new category, Viticulturist of the Year. The other six traditional awards are Wine of the Year, Winemaker of the Year, Winery of the Year, Best Value Winery, Best New Winery and Dark Horse Winery. 

Additionally, the year’s top varietal winners will be awarded across seventeen categories, including Red Wine of the Year, White Wine of the Year, Sparkling of the Year, Shiraz of the Year and Riesling of the Year, among others. 

To recognise the finalists considered for the Halliday Wine Companion Awards, the tasting panel has shared its curated 2022 Shortlist. The Shortlist is a pre-celebration for the Australian wine industry, recognising the high industry standards of the Australian market. 

Also for the first time this year, Halliday Wine Companion has unveiled a People’s Choice Award which will recognise Australia’s Best Winery Experience according to the people who have visited it. Voting will take place online and can be based on anything from a standout cellar door, fantastic restaurant, friendly staff, scenic views or anything else that contributes to an overall incredible experience. 

Submissions will be open until midnight on 31 July, with each submission putting voters in the running to win a prize pack boasting the best of the 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards. The People’s Choice Award winner will be revealed on 7 August, prior to the 2022 Awards. 

The awards and launch of the 2022 Halliday Wine Companion guide will mark the release of more than 9,100 new tasting notes, available on the morning of 13 August. There are 77 new wineries featured in this year’s Wine Companion, alongside refreshed star ratings and runners-up in every major award category. More than 3,200 of these notes will be released in the 2022 Halliday Wine Companion, with the full 9,100 available on the website. 

After a challenging year, the awards aim to unify wineries, industry personalities, journalists, reviewers, retailers, sommeliers and wine lovers in celebration of the industry. 

Wines will be available at online wine retailer Vinomofo from 13 August. 

The 2022 Halliday Wine Companion is available to pre-order now. 

For more information about the 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, visit www.winecompanion.com.au. 

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