4 August 2022

Last night's 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards saw All Saints Estate retain the hard-earned accreditation ofFive Red Stars. To achieve five red stars, a winery must regularly produce wines of exemplary quality and typicity and have at least two wines rated as 95 points or above. Surpassing these criteria, All Saints Estate achieved no less thaneight wines rated as 95 points or above, an incredible testament to winemaker Nicholas Brown and his hardworking vineyard and winemaking teams.

Not surprisingly, the highest performing individual wines were All Saints Estate's treasuredMuseum Fortifiedwines – the NV Muscat and Muscadelle – achieving 100 points (GOLD). To quote reviewer Jeni Port on the Museum Muscat, "It's hard to divide your emotions from your analytical need to describe and separate the perfume (heaven) from the taste (super-concentrated) and the lasting impression that just goes and goes… Quite an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Reinforcing our credentials in Muscat,All Saints Estate Grand MuscatandRare Muscatboth achieved 97 points (GOLD), whileAll Saints Estate Classic Muscat,Grand Tawny,Grand MuscadelleandRare Muscadelleearned 95 points (also GOLD).

 And it's not just All Saints Estate's famous fortifieds that came out on top; the reds were revered too. The2019 All Saints Estate Pierre, our Limited Release Bordeaux-inspired Cabernet blend, achieving 95 points (GOLD). "The aroma, as always, is lifted and aromatic, thanks to Merlot in large part, in violet, rose petal, musk and spicy black and red fruits. So smooth, so seamless on the palate and elegant”.

 Coming in at 94 points (SILVER) was the2018 All Saints Estate Family Cellar Durif. "A serious adaptation of Rutherglen Durif, one that embraces the grape's natural dominance of tannin and fruit power while making it more approachable now. A tricky winemaking performance, if ever there was one. Generous but delivered with sapid, fine tannin elegance. A keeper."

 Over at neighbouring St Leonards Vineyard, a site known for its aromatic, sandy river soils, theHip Sip MuscatandTawnyand ever-popular Cabernet Franc, each came in at 92 points (SILVER). Port describes the2019 St Leonards Vineyard Cabernet Francas "a lovely thing to behold and taste. The wine is ablaze in red plum, raspberry and black cherry fruits with a herbal infusion of thyme and pepper, finishing with a dash of rose petal. A long finish aided and abetted by bright acidity and tannins. More please."

This update is just a snippet of some of the best-performing wines in the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion; stay tuned for a complete list of scores and reviews!