Halliday Wine Companion salutes Hunter Valley wineries

The print book version (a larger with more content is available online at winecompanion.com.au) runs to 744 pages with tastings notes for more than 8500 wines from more than 1100 wineries.

All up, 41 per cent of the wineries rated were given 5 stars, the highest accolade for outstanding quality (with at least two wines rated 95 or better on a scale of 100).

Thirty-three Hunter Valley wineries earned five stars in the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion. They are Audrey Wilkinson, Bimbadgen, Briar Ridge Vineyard, Brokenwood, Carillion Wines, Charteris Wines, David Hook Wines, De Iuliis, First Creek Wines, Glenguin Estate, Gundog Estate, Keith Tulloch Wines, Leogate Estate Wines, McLeish Estate Wines, Margan Wines, Meerea Park, Mercer Wines, Mistletoe Wines, Mount Eyre Vineyards, Mount Pleasant, Pepper Tree Wines, Peter Drayton Wines, Pooles Rock, RidgeView Wines, Scarborough Wine Co, Silkman Wines, Stomp Wines, Thomas Wines, Tinklers Vineyard, Tyrrell's Wines, Usher Tinkler Wines, Whispering Brook and Winmark Wines.

Several Hunter wineries were noted in Halliday's own wine awards and ratings, including three nominated for winery of the year - Pepper Tree, Leogate Estate and First Creek Wines (the award was won by Bleasdale Vineyards, Langhorne Creek, South Australia).

Jim Chatto was a runner-up for winemaker of the year at Pepper Tree Wines (where he has returned as consultant winemaker).

Liz Riley was a runner-up for viticulturalist of the year for her work for Mistletoe Wines and Scarborough Wine Co.

Briar Ridge Vineyard was in the finals list for best value winery, with 10 of its wines awarded "special value" status, scoring 94 or higher and priced at or below $50. Carillion Wines also rated as a finalist for best value winery (10 wines rated "special value").

Winmark Wines was a finalist for best new winery, with owner Karin Adcock's investment of time, effort and money in revitalising the vineyard starting to win recognition.

And reaching the finals of dark horse winery of the year, for achieving five-star status, was Mount Eyre Vineyards.

Besides dominated top ratings in the semillon category (34 Hunter semillons rating 96 or above), Hunter Valley wineries popped in ratings for chardonnay (97-point ratings for wines from Whispering Brook, Tyrrell's and Leogate Estate), cabernet shiraz (Sweetwater Wines).

Several Hunter Valley shirazes rated high, including Tyrrell's Old Patch Shiraz 2021 (99 points) and wines from Pepper Tree (three), Brokenwood (two), Meerea Park, Tyrrell's (three in total), Mount Pleasant (5 wines), Audrey Wilkinson, Mistletoe Wines, Pooles Rock (two), Leogate Estate, and Thomas Wines.