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A decade of Halliday Wine of the Year

By Anna Webster

21 Oct, 2022

A Halliday member has collected the Wine Companion Wine of the Year every year since the award was first announced. Now, he's auctioning off a complete pack. 

If you’ve ever wanted to try every single Halliday Wine Companion Wine of the Year, now’s your chance. Long-term Halliday member and passionate wino Matt White is auctioning off a 10-bottle pack containing every winner since the award’s inception. 
 
“It’s been a passion of mine over the last 10 years,” says Matt. “As soon as the winner is announced each year, I jump online and buy as many bottles as I can find.” 
 
The only wines Matt has been unable to purchase directly are the 2010 Bass Phillip Reserve Pinot Noir, the 2014 Best’s Thomson Family Shiraz and the 2017 Duke’s Magpie Hill Reserve Riesling. The first two he managed to find at auction – the Bass Phillip from James Halliday’s private collection. As for the Duke’s, an appeal direct to winemaker Bruce Duke secured Matt the last three available bottles. 

A man stands in a winery holding a bottle of wine at an angleBen Thomson of Best’s Wines with the 2021 Foudre Ferment Riesling; 2023's Wine of the Year. Best’s also won the 2018 Wine of the Year for its Thomson Family Shiraz.

“To the best of my knowledge it’s the only complete pack in existence,” says Matt. “I don’t know if there are other collectors out there who’ve done the same thing, but it’s really quite unique." 
 
The wines have been stored perfectly in Matt’s cellar at his home in Melbourne’s north-east, and are sold in a timber display case. Langton’s is behind the auction and have set the opening bid at $3495. Auction closes Tuesday 25 October at 9pm.

For the full list of wines (and their point scores), scroll down. 

 

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