Eight exceptional wines to try rated 96-plus points

If you've got a special occasion coming up, or just feel like treating yourself to a really incredible wine – we've got the list for you. The eight wines below have all been rated 96 points or above by the Halliday Tasting Team, putting them firmly in the 'exceptional' tier of the 100-point rating system.

For context, only 12.2 per cent of the nearly 7500 wines Halliday Wine Companion reviewed for the 2027 Companion were rated 96 points or above, so it's a pretty exclusive club.

From a 97-point McLaren Vale grenache that is "a wine of deep intrigue", to a Barossa cabernet sauvignon shiraz blend with "gorgeous fruit purity and detail" also rated 97-points, and a 96-point Margaret River chardonnay that is "a superb drink", this list has you covered. We also include insight from the winemakers about the influence of the region on their wines, and discover the best ways to enjoy them.

2024 Bondar Wines Hope Springs Eternal Blewitt Springs Grenache, McLaren Vale

Trott vineyard, ’52-planted bush vines, about 60% whole bunch with a very gentle extraction, matured in seasoned Austrian oak, ceramic and sandstone amphora. The Trott vineyard often throws darker fruits and moodier florals, and they’re here, yet the core remains red fruited and the structure is agreeably tense, a conduit for the twin charge of acidity and silty, chewy tannins. The high whole-bunch component builds that tannin, plus adds spice, but is also discreet. Wild raspberry, sour black and red cherry, redcurrant gel, goji, rosehip tea, orange poached rhubarb. It’s a wine of deep intrigue rather than easy pleasures, savoury, structurally corded, far from difficult, but a wine to age, as is the intent. – Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion

Winemaker Andre Bondar says: Our Hope Springs Eternal wines represent the pinnacle of our range, sourced from vineyard sites we believe are among the finest expressions of each variety in the region. For grenache, that site is the Wilpena vineyard in the heart of Blewitt Springs. Widely regarded as a benchmark vineyard for the variety, these dry-grown bush vines were planted in 1952 in deep Maslin Sands. The vineyard consistently produces wines of remarkable power and structure, with a distinctive and commanding tannin profile.

H. How does your region influence the wine?
AB. The Wilpena vineyard sits at around 200 metres altitude and further inland in terms of the McLaren Vale region, deep in the heart of Blewitt Springs. Facing south, the vineyard tends to produce grenache with a darker fruit profile, layered with considerable structure. It is a wine that rewards patience – one that requires time to harmonise, soften and fully reveal its character. 

Best enjoyed: Drink in Autumn, at cool room temperature and best enjoyed in Burgundy glasses. Pair it with slow-roasted lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic, served with Ottolenghi’s Baked Rice.

RRP $80 | Drink to 2038 | bondarwines.com.au | Shop this wine

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2024 Clarendon Hills Astralis McLaren Vale

The evolution of this wine is something. Once about power and saturating presence, it is now about detail and savoury drive. Once it was all whole bunch and all new oak. Today, it is all destemmed and sees 20% new French, with 20% recent fill, and about 50% three to five years old. This wine always feels like a noble struggle. The organic battling the inorganic, vine roots cleaving rock, searching for water. Dark fruit and dark mineral notes, black tea, chewing tobacco, potpourri, tapenade, dried herbs, star anise, old leather and struck iron. It's such a savoury wine, fruit ripe yet not rich, finely etched tannins carrying long, the fan of flavour-detail on the finish profound. It’s the new way with Astralis, and I’m on board. Outstanding. – Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion

Co-Owner and Sales & Marketing Director Alex Bratasiuk says: 2024 is the 30th Anniversary vintage for Clarendon Hills Astralis. Three decades of resolute commitment and relentless refinement and pragmatism has captured the terroir in 2024 with fidelity and grace. The growing season delivered approximately a 30% lower yield from the 104 year old ‘Astralis’ Syrah vineyard site, effectively further concentrating an already highly complex vineyard expression. The result: seamless power, majesty and grace at a higher level.

H. How does your region influence the wine?
AB. McLaren Vale’s proximity to the Great Southern Ocean significantly influences its climate and the resulting wine's prominent acid retention. Natural acidity with florals coupled with fruit power and complexity makes our varietals uniquely McLaren Vale. The region is effectively an ancient oceanic shore line located in the mountains. The deep sands here are located above sub-terrainial layers of ironstone and quartz mineral rich clays that forge a highly compelling and world-class syrah and old-vine grenache.

Best enjoyed: With love and shared with those that mean the most. We recommend drinking it after decanting and in RIEDEL Sommelier Grand Cru Hermitage glassware. Make sure you are somewhere comfortable, preferably fire side or at a favourite restaurant.

RRP $350 | Drink to 2064+ | clarendonhills.com.au | Shop this wine

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2024 Clarendon Hills Romas Grenache, McLaren Vale

All destemmed, with over a month total time on skins. Oak is older. This is from a section of 1920s vines on tough, hungry soils. That’s a major feature of this cuvée, the ironstone, quartz and shale ever present in the glass. Blood and rust, an old-world merchant’s shop, redolent with a melange of tea and spices. Dehydrated black olive, raspberry, a garnish wheel of dried blood orange, kirsch and black cherry liqueur, sans sweetness. It’s a wine of savoury sweep and quiet power, expansive, incisively mineral, tarry, acidity vigorous, tannins marshalled for a long journey. It needs air, and it needs time, such is Romas. Do as it says. – Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion

Co-Owner and Sales & Marketing Director Alex Bratasiuk says: The 2024 Romas Grenache is a magically perfumed glass that reflects a truly prolific grenache vintage. The bush vines in this 104 year old site are some of the oldest in Blewitt Springs and the associative microscopic yields forge the best grenache grapes we see every year – the 2024 is no exception. The wine is so fine, elegant and infinite in its length.

H. How does your region influence the wine?
AB. Blewitt Springs' famous deep Maslin Sands typify the region, although this site reaches slightly beyond the sand an in to ironstone and quartz rock formations. The site is located in ancient terroir dated 750–1600 million years of age and the vines are 104 years old.

Best enjoyed: The Romas is best enjoyed with duck. The French make an excellent cassoulet to accompany a wine like this and the Cantonese have Smoked Tea Duck. Both equally delicious.

RRP $150 | Drink to 2038 | clarendonhills.com.au | Shop this wine

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2016 John Duval Wines Integro, Barossa

A stunning blend of 70/30% Eden Valley cabernet sauvignon from the Stonegarden vineyard near Springton/Barossa Valley shiraz from Ebenezer in the north; matured in French oak (42% new) for 18 months. Gorgeous fruit purity and detail here with a cascade of ripe blackberry, blackcurrant, damson plum and black cherry fruits over hints of baking spices, cassis, cedar, pan juices, violets, dark chocolate, bay leaf, olive tapenade and licorice. Full bodied, with incredibly rich black fruits studded with dark clove and star anise, a cascade of fine tannin and a thick-shouldered crème de cassis-like flow on the finish. Phwoar! – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion 

Winemaker Tim Duval say: Integro is our contribution to the great Australian tradition of blending cabernet and shiraz. It combines the elegance and structure of cabernet with the mid-palate richness of shiraz.

H. How does your region influence the wine?
TD. Cabernet is sourced from centenarian vines from the cooler Eden Valley to retain purity of fruit and elegance, whereas shiraz is sourced from the Barossa Valley providing richness and length. The two valleys blend so well together.

Best enjoyed: With some nice bottle-aged complexity already, the 2016 Integro would pair well with simple marbled steaks, or an earthy mushroom risotto.

RRP $245 | Drink to 2046 | johnduvalwines.com | Shop this wine

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2024 Clarendon Hills Sandown Blewitt Springs Syrah, McLaren Vale

The vines were in their late 80s at harvest and, with a smaller yield than average, that translates to a concentrated wine. The prevailing trend at this address for a lighter touch is just as impactful, though. Blue, black and red fruits. Sour cherry, blueberry, damson plum, blackberry, wild cherry. Some graphite. Preserved salted beef. Ground anise. Clove and ginger, fresh straw. A raspberry sour, made dry. There’s a floral/leafy quality here, too, with blackcurrant leaf, wild flowers, fennel pollen and ‘wet’ fennel seeds. There’s a lot to unpack, and this, with its fine acidity and assertively fine-grained tannins, will unfurl over many positively charged years. – Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion 

Co-Owner and Sales & Marketing Director Alex Bratasiuk says: Sandown vineyard is home to old-vine syrah and cabernet vines. The 90 year old syrah vines planted in 1935 were once trellised but stand individually and yield only one tonne per acre. The exotic side of syrah is on display here. Utterly delicious now but wait a few years for the real show to start.

H. How does your region influence the wine?
AB. The Sandown vineyard is located at the South Western corner of Blewitt Springs. The syrah patch is western facing and recessed in to an old creek bed. Prominent ironstone and quartz and shale rock fragment are scattered throughout the coarse terroir sands atop ironstone rich clay.

Best enjoyed: The Sandown Syrah is best enjoyed with well-made Italian food. Porcini mushroom risotto or Veal Saltimbocca will be a sensational accompaniment.

RRP $85 | Drink to 2054 | clarendonhills.com.au | Shop this wine

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2024 Clarendon Hills Sandown Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale

From vines planted in 1930 to the Reynella clone in Blewitt Springs. This unwraps over days, like many Clarendon Hills wines, though perhaps more so than any in this vintage. There are some high notes of fresh thyme, sage, mint and hedgerow, along with cigar tobacco and cedar over a core of blackberry, blackcurrant and wild raspberry, which melt into a darkly mineral core, the drive of acid and robust linear tannins auguring for a long life ahead. It’s an excellent release, but a year or two of cool slumber is advised before broaching, though the pleasure will still flow with half a day in a decanter.– Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion 

Co-Owner and Sales & Marketing Director Alex Bratasiuk says: The 96 year old cabernet sauvignon vines were planted in 1930 atop Blewitt Springs’ deep sands. The free-draining nature of the sands facilitates exceptional vine biology and health, and when coupled with the sub-terrainial ironstone layers of both rock and mineral rich clays the result is a powerful and perfumed expression of cabernet terroir.

H. How does your region influence the wine?
AB. The Sandown vineyard is located at the South Western corner of Blewitt Springs. The Sandown Cabernet Sauvignon patch is located in deep Blewitt Springs sands with prominent ironstone and quartz and shale rock fragment scattered throughout. The free-draining nature of the terroir produces a highly perfumed expression.

Best enjoyed: The Sandown Cabernet Sauvignon is best enjoyed with lamb. On a recent trip to Bordeaux we had lamb rack grilled over a fire made from vine cuttings. The flavour and experience was unforgettable.

RRP $85 | Drink to 2064 | clarendonhills.com.au | Shop this wine

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2024 Thompson Estate The Specialist Chardonnay, Margaret River

Vigneron, cardiologist, lecturer, researcher, Professor Peter Thompson AM died in late ’24. The name Specialist is for obvious reasons, and this wine is a fitting tribute to his legacy and the estate he established with his wife, Jane. It’s a superb drink. Intense but not overwrought, flavoursome with grapefruit, lemon and lime zest, freshly sliced ginger and a saline tang throughout. The uber-refreshing acidity tempers the richer cedary oak and creamy lees characters. Bravo. – Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion 

Winemaker Paul Dixon says: The Specialist Chardonnay is about selecting the very best parcels from our Wilyabrup vineyard and allowing the site to speak with purity and detail. The 2024 vintage gave us exceptional fruit intensity and natural balance, with warm, dry conditions delivering wonderful concentration while still retaining freshness and finesse. I love the tension in this wine: the bright citrus line, the layered stone fruit characters and the subtle complexity from wild fermentation and French oak. It’s a chardonnay that captures both power and elegance in equal measure.

H. How does your region influence the wine?
PD. Margaret River’s unique maritime climate plays a defining role in shaping The Specialist Chardonnay. Warm, dry days are balanced by cooling ocean breezes from the Indian and Southern Oceans, allowing the fruit to ripen slowly while retaining natural acidity and freshness in the renowned Wilyabrup subregion.

Best enjoyed: Serve lightly chilled in a quality Burgundy glass to fully appreciate the wine’s aromatic detail and texture. Perfect alongside fresh seafood, grilled lobster, roast chicken or creamy mushroom dishes. Decanting is not essential, though a little time in the glass allows the wine’s layers and complexity to unfold beautifully.

RRP $100 | Drink to 2044 | thompsonestate.com | Shop this wine

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2025 Wirra Wirra Vineyards Blagrove Vineyard Grenache, McLaren Vale

Part of the newer single-site series for Wirra Wirra, and what an excellent range it is. The vineyard is on McMurtrie Road, a little east of Wirra Wirra, with vines planted in the 1920s to alluvial clay-loam soils. Such a distinctive wine. It’s rugged in its way, feeling like the survivors those vines are, a story of the land and the ebb and flow of history, the roots dug deep, enduring. It’s pure, though, and not heavy, made with a light touch. A wine of place. Savoury. Pressed flowers, dried cranberry and cherry, dried wild fennel seeds on senesced heads, warm stone, cracked earth, the palate commanding but not stern, tannin authoritative. It’s very impressive. – Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion 

Chief winemaker Emma Wood says: There is something special about making a wine from vines nearing 100 years old. While the vineyard carries incredible history, the wine itself feels vibrant and full of energy, with plenty of bright grenache fruit. For me, our Blagrove Single Vineyard Grenache release has excellent presence and poise, yet isn’t full bodied and heavy. Layers of red fruit, savoury spice and chalky tannins create a wine with balance and tension, making it both moreish and delicious with food.

H. How does your region influence the wine?
EW. This wine reflects both the Blagrove site and the warm maritime climate of McLaren Vale. Grenache is a later ripening variety, so the region’s Mediterranean summer warmth allows flavours and tannins to develop slowly and evenly. The very old dry-grown bush vines also bring depth and concentration, while careful hand harvesting helps preserve purity and site expression.

Best enjoyed: As the weather cools, grenache is the perfect wine for sharing with friends over dinner. I prefer to serve this wine slightly below room temperature, around 12–15°C, which really highlights its fragrance and freshness. It pairs beautifully with roasted white meats including duck, chicken and pork. Recently, I enjoyed it with roast porchetta served with toasted fennel and black pepper gravy – a combination that worked exceptionally well with the wine’s savoury spice and bright fruit profile.

RRP $50 | Drink to 2030 | wirrawirra.com | Shop this wine

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