The Top Wineries of Australia rankings have been revealed, with Wine by Farr in Victoria named Winery of the Year for a second time.
Wine by Farr first won the award in 2022, and the 2025 accolade marks the fifth consecutive year that a Victorian winery has claimed the coveted title.
Huon Hooke, Principal Wine Writer of The Real Review, which hosts the awards, commented: “Wine by Farr is a thoroughly deserving recipient of Winery of the Year. Nick Farr and his team continue to produce wines of exceptional quality and character, year after year.
“Our tastings confirmed this, with the RP Pinot Noir earning an impressive 99 points and a finalist position for Red Wine of the Year. It was closely followed by a trio of 98-point wines: GC Chardonnay, Tout Près Pinot Noir, and By Farr Shiraz.”
Rounding out the top five wineries are Yarra Yerring (#2, Yarra Valley, VIC and 2024’s Winery of the Year), Levantine Hill (#3, Yarra Valley, VIC), Giant Steps (#4, Yarra Valley, VIC), and Wynns Coonawarra Estate (#5, Coonawarra, SA).
Victorian wineries were well represented, securing nine positions in the top 20. But despite a strong showing, it was South Australian wineries that claimed the biggest share, making up 36 per cent of the top wineries ranked.
Hooke says among the Victorian wineries featured in the top rankings this year, several were consistent performers.
“This is echoed in our new selection of category winners: the White Wine of the Year (Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Chardonnay) and the Red Wine of the Year (Yeringberg 2022) both hail from the Yarra Valley and reflect the region’s strength in cool-climate styles,” he explained.
“South Australia again contributed the largest share of the rankings, accounting for just over 35 per cent of the Top Wineries list. Wynns Coonawarra Estate stood out as the highest-ranked South Australian winery, rising 21 places this year to claim the number five position.”
Western Australia and New South Wales also received significant recognition this year, claiming 59 and 57 of the top wineries respectively. Tasmania accounted for approximately eight per cent of the top wineries, securing 35 places in the rankings.
To determine the ranking, more than 15,000 wines were assessed by an expert tasting panel, and with 414 wineries recognised with Top Wineries certification, roughly 15 per cent of Australia’s producers were represented.
Now in its eighth year, the Top Wineries of Australia has expanded to include eight new category awards, celebrating varietal excellence and industry talent.
The inaugural Vigneron of the Year was awarded to Sandra and David de Pury from Yeringberg, who were recognised for their honest terroir wines.
Another new award category was Rising Star of the Year, with Gareth Belton of Gentle Folk in Adelaide Hills claiming the title. Judges were impressed by his 2022 and 2023 single-site expressions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which showed subtlety, nuance and attention to detail.
Awards were also given out in style-specific categories, including House of Arras (Sparkling Wine of the Year), Giant Steps (White Wine of the Year), S.C. Pannell (Rosé Wine of the Year), Yeringberg (Red Wine of the Year), De Bortoli (Sweet Wine of the Year) and Chambers (Fortified Wine of the Year).