In the just-released 2026 Halliday Wine Companion, Beechworth has once again proven why it holds a revered place on Australia’s vinous map. With standout entries across almost every major varietal category – from Other Reds and Pinot Noir to Chardonnay and Other Whites – the region’s vignerons have shown remarkable depth, diversity, and finesse.
In the Other Whites category, Beechworth vignerons stood tall. Eldorado Road’s 2024 Dreamfields Fiano was hailed for its vibrancy and layered texture (“all hail North East Vic fiano”), while Giaconda’s 2022 Estate Roussanne offered a “journey to the heart of roussanne” – both earning 96 points and reinforcing the region’s strength beyond traditional varietals.
Of course, no mention of Beechworth in the Halliday Wine Companion would be complete without Chardonnay. Giaconda’s 2022 release was a showstopper, scoring a near-perfect 99 points – “a chardonnay masterclass from the masters.” Savaterre’s 2023 Chardonnay was not far behind, earning 97 points and described as a “double wow” wine with “deep concentration and purity of flavour.”
While the top gong for Other Reds and Blends went to Tyrrell’s Vat 8 – described by reviewer Katrina Butler as “a modern take (with a long legacy) on the Great Australian Red” – Beechworth made a commanding impression with no fewer than four wines among the highest-rated in that same bracket. From Giaconda’s soul-stirring 2021 Nebbiolo (97 points), to Eldorado Road’s intense and brooding 2023 Riserva Nero d’Avola (“a wine to set the senses alight” – 96 points), the region’s take on alternative reds is anything but niche.
Fighting Gully Road contributed two standout Sangiovese expressions – the 2022 Black Label Block 02 and 2023 vintage, both awarded 96 points – described as “taut, precision-driven engines” with serious cellaring potential. Meanwhile, in the Best of the Pinot Noir bracket, the 2024 Indigo Vineyard Pinot Noir from Brokenwood, grown in Beechworth but made in the Hunter, wowed with its “ethereal” texture and “remarkable clarity,” also scoring 96 points.
Finally, in the ever-competitive Shiraz category, Giaconda’s 2022 vintage was a standout at 97 points – praised for its unfolding complexity and “lovely shiraz ride.”
This year’s Companion not only cements Beechworth’s reputation for excellence but shows a region unafraid to push boundaries. As reviewer Toni Paterson MW observed in regard to shiraz, “Wonderful to see so many expressions and personalities on the table.” The same could easily be said of Beechworth itself – a region where innovation and tradition walk side by side, vintage after vintage.
Read all of the results from the varietal winners in the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion here.