This SA winery officially has the best shiraz in the world

Taylah DarnellBy Taylah Darnell
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Australia adds another trophy to its growing shelf of wine awards.

Nothing warms the soul quite like a full-bodied shiraz in winter. And if you live in the Barossa Valley, you can now pop by for a bottle of the best in the world. I’m not exaggerating either – an expert panel at this year’s prestigious Sommelier Choice Awards officially named the red varietal from Hare’s Chase the Shiraz of the Year.

Hare's Chase in the Barossa Valley, SA
Hare’s Chase sits in the Barossa Valley. (Image: Dragan Fine Art Photography)

Australia is home to plenty of impressive wine regions, many of them spread generously across South Australia. With its cool climate, diverse terroir and ideal soil conditions, the state has long been a powerhouse of premium wine production – from the Adelaide Hills to McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley.

Just an hour’s drive from Adelaide, the Barossa offers a healthy handful of award-winning vineyards, including Hare’s Chase. Sitting atop a hill overlooking its rolling patchwork of vines, the boutique winery is known for producing a curated list of sustainable and flavourful tipples.

Hare's Chase in the Barossa Valley, SA
The 2021 Ironscraper Shiraz claimed Shiraz of the Year.

But it’s the 2021 Ironscraper Shiraz that won the hearts of judges at this year’s Sommelier Choice Awards in Chicago, USA. Characterised by its crimson hue and full-bodied flavour, the vibrant wine carries a wild berry aroma with undertones of cinnamon and chocolate. It delivers an overall punchy plum palate, partnered with soft acidity and velvety tannins.

The wine was evaluated on everything from quality, typicity and value for money to food friendliness and even packaging before being awarded Shiraz of the Year. Not only that, but Hare’s Chase also won Red Wine Producer of the Year, with all four of its entrants also earning gold medals and scores above 90.

Run by Aulian International, the winery has consistently impressed on the global stage, with accolades from the Decanter World Wine Awards, London Wine Show and more. Even its sister Barossa winery, Schubert Estate , is on the rise. Its 2021 ‘The Lone Goose’ shiraz viognier received Best in Show for Australian red wine at the esteemed international wine competition Mundus Vini in Germany.

Hare's Chase in the Barossa Valley, SA
The winery also won Red Wine Producer of the Year. (Image: Dragan Fine Art Photography)

Despite this (and over 20 years’ experience in the industry), it’s still a pinch-me moment for Hare’s Chase chief winemaker, Matt Reynolds. “Being recognised at the Sommeliers Choice Awards by the very professionals who shape the US dining experience is a tremendous honour," he says.

“Having our wine evaluated and awarded by a panel that includes master sommeliers validates our commitment to excellence in every bottle. We pride ourselves in making red wines that deliver on the promise of generous flavour that Barossa is renowned for, and these results uphold the continued appeal and relevance of the classic Barossa style."

Australia is clearly staking its claim in the world of wine. Just take a look at the fierce competition for 2025’s Winery of the Year or the recent Halliday Wine Companion shortlist for 2026 – Shiraz of the Year only adds to an ever-growing tally of achievements.

While there is currently no cellar door, you can catch Hare’s Chase and its award-winning shiraz at the Good Food and Wine Show in Perth (18–20 July) and Brisbane (24–26 October), as well as the Sydney Good Food and Wine Show Christmas Market (2–23 November).

Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to visit places like Norway and New Zealand, her favourite place to explore will forever be her homeland.
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This luxe trawler tour is redefining Victoria’s seafood experience

    Chloe CannBy Chloe Cann
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    Victoria’s ‘mussel capital’ is the source of exceptional shellfish used by top chefs far and wide. Step aboard a beautifully refurbished trawler to see how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

    A curtain is slowly winched from the placid, teal waters just off Portarlington , like a floating garland beside our boat. The ropes heave with blue mussels, the star attraction of our tour. But as we reach to pluck our own, it’s quickly clear they’re not alone; a mass of weird and wonderful creatures has colonised the ropes, turning them into a living tapestry. ‘Fairy’ oysters, jelly-like sea squirts, and tiny, wriggling skeleton shrimp all inhabit this underwater ecosystem.

    We prize our bivalve bounty from the ropes, and minutes later the mussels arrive split on a platter. The plump orange morsels are served raw, ready to be spritzed with wedges of lemon and a lick of chilli as we gaze out over the bay. They’re briny, tender and faintly sweet. “This wasn’t originally part of the tour,” explains Connie Trathen, who doubles as the boat’s cook, deckhand and guide. “But a chef [who came onboard] wanted to taste the mussels raw first, and it’s now become one of the key features.”

    A humble trawler turned Hamptons-style dreamboat

    inspecting bivalve bounty from the ropes
    Inspecting the bounty. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

    It’s a crisp, calm winter’s day, and the sun is pouring down upon Valerie, a restored Huon pine workhorse that was first launched in January 1980. In a previous life she trawled the turbulent Bass Strait. These days she takes jaunts into Port Phillip Bay under the helm of Lance Wiffen, a fourth-generation Bellarine farmer, and the owner of Portarlington Mussel Tours . While Lance has been involved in the fishing industry for 30-plus years, the company’s tour boat only debuted in 2023.

    holding Portarlington mussels
    See how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

    It took more than three years to transform the former shark trawler into a dreamy, Hamptons-esque vessel, with little expense spared. Think muted green suede banquettes, white-washed walls, Breton-striped bench cushions, hardwood tables, bouquets of homegrown dahlias, and woollen blankets sourced from Waverley Mills, Australia’s oldest working textile mill. It’s intimate, too, welcoming 12 guests at most. And yet there’s nothing pretentious about the experience – just warm, down-to-earth Aussie hospitality.

    As we cruise out, we crack open a bottle of local bubbles and nibble on the most beautifully curated cheese platter, adorned with seashells and grey saltbush picked from the water’s edge that very morning. Australasian gannets soar overhead, and I’m told it’s not uncommon for guests to spot the odd seal, pod of dolphins, or even the occasional little penguin.

    The sustainable secret behind Victoria’s best mussels

    blue mussels off Portarlington
    Blue mussels sourced just off Portarlington.

    Connie and Lance both extol the virtues of mussels. They’re delicious. A lean source of protein and packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and zinc. They’re cooked in a flash (Connie steams our fresh harvest with cider and onion jam). And they’re also widely regarded as one of the most sustainable foods in the world.

    Portarlington mussels with lemon and chilli
    Mussels served with lemon and chilli.

    “Aquaculture is [often] seen as destructive, so a lot of our guests are really surprised about how environmentally friendly and sustainable our industry is,” Lance says. “[Our mussels] would filter 1.4 billion litres of water a day,” he adds, explaining how mussels remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. “And through biomineralisation, we lock carbon into mussel shells.”

    a hand holding a Portarlington mussel
    Mussels are a sustainable food.

    Despite their glowing list of accolades, these molluscs have long been seen as the oysters’ poorer cousins. “It was a really slow start,” explains Lance, who says that in the early days of his career, “you could not sell mussels in Victoria”.

    But word has slowly caught on. Chefs as globally acclaimed as Attica’s Ben Shewry and even René Redzepi of Noma, Denmark, have travelled to these very waters just to try the shellfish at the source, sharing only the highest praise, and using Lance’s mussels in their restaurants.

    guests sampling Portarlington mussels onboard
    Sampling the goods onboard. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

    According to Lance there’s one obvious reason why the cool depths of Portarlington outshine other locations for mussel farming. “The water quality is second to none,” he says, noting how other regions are frequently rocked by harvest closures due to poor water quality. “We grow, without a doubt, some of the best shellfish in the world.” And with Lance’s bold claims backed up by some of the industry’s greatest names, perhaps it won’t be much longer until more Aussies uncover the appeal of Portarlington’s mussels.