Yes, this quiet, remote outpost responsible for just two per cent of Australia’s wine production has outperformed France, Spain and Portugal – the old guard of global wine. Not bad for a patch of coastline best known for surfers, stingrays and some very enthusiastic Labradors.
And the best bit? Many of the champions are wines we can actually buy and afford. Let’s raise a glass to that.
The Trophy winners you’ll want on your table
Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
98 points – $45
This was the highest-scoring Australian wine of the entire competition – and at a price that won’t make your credit card sweat. It’s everything a Margaret River cabernet should be: cassis, dark chocolate, fine tannins … the sort of wine that makes roast lamb feel underdressed. World-class at Tuesday-night pricing. Buy it by the half-case and pretend you’re stocking a cellar.
Deep Woods Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2024
97 points – $100–$120
A beautifully powerful chardonnay with peaches, grapefruit, toasted nuts and that silky Margs texture that makes you close your eyes for a moment longer than necessary. Its older sibling, the 2023 Reserve Chardonnay (also 97 points), is just as spectacular – slightly more restrained, more “quiet confidence,” if you will. These are wines to serve to guests you really like.
Nocturne SV Forrest Chardonnay 2024
96 points – $55–$65
A chardonnay for people who say they “don’t normally drink chardonnay.” Clean, bright, citrusy, with just the right whisper of oak. Tastes like someone bottled a sea breeze and added white peach. The winemakers, Julian and Alana Langworthy, don’t really miss – and this is another bullseye.
Happs Three Hills Chardonnay 2023
Trophy winner – $45–$55
Textural, elegant and beautifully balanced. Less showy than some of its neighbours, but every bit as refined. The sort of chardonnay you pour for friends who appreciate subtlety, or for yourself when you’re sitting outside at dusk thinking deep thoughts.
Snake + Herring Cannonball Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Trophy winner – $40–$45
Rich, structured and full of blackcurrant and mocha notes. If Xanadu is the polished overachiever, Cannonball is the cool friend who knows where all the good pubs are.
Peccavi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Trophy winner – $70–$80
Serious cabernet for serious cabernet lovers. Layers of blackberry, graphite and savoury spice. A wine with gravitas – the kind you pair with a special dinner or an adult child who’s finally done something that impresses you.
Aravina Estate Stella BDX 2022
Trophy winner – $60–$70
A Bordeaux-style blend with plush fruit, refined tannins and that “Oh, I didn’t expect it to be this good” finish that Aravina keeps delivering. (If you’re visiting the region, the surfboard museum alone is worth the stop.)
Amato Vino Savagnin Space Girls 2024
Trophy winner – $35–$40
The funkiest wine on the list. Textured, aromatic, slightly wild – a wine for people who enjoy something off the beaten path. A great conversation starter, especially with guests who think savagnin is a typo.
The Lone Non-Margaret River Aussie Winner:
Morris of Rutherglen Cellar Reserve Grand Muscat NV
Trophy winner – $35–$45 (375ml)
Thick, sticky, rich, glorious. Sultana, caramel, Christmas cake, all tied up with the kind of warm hug only Rutherglen muscat can give. Pair it with blue cheese or a quiet night in.
Why This Matters
For decades, Margaret River has been the overachiever who never bragged – a region tucked between forest and surf, quietly producing cabernet and chardonnay that rival the world’s best.
But these results?
This is the world saying, “We see you.” For Australian wine lovers – especially those of us who remember when Margaret River was little more than a collection of dairy farms and one brave winery – it feels like watching an old friend finally get the recognition they deserve.
I’d say pour yourself a glass to celebrate … but let’s be honest, you probably already have.
Dining and Cooking