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This Barossa Valley winery took home 3 wins from prestigious wine competition

Credit: Dragan Fine Art Photography

Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
A Barossa Valley winery has come home with a trifecta win at a prestigious international winemaking competition.

Every year, the Sommeliers Choice Awards names some of the best winemakers in the world. To win top spot at this premier wine competition – designed and judged by top restaurant beverage directors and Master Sommeliers – is an honour. To win three of them is phenomenal. Which is exactly what Barossa Valley winery Hare’s Chase managed to achieve in 2026.

Hare’s Chase 2026 wins

Hare's Chase winery on a misty morning in barossa valley
Barossa Valley has made a name for itself as one of Australia’s best wine regions.

The winery has one-upped itself from last year, when it won two trophies. This year, the Hare’s Chase team took out Australian Winery of the Year, Australian Wine of the Year and Shiraz of the Year.

The expert panel of judges awarded the 2022 Hare’s Chase Vigilance Shiraz a double gold medal (Australian Wine of the Year and Shiraz of the Year) and a 96-point rating. It was praised for its “supreme quality".

“This full-bodied red offers rich black fruit complemented by baking spices and oak spice, finishing with smooth tannins and a balanced, lingering presence," said the expert judging panel.

The final win was Australian Winery of the Year, thanks to a straight flush of gold medals for the winery’s 2022 Hare’s Chase Springer Shiraz, 2022 Hare’s Chase St Melengell Cabernet Sauvignon and 2022 Hare’s Chase Ironscraper Shiraz.

“These awards cement the reputation of the Barossa Valley as a world-class wine region, and Marananga as one of the very best sub-regions for Shiraz," said Hare’s Chase winemaker Matt Reynolds.

“2022 was an exceptional vintage, and will be long regarded as a high-point reference for Barossa Shiraz. The recognition we have received at these Awards for our 2022 reds only reinforces our own view that this is a vintage for collectors of the very best Barossa wines."

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About the Sommeliers Choice Awards

Hare's Chase winemaker Matt Reynolds with Sommeliers Choice Awards winning wine
Try the gold-winning 2022 Hare’s Chase Vigilance Shiraz.

The Sommeliers Choice Awards evaluate wines specifically for the restaurant and bar market. Key criteria used for judging run the gamut of aspects, including quality, typicity, food friendliness, value for money and even packaging. Sommeliers and beverage buyers essentially use it as a trusted guide for wines to serve in their venues.

Details

hare's chase winery at sunset
Book in for your next tipple. (Credit: Dragan Fine Art Photography)

Address: Find Hare’s Chase at 56 Neldner Road, Marananga in the Barossa Valley.
Opening hours: The cellar door is open weekdays from 9am – 4pm.
Buy the winning wines: Hare’s Chase has created a limited pre-release of all its award-winning wines. Find the 2022 Vigilance Shiraz on its own, or buy the award-winning ‘Limited Pre-Release’ Six Pack.

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Kassia Byrnes
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
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Discovering East Arnhem: Australia’s most unique and rewarding corner

    Joanne Millares Joanne Millares
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    Hard to reach and harder to forget, East Arnhem offers something rare in modern travel: the chance to slow down and experience Country on its own terms.

    The sky feels bigger in East Arnhem. It stretches wide and uninterrupted above rouged earth, stringybark woodland and beaches so empty they seem to belong to another era. The coastline curves for kilometres without a footprint and the horizon runs on forever.

    For comedian Lou Wall, the scale of the place was the first thing that hit them.

    “The sheer openness,” they say. “The sky feels infinite and the land stretches out endlessly. It’s pretty breathtaking visually.”

    But the physical landscape is only part of the story. The real reward isn’t only the scenery but the shift in perspective the journey brings. Visitors stop trying to tick off the destination and a real engagement takes over.

    “It made me never want to travel again,” Wall jokes. “In that I never wanted to leave East Arnhem.”

    Getting there

    Aerial shot of East Arnhem’s coastline as cars trace the curve of the shore.
    Sail along the remote coastline on an expedition cruise.

    Reaching East Arnhem is part of the adventure. Travellers typically fly into Gove Airport near Nhulunbuy via Darwin or Cairns, or arrive by expedition cruise along the remote coastline. Others make the journey overland along rutted dirt roads that cut through East Arnhem’s small pockets of monsoon forest.

    However you arrive, there’s a distinct feeling of crossing into somewhere different. Permits are required to visit the region, reflecting the fact that this is Yolŋu land where communities and traditional owners maintain deep cultural connections to Country.

    The extra planning becomes part of the experience. By the time visitors arrive, they understand they’re entering a place not just of respect, but also patience and curiosity.

    At one with nature

    East Arnhem’s  landscapes leave a strong imprint. For Wall, one place in particular still lingers in their memory: Ngalarrkpuy, also known as Lonely Beach, near Bawaka Homeland.

    “I genuinely felt like I was living inside an Instagram filter,” they say. “One of the most stunning feats of nature I’ve ever seen. The water was so clear I swear I could see even the fish smiling.”

    Across the region, natural experiences unfold at a slower pace. Fishing, beachcombing and island hopping reveal the rhythm of the coastline. The tides shape daily life and the vastness of the landscape makes even simple moments feel downright cinematic.

    For visitors with limited time, Wall says the Bawaka Homeland experience is unmissable.

    “I just left and I’m already planning when I can get back there.”

    The sense of remoteness is part of the appeal. In a country where many beaches are crowded and well-trodden, East Arnhem’s coastline still feels wonderfully wild.

    Immersing in local culture

    A visitor spends a meaningful moment alongside Yolŋu guides, gaining insight into their deep cultural knowledge and connection to the land.
    Experience authentic moments with the locals.

    Culture is woven through every experience in East Arnhem. Visitors have the opportunity to spend time on Country with Yolŋu guides and knowledge holders who share stories and traditions that have been passed down for generations.

    For Wall, one of the most powerful moments came during a conversation with a Yolŋu elder.

    “I got to meet a traditional elder, Mayalil, in Nhulunbuy,” they say. “Listening to her talk about her home made the land feel alive in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”

    The region is also home to internationally recognised Aboriginal art centres where artists shape works deeply connected to land and family knowledge.

    Music carries the same cultural energy. East Arnhem has produced globally recognised artists such as King Stingray and Baker Boy, blending Yolŋu language, storytelling and contemporary sound.

    Wall experienced this musical spirit first-hand.

    “A jam session around the fire was it for me,” they say. “Letting the deep joy and history of their music wash over me…  and meeting a few of the King Stingray musicians was unreal.”

    These moments of human connection often become the most memorable part of a visit.

    Spotting local wildlife

    An aerial view of the beach shows tiny figures lined up across the white sand, moving as if in a rhythmic dance.
    Step into a world where nature reigns.

    The wildlife of East Arnhem adds another layer to the experience. The region is home to an extraordinary range of animals, from waterbirds and turtles to dugongs, dolphins and the formidable saltwater crocodile.

    Wall admits they didn’t actually spot a croc during their visit.

    “Devastatingly, I didn’t see one,” they laugh. “But with all the stories from the locals I definitely gained a healthy respect for caution.”

    Some of the most memorable wildlife encounters can be surprisingly small., At Banubanu Beach Retreat on Bremer Island, Wall remembers walking along the beach one morning and watching it come alive.

    “As you walk through the sand you see hundreds of crabs scurrying into their holes as you pass by,” they say. “Such a small thing, but it was completely magical.”

    Moments like this reveal the quieter rhythms of East Arnhem, where even the smallest creatures seem to play a part in the landscape.

    Visitors who make the journey soon learn the most important travel tip of all.

    “Go in open-minded with a sense of curiosity,” Wall says. “Be prepared to ditch your plans. The land and the locals will guide you on an adventure no spreadsheets could ever compete with.”

    And most importantly, they add, don’t rush.

    “The land and people deserve your time and attention. You’ll be all the better for slowing down.”

    For more information on visiting East Arnhem, head to eastarnhem.com.au.