One of the wines securing the Dark Horse accolade is a Riverina Shiraz selling for $15. If that is your price limit, Yarran gives you the best-quality wines, both white and red.
This year’s Dark Horse Winery is Yarran in the Riverina region of New South Wales. Sam Brewer is the winemaker, earning his stripes in large Australian wineries like De Bortoli before turning his focus to his family’s estate, with his parents long-time grapegrowers in the region. This modern Australian winery produces wines that are brilliant bang for buck – according to James Halliday, these are some of the best Australian wines you can buy for under $20. Read on to hear what James has to say about his Dark Horse Winery of the Year.
Full list of award winners.
James Halliday on his Dark Horse Winery
Sam Brewer was raised by grapegrowing parents John and Lorraine, and when he completed his wine degree at Charles Sturt University, the family celebrated by taking a tonne of shiraz and fermenting it in a stainless-steel milk vat. Since then, production has risen and grape sources have broadened as Sam has put beyond doubt his winemaking skills. It is doubly appropriate that one of the wines securing the Dark Horse accolade should be an estate-grown Riverina Shiraz selling for $15. If that is your price limit, Yarran gives you the best-quality wines, both white and red. Yarran’s track record suggests this award is no flash in the pan.
James Halliday on his Dark Horse Winery
Yarran, Riverina, NSW
Sam Brewer was raised by grapegrowing parents John and Lorraine, and when he completed his wine degree at Charles Sturt University, the family celebrated by taking a tonne of shiraz and fermenting it in a stainless-steel milk vat. Since then, production has risen and grape sources have broadened as Sam has put beyond doubt his winemaking skills. It is doubly appropriate that one of the wines securing the Dark Horse accolade should be an estate-grown Riverina Shiraz selling for $15. If that is your price limit, Yarran gives you the best-quality wines, both white and red. Yarran’s track record suggests this award is no flash in the pan.Sign up to view these tasting notes and ratings
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Previous ‘Dark Horse’ recipients: Singlefile Wines (2014), Haselgrove Wines (2015), Terindah Estate (2016), Arlewood Estate (2017), Boat O’Craigo (2018), Principia (2019) and Dal Zotto (2020).
This is an edited extract from the 2021 Halliday Wine Companion guide, published by Hardie Grant and available at all good bookstores.
Full list of award winners.
