Our annual dozen offer is here: James Halliday’s premium dozen ready to go
From Margaret River to the Hunter, from the Barossa and Clare Valley to the Coonawarra, our wine club premium annual dozen wins top points from James Halliday and the tasting team.
Drum roll, please. And now, the moment we’ve been waiting for … introducing The Australian Annual Dozen 2024 Premium Halliday Mix.
From Margaret River to the Hunter, from the Barossa and Clare Valley to the Coonawarra, this is our premium mixed dozen selection of the year, going for just $21.49 a bottle, a saving of more than $200 across the dozen.
It’s a tradition that began almost 50 years ago when two of the biggest names in the game, James Halliday and Len Evans, would taste hundreds of wines to select one mixed dozen for The Australian Wine Club. The great Halliday is still our club president and all the wine ratings below have been provided by the Halliday Wine Companion.
The Premium Halliday Mix is a selection of six whites and six reds but if you favour one colour over another, double down on red or white to make up your dozen. There’s also other mixed cases to choose from at theaustralianwine.com.au, including The Australian Select Dozen for $16.49 a bottle.
Margan White Label Timbervines Hunter Valley Chardonnay 2021
From a three-acre site planted in 1972 on the red volcanic soils of the Hunter Valley’s Fordwich Sill. Ripe stone fruits, grapefruit and quince notes dance on a stage of subtle vanillin oak. A backbone of lime-acid keeps the beat. This is classy, concentrated chardonnay from the always impressive Andrew Margan. 95 points. 12%; RRP $70.
Delatite Estate Pinot Gris 2023
Ripe aromas of nectarine, peach, pear and apple blossom set the scene for a rich fruit-driven palate, with touches of spice and honey. Clean acidity refreshes. A cracker from Goulburn Valley. Vegan-friendly. 95 points. 14%; RRP $30.
Knappstein Ackland Vineyard Watervale Riesling 2022
Classic Clare Valley from the Watervale subregion. Juicy single-vineyard riesling brimming with zesty lime juice and lime cordial characters followed by hints of pink grapefruit, orange blossom and lemongrass. Generous fruit flavours; tightly focused. 94 points. 12%; RRP $30.
Mountadam High Eden Estate Chardonnay 2021
From an iconic cool-climate estate, created by David Wynn in 1972. White peaches, nectarine, fig and citrus fruit characters combine with hints of soft spice, grilled cashews, white flowers and crushed quartz. Halliday reviewer David Brooks writes: “A slink of texture on the palate with creme fraiche notes, a crystalline acid line providing clarity and drive and a long finish.” 94 points. 13.5%; RRP $40.
Marri Wood Park Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2022
Bright flavours of lemon and lime combined with sherbet-like acidity define this classic Margaret River blend. Halliday’s Jane Faulkner writes: “Savoury too with nettles, curry leaves in lime oil and warm spices plus a touch of creaminess across the palate. A vibrant, attractive style.” 93 points. 12.5%; RRP $32.
Wills Domain Eightfold Margaret River Semillon 2022
Appealing combination of fruit sweetness (Meyer lemon, white pears and nectarines), tangy lemongrass and clean wet-slate texture. Add a dab of creamed honey and a hint of spice, all carried along a soft acid line, and you have further proof of why Australian semillon is our most under-appreciated variety. 93 points. 12.4%; RRP $45.
Yalumba The Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Named for Coonawarra’s strip of terra rossa soil. Confident, stylish expression of Coonawarra cabernet from a hallowed producer: blackberry and blackcurrant aromas mingle with touches of green capsicum, dark chocolate, clove and soy. Bright acidity and sandy tannins drive a lingering finish of cassis and spice. 94 points. 14%; RRP $35.
Kaesler Reach for the Sky Barossa Shiraz 2021
From the home of some of the oldest vines in the Barossa, stretching back to the 1890s. Reach for the Sky shows off blueberry and boysenberry characters, along with the decadence of dark chocolate, Christmas cake and spice. The imprint of the Barossa shines through. 94 points. 14.5%; RRP $35.
Bleasdale Generations Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2021
From the Halliday Wine Companion’s 2024 Winery of the Year. As Halliday wrote: “A highly fragrant and expressive bouquet leads the palate with its spice, black pepper, licorice and blackberry flavours. The tannin and oak inputs are all they should be.” 95 points. 13.5%; RRP $39.
Zonte’s Footstep Violet Beauregard Langhorne Creek Malbec 2022
There’s a strong argument that Langhorne does malbec better than any other Australian region. Fresh scents of blueberries, mulberries, raspberries and violets lift from the glass, beckoning to a concentrated palate filled with ripe blue fruits, red plums, blueberry pie and cocoa powder. 95 points. 13.5%; RRP $30.
Briar Ridge Limited Release BDX 2022
Unique but highly rated blend of cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, barbera, cabernet franc and malbec, grown at Wrattonbully. Look for an exotic combination of Turkish delight, mulberry, rhubarb and dark chocolate characters. 95 points. 14%; RRP $40.
Howard Park Leston Margaret River Shiraz 2018
From a five-star winery and founding member of Australia’s First Families of Wine. This shiraz hails from the Burch family’s Leston vineyard in the heart of Margaret River. Aromas of plum and burnt toffee along with touches of raspberry, choc-mint and black pepper. Concentrated flavours of plums, aniseed, coffee and tobacco. 93 points. 14.5 per cent alc; RRP $40 a bottle.
HALLIDAY PREMIUM MIX One bottle of each wine above for $21.49 a bottle. SAVE $208.
WHITE ONLY Two bottles of each white wine above for $21.49 a bottle.
RED ONLYTwo bottles of each red wine above for $21.49 a bottle.
Order online or phone 1300 765 359 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST. Deals are available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550.
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