Out of the thousands of wines they collectively review each year, the Halliday Tasting Team is allowed to select just one as their Taster’s Pick for the Halliday Top 100.
The Taster’s Pick category, introduced for the first time in 2024, contains the final 10 wines in the Halliday Top 100. The other categories include Australian Sparkling, White Wines Under $40, White Wines Over $40, Red Wines Under $50, and Red Wines Over $50.
Below, the tasters reveal why each wine was their highlight from the past 12 months.
Toni Paterson MW: Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2025, Hunter Valley
Every time I see the '25 Lovedale, it bowls me over with its purity, intensity and grace. Sourced entirely from the 1946 vines, planted by Maurice O’Shea on a flat, sandy ancient seabed at 60 m elevation, it has that rare combination of refinement and intensity.
This example is a pure expression of site, ultra-fine and polished, displaying clarity and elegance and demonstrating mastery in both the winery and the vineyard. 2025 was a stellar semillon year in the Hunter Valley, with the season delivering grapes of perfect ripeness, focused flavour and excellent acidity, creating a spectacular Lovedale that has beautiful freshness, balance and line, making it utterly delicious now, while also having the potential to evolve majestically over time. In fact, winemaker Adrian Sparks believes it to arguably be the best Lovedale of his tenure.
This is a must-buy for all serious wine lovers and will reward the patient, as it is poised for greatness. Congratulations to Adrian, Jaden Hall, and the vineyard team on this impressive wine that will delight drinkers for decades.
