Matthew Jukes has been publishing his top Australian 100 wines for three decades, and for the 2025 launch things took a significant twist with the guest list reduced from hundreds to a mere 25 for the trade tasting and Aussie Wine Summit which followed afterwards.
I asked Jukes why he had made this much lauded mass annual event more elitist.
“I intend to re-focus everyone's minds on elite Aussie fine wine. To that end, I invited only 25 attendees (all particularly influential figures in the UK wine scene across various disciplines) to the official launch, supported by the high commissioner and later by global VIP/ambassador figures. As I see it, this is the future. Australia has always made fine wine, and as such, it must be respected and treated in the same way as fine wines from any other country. I see this as my evolving mission; it is more critical today than ever. Great Aussie winemakers need our support more than anyone!”
The 2025 report has 267 “noteworthy” wines with relevant notes, full details on how to get this report is on his website. The digital download version gives click-through to all the retail stockists for each wine, a brilliant marketing tool for the benefit of the wine trade.
Jukes then took the cream of these wines on a 100 Best Festival Tour, with gigs in Edinburgh, London, Newcastle, and Birmingham which featured masterclasses and bespoke dinners with rare wines and older vintages. The regional hosts (Wine Events Scotland, Tate, Loki and Carruthers & Kent) sold the tickets, organised local coordination and drummed up press and media coverage, along with tapping into their databases of the most wine-savvy, Aussie-keen people in each pocket of the country, helping Jukes to spread the Aussie fine wine gospel.
There are three wineries that have appeared in every 100 Best Report since its start in 2004, and they are Penfolds, Tyrrell’s and Yalumba. 306 different wineries have appeared in the 100 Best, with 16 debut wineries appearing in this year’s list, including: Alkoomi, Basket Range, Dappled, Dylan Grigg, Forest Hill, Harrison, Koomilya, Marco Lubiana, Moorak, Mulline, Nocturne, Paralian, Passel Estate, Port Philip, Sailor Seeks Horse and Wills Domaine.
How were the 100 Best wines tasting?
World class sparkling wine
Whilst Arras dominates the crème de la crème of Australian sparkling, with the Brut Elite Rose Cuvee 1801 NV showcasing the supreme qualities of this house, both Idee Fix, Blanc de Blanca 2021 (part of the Vasse Felix stable) and Jansz Vintage Cuvee 2017 highlight two other exceptional sparkling wines that, at below £30 retail, offer great value for this level of quality fizz.
The unique Hunter Valley Semillon
The Aussies, notably Hunter Valley, have an unique sprinkle of stardust when it comes to Semillon, as expected Mount Pleasant Lovedale 2018 and Tyrrell’s Winemaker’s Selection Vat 1 were listed, new to me was the 2022 Briar Ridge, Dairy Hill Semillon, Hunter Valley – coming in at 11.8% alcohol this was a pure clean textured wine that had that perfect Semillon balance, enough body but then the purity to carry it, fresh and just lovely to drink.
The wonderful Rieslings of Oz
Nine Rieslings were listed in Jukes’ 100 Best, highlighting the diversity of regional Australian Rieslings. Good to see Forest Hill from Mount Baker highlighted, this fragrant wine has a balance of Alsace and Mosel, beautiful flavour and structure, steely, buttercups and hints of salinity. Next to this, Cherubino’s Uovo 2022 Riesling from Frankland River, was more Rhine-esque with crisp matchstick, deep purity and texture, just stunning. Other regions covered included Orange, Eden Valley, Clare, Adelaide Hills and of course the sublime Pewsey Vale 2017 Contours, at £30 on release with eight years of age delivers not only perfection but a perfect price point for this quality of Riesling. This 2017 Contours is linear, with a hint of lanolin, pure stone fruit essence, fresh saline appeal, with that wow appeal, drink or keep for a decade or two.
Aromatics
Viognier from Yalumba, of course, but new for me from Pikes in the Clare Valley with a Luccio Fiano 2023, with a delicate refined aromatic nose, then on the palate a luscious hit of citrus, this is vibrant, appealing with its freshness and retails at below £20.
Chardonnay
Some 18 wineries listed for their Chardonnay, with many more sub-listed in the main booklet. Too many to list individually, but here are some that hit the top marks; Irrewarra 2022, Nick Farr, Geelong; Dappled 2023, Single Vineyard Les Vergers, Yarra Valley; Giant Steps, Single Vineyard Bastard Hill 2023, Yarra Valley; Tolpuddle Vineyard 2023, Cial River Valley, Tasmania; Vasse Felix Heytesbury 2022, Margaret River; with both Leeuwin Estate Art Series 2021, Margaret River and Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay 2022 delivering pure magic. The Leeuwin Art Series is one of the best from this winery that I have tried, still youthful but this is Chardonnay at its world class best.
Pinot Noir
Great cross section here with stars from Mornington – Moorooduc and Paringa, Tasmania with Dalrymple, and By Farr from Geelong.
Cabernets
From Margaret River, Cullen Wines Diana Madeline 2022 and Moss Wood 2021 both deliver classy seamless wines that evolve beautifully with age.
The Great Australia Red – Claret – Cabernet/Shiraz
Yalumba The Signature 2021 retailing at £45 is a bargain for a wine of this historic status, very pleasant to drink now but wait a decade (or two) and you have a world class wine at a bargain price.
Penfolds, Bin 180 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 2021, okay a hefty £650 a bottle but once you taste this wine you not only understand why but you are tasting a bit of Penfolds history, this being their 180th anniversary. Inky deep but then the purity of the blue, red and black berries excels, truly spectacular.
With time running short, I missed the Grenache but handpicked a few Shiraz
Jasper Hill, Ocean’s Razor Shiraz 2022 from Heathcote offers great value at £33, it was the freshness and focus that excited me on this, with refined violet and chocolate mint notes, fresh and breezy.
Torbreck was highlighted not for one of its sublime top reds but the Old Vines Mourvèdre, Shiraz, Grenache 2022 retailing at just £19, a rare chance to try Ian Hongell’s masterpieces without breaking the bank.
Showing well was the Henschke Mount Edelstone 2019 Shiraz from Eden Valley, but the star for me was Alkoomi Cultivated Collection Shiraz 2020 from Frankland River, not sure what the founders Merv and Judy Lang would have thought of the modern bottle, but the wine is sublime. Pure essence of Shiraz.
Conclusion
Another wonderful experience presented by Matthew Jukes, who has without question been instrumental in not only evolving the sales of premium Australian wines over the last 30 years in the UK but continues to guide and challenge Australian winemakers in the quest for perfection. Thank you, Matthew, from all your Australian wine loving friends and colleagues.
