A winery from the Yarra Valley was declared as the best Winery of the Year at the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards. This award ceremony celebrates the best wines, winemakers, viticulturists and wineries from around Australia. Over 7,500 wines were tasted from over 1,100 wineries. And Giant Steps, a vineyard in Healesville that focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, was named as the Winery of the Year. This winery also took home the award for Pinot Noir of the Year. If you’re keen to see what all the fuss is about, they do have a Tasting Room that’s open daily from 11am to 5pm, with extended hours on weekends.
Giant Steps – Winery of the Year in Halliday Wine Companion Awards
If you love wine but you’re not sure where to start, the Halliday Wine Companion offers a guide to Australian wines, wineries and grape-growing regions. Browse through the book for over 5000 tasting notes and scores, as well as helpful advice like recommended drink-by dates and winery opening hours.
Giant Steps was first established in 1997, and has six vineyard sites scattered around the Yarra Valley. The unique characteristics of each site is then expressed in the wine, leading to some distinctive varieties and styles. Their Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023 was recognised as the Pinot Noir of the Year, with its aromatic notes of ‘wild strawberries, dark cherries, quince, spices and flowers’. This wine will be released on Wednesday August 21, so you can try it for yourself.
There’s a variety of tasting experiences for you to enjoy in their Healesville location. Start with a seasonal selection of their Yarra Valley range, try the essentials, or go for a deeper exploration of their Single Vineyard wines. Bookings are recommended, but walk-ins are always welcome.
Mulline in Geelong was declared the Best Value Winery, and the 864 Drive Block Funder & Diamond Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 from Oakridge Wines was named as Wine of the Year. See more of the award winners here.