The 11 Best Blanco Tequilas to Buy Right Now
In the world of tequilas, life begins with blanco.
No matter what other three variations you may be drinking, whether reposado, añejo, or extra añejo, they all start out as a blanco—an unaged agave distillation. Consequently, the better the blanco, the better will be its transformation into any of tequila’s aged expressions.
That’s why, for the tequila aficionado who wants to experience the true essence of agave, the crystal clear blanco (also called “silver” or “platinum” by various distillers) offers the purest flavor, without aging, although a few producers rest their blancos in barrels or stainless-steel vats for about a month after distillation to let it settle into a subtle smoothness.
In addition, some distillers mix their blancos with a touch of an older tequila (usually an añejo), thus producing a joven, which translates as “young.” However, technically, it can no longer be called a blanco, as it has had an aged tequila added, no matter how miniscule the amount. By comparison, these 11 blancos are the very best ways to savor the very heart and soul of Mexico’s native drink.
Best Overall Blanco: Cierto Private Collection Blanco
In 2017, venture capitalist and tequila connoisseur Todd Chaffee decided he wanted to make the world’s finest tequila. Teaming up with master distillers Enrique Fonseca and his uncle, Sergio Mendoza— fourth- and fifth-generation agaveros (agave farmers)—he succeeded. Although it took seven years to bring this tequila to market, because in a unique marketing ploy, the company held it back from national distribution until 2023, when it had won more than 700 awards. The wait was worth it, for this blanco starts out with a tantalizingly sweet, smooth bouquet that quickly slips into floral, peppery notes that linger. Fittingly, “cierto” is Spanish for “true”—a perfect word to describe this pure, elegant tequila.
Best for Margaritas: Nosotros Blanco
A college assignment quickly turned into a career when Carlos Soto, who had emigrated from Costa Rica to the United States, entered this blanco in the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and won a Double Gold for “Best Tequila.” I was one of the judges at that blind tasting event (every spirit was identified by a letter, not by brand) and remember writing in my notes, “This would make a helluva Margarita.” After the judging, the entrants were revealed, and the Double Gold Best in Class tequila was Nosotros. Possessing citrus influences from Highland agaves combined with herbal, peppery notes from Lowland agaves, the result has a slightly rugged undertaste that just begs for a measure of Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Best Craft Tequila: Casa Noble Blanco
Co-founder Pepe Hermosillo does things a little differently than most other tequileros, using only certified organic ingredients, and distilling his tequila three times, surpassing the legally required double distillation. It is that third distillation that defines and refines this blanco, giving it a smoothness that makes it imminently drinkable. Hermosillo carefully selects his agave fields in the volcanic soil of the mountains of western Jalisco. That rich earthiness—along with undertones of cracked pepper and light notes of vanilla—is reflected in this tequila.
Best Tequila for Sipping Neat: El Negocio Blanco
Released in October 2023, the inaugural bottle of this pure, 100 percent additive-free tequila was auctioned at the 10th Annual WineaPAWlooza fundraiser in Napa Valley for a staggering $10,000—which makes its current price of $90 a bottle seem like a bargain. Produced by Napa Valley vintner Adam Craun, co-founder of the 100-point cult Cabernet Sauvignon powerhouse Memento Mori, along with entrepreneur Nicholas Lutz and master distiller Chava Rosales, this tequila is made with Craun’s vintner-like approach of matching the best ingredients with the terroir along with a combination of traditional and modern techniques, which includes using 30 percent stone tahonas and 70 percent roller mills to crush the exclusive, smaller, and more flavorful lowland tierra negra (black earth) tequilana weber agaves that make up this spirit. The result is one of the richest, deepest, most intense agave flavors of any blanco we have sipped. Peppery lime, roasted citrus, a hint of smoke, and a thick, sweet agave finish make this a tequila to be savored. Extremely limited, only 700 cases were produced of this initial release—or “vintage”—as winemaker Craun calls it.
Best for Cocktails: Patrón El Cielo
As one of this celebrated brands’ latest entrees to its newly christened “prestige” category—reflecting Patrón’s elevated style and pricing— this blanco was made for mixing. To achieve that goal, it is the first blanco to be distilled four times, which brings out more of the agave’s thick sweetness and releases additional notes of fresh cucumber and celery. “While adding another stage of distillation is commonly misconceived as a culprit for diluting flavor, that was not the case for Patrón El Cielo,” said David Rodriguez, Patrón’s master distiller. Indeed, we found it invites a riff on classic cocktails like a Bloody Mary or Martini.
Best Under $50: Teremana Blanco
This multiple award-winning small-batch tequila is partly owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the wrestler turned actor turned entrepreneur who actually takes a personal interest in Teremana. He was involved in all 113 individual tastings that resulted in the final recipe for this blanco, which is bright with fresh citrus, tropical fruit, and roasted agave combined with a hint of lemongrass. The Teremana name itself translates as “spirit of the earth,” linking the Latin word “terra,” with the Polynesian word “mana,” meaning spirit, and reflecting the Samoan heritage of Johnson’s mother.
Best Splurge: Loco Puro Corazón
Gone are the days when tequila was thought of as just a cheap shot to get a quick buzz. This blanco is at the opposite end of that spectrum. In fact, it is one of the most meticulously crafted ultra-premium tequilas you can buy. Its name means “pure heart” in Spanish and refers to the fact that when a distilled liquid comes off the copper pot stills, it trickles out in three distinct evolutions. First is the “heads” a rough tasting spirit that gradually evolves into the “heart,” the “corazón” or middle and purest part of the distillate. Then comes the last part, the “tails,” which lacks the flavorful purity of the heart. While distillers naturally keep the “heart,” they usually redistill the heads and tails to try and salvage whatever small amount of the heart they may have been missed. Not so with Loco Puro Corazón. They use only the purest distillation of the heart, without redistilling the heads or tails. The result is an ultra-elegant blanco, soft as velvet, with sweet essences of pure agave, delicate herbs, and a touch of mint and eucalyptus. Puro Corazón rightfully deserves to be poured and enjoyed on very special occasions.
Best Single Estate: Tequila Ocho Plata Puntas 2023 Single Estate
The puntas, or “distiller’s cut,” of agave spirits are considered the most coveted part of the distillate and are traditionally set aside by the producer to be enjoyed with friends and family on special occasions. This is the second release of this coveted overproof expression of the brand’s award-winning plata tequila, following the spirit’s introduction in 2022. The single estate Highland agaves used to create this tequila were harvested from Rancho Mesa Colorada, a field overseen by the family of legendary tequilero and Tequila Ocho co-founder Carlos Camarena. With a 33 percent average sugar content for the piñas, and clocking in at 106 proof, the flavor is highly concentrated, buttery, and bursting with over-ripe agaves combined with ancho chiles, cracked black pepper; salted butterscotch, almonds, and green apples. “Puntas is an expression which, because of the high proof of the spirit, we originally could only make available for sale at our distillery,” Camarena says. “After we finally bottled and released it in early 2022, it was so well-received that we knew we had to create this second bottling for tequila aficionados.” Fair warning: although officially listed at $75, expect to pay a premium for this rare blanco.
Best Celebrity-Backed: Flecha Azul Blanco
It’s not difficult to find numerous celebrities hopping on the tequila bandwagon, but this one not only has true Mexican roots, but can boast of converting a wine-loving A-lister to embrace the agaves for real. Created by Mexican-born Aron Marquez along with first-generation Mexican American, Abraham Ancer, Flecha Azul soon got the attention of actor Mark Wahlberg, who joined the team as an investor. “It’s a quality tequila, totally additive-free, and you can tell as soon as you taste it,” Wahlberg says. “I was always a wine guy, never a big tequila drinker, until I tasted Flecha Azul.” Rested for two months in stainless steel tanks after distillation, the honey-sweet flavor is laced with ripe fruit and faint peppery notes. No wonder Wahlberg prefers this blanco for his cocktails.
Best High-Proof: Pasote Still Strength
Tourists visiting Mexico are often surprised to find that the majority of tequilas sold there are 70 proof, while the same brands exported to the United States are traditionally 80 proof or slightly higher. But by law, tequilas cannot exceed 110 proof, which means Pasote’s Still Strength is as high as any tequila can legally go. “This Still Strength blanco has an entirely unique production process as well as a fresh, colorful label design for the Mexican fall holidays,” said August Sebastiani, president of 3 Badge Beverage Corp. the wine and spirits négociant behind Pasote. The single-estate agaves are baked for two days and then crushed prior to being fermented in open-air stainless-steel tanks with a proprietary blend of cultivated local yeasts. The first distillation utilizes a closer cut of the heart, with less liquid available for the second distillation. The higher proof of the first distillate removes greater concentrations of impurities from the heads and tails of the agave distillate. This is indeed a powerful pour, exploding with sweet plantains and burnt sugar layered with savory notes of green pepper and a touch of white pepper.
Best Organic: 123 Organic Blanco
With blanco, reposado, and añejo representing the “123” of this USDA certified organic brand’s name, the 1 is quite logically a blanco. Made with agaves that are as much as 10 years old—a rarity in today’s fast-moving tequila environment—this blanco reflects founder David Ravandi’s devotion to creating agave spirits that express the ultimate in terroir and complexity. With delicate floral aromas and flavors of fresh agave, citrus and a subtle peppery kick in the finish, this is the perfect blanco for sipping on the rocks or using as a base for cocktails.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should you drink blanco tequila?
In spite of its earlier and now outdated reputation, the best blancos are very sophisticated spirits. They are also very versatile, thanks to—depending on brands—being adaptable to sipping straight, enjoying with ice, or used in cocktails. They can even be taken as a traditional shooter, although much of a blanco tequila’s subtle nuances may be lost if you just “knock it back.”
How does tequila differ from mezcal?
Both, by law, must be made in Mexico and distilled from roasted agaves, but tequila can only use the Blue Weber variety and must be distilled in the town of Tequila in Jalisco and four other specifically designated Mexican states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Also, the agaves are primarily steam-roasted in ovens. On the other hand, mezcal can be made in any of nine specified Mexican states, primarily in Oaxaca, but also in Durango, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas and Puebla. In addition, mezcal is typically made from agaves that have been cooked by fire, smoke, and heat in rock-lined pits,
How did we choose the tequilas on this list?
I start by “nosing” the tequila, pouring a small amount in a Glencairn tasting glass, just enough to fill its wide base, which narrows towards the top to concentrate the aromas of the liquid. With blancos I’m looking for the purity of agave—it can be crisp and herbaceous, or subtle and smooth, but the essence of the agave has to be there. After all, you drink a blanco to literally get the spirit of the plant that gives tequila its character.
Why should you trust us?
Richard Carleton Hacker has been writing about spirits, restaurants, wines and cigars for over forty years and has written for Robb Report since 1995. His work has also appeared in numerous other lifestyle magazines, including Playboy, The Quarterly Review of Wines, Tasting Panel, and the Somm Journal. In addition, he served for 10 years as a judge and team captain for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. He has authored 11 books published in the United States, Great Britain, and Germany, including The Ultimate Cigar Book and The Connoisseurs Guide To Worldwide Spirits. He was knighted in Germany and is an honorary member of numerous whisky and wine societies, including the Scotch whisky industry’s exclusive Keeper of the Quaich honorary society (where he is one of fewer than 200 people worldwide to hold the coveted title of Master of the Quaich), and the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne. He has traveled the world visiting countless distilleries in Scotland, France, and Italy and, of course, Mexico. His books on spirits and cigars are currently available on Amazon.
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Omega Just Unveiled 9 Watches in Its New Constellation Observatory Collection
The line-up shows up a bevy of metals and colours, too, as well as two new calibres.
Omega’s latest watch is in a universe of its own.
The Swiss watchmaker just unveiled its new Constellation Observatory Collection today, the next step in its Constellation lineage and the first two-hand hour and minute timepieces to ever earn Master Chronometer certification. And if you were paying attention to any of the dazzling watches spotted at the Oscars this year, you would’ve caught a glimpse of the new line already: Sinners star Delroy Lindo rocked one of the models on the Academy Awards red carpet, giving us a pre-release preview of the collection.
Developed at Omega’s new Laboratoire de Précision (its chronometer testing lab open to all brands), the collection houses a set of nine 39.4 mm watches. The watches underwent 25 days of scrutiny there, analysed via a new acoustic testing method that recorded every sound emitted from the timepiece to track irregularities, temperature sensitivities, and more in the name of all things precision. (Details such as water resistance and power reserve are also thoroughly examined.) This meticulous process is all in the name of snagging that Master Chronometer label, meaning that the timepiece is highly accurate and surpasses the threshold for ultra-high performance. The Constellation Observatory Collection has now changed the game, though, thanks to its lack of a seconds hand.
“Until now, precision certification has required a seconds hand,” Raynald Aeschlimann, president and CEO of OMEGA, said in a press statement. “The development of a new acoustic testing methodology has made that requirement obsolete. It is this breakthrough that has enabled us to present the Constellation Observatory, the first two-hand watch to achieve Master Chronometer certification.”
In addition to notching its place in history, the collection also debuted a new pair of movements: the Calibre 8915 and the Calibre 8914, each perched on a skeletonised rotor base. The former’s Grand Luxe iteration will appear on the 950 Platinum-Gold model in the collection, which offers up that base in 18-karat Sedna Gold alongside a Constellation medallion in 18-karat white gold with an Observatory dome done in white opal enamel surrounded by stars. The second Calibre 8915, the Luxe, will find its home on the other precious-metal models in the line, either made with the brand’s 18-karat Sedna, Moonshine, or Canopus gold seen across the case, the hand-guilloché dial, and, of course, the movement itself. (Lindo chose to rock the Moonshine Gold on Moonshine Gold iteration, priced at approximately $86,000, for Sinners‘s big night at the Oscars.) As for the Calibre 8914, it can be found in the collection’s four steel models.
Each model is a callback to myriad design features on past Omega models. That two-hand dial, for one, comes from the 1948 Centenary (the brand’s first chronometer-certified automatic wristwatch), while the pie-pan dial (seen in various blue, green, and golden hues throughout the line) and that Constellation medallion caseback both appear on watches from 1952. The star adorning the space above 6 o’clock also harks back to 1950s timepieces from Omega. And to finish off the look, you can opt for alligator straps in a variety of colours, or perhaps a gold iteration to match the precious-metal models; the brick-like pattern on the 18-karat Moonshine bracelet was also inspired by Omega watches from the ’50s.
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The Numbers
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Power: 610kW
Torque: 678 Nm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
0-100 km/h: 2.95 seconds
Top speed: 340 km/h
Price: From $886,800
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On the fourth floor of Westfield Sydney, near the Castlereagh and Market Street entrance—in the space formerly occupied by Chanel—Loro Piana has opened its first Australian boutique. It is a significant address change for that corner of the mall, and a meaningful one for the Italian house, which has sourced Australian merino wool for decades but until now had no retail presence here.
The facade is understated—creamy, tactile, more about texture than theatre. Inside, the store unfolds across a single, expansive level divided into distinct men’s and women’s wings. The separation is clear without being heavy-handed: womenswear leads from soft accessories and leather goods into ready-to-wear, while menswear occupies its own assured territory, with tailoring and outerwear given proper breathing room. Footwear (supple loafers, luxurious slides, pared-back sneakers) is particularly strong, and the sunglasses are a quiet standout: mineral-toned frames with a disciplined elegance that feels entirely of the house.
That same restraint carries into the interiors, where the surfaces do much of the talking. Walls are wrapped in the company’s own linen and cashmere; carpets are custom, dense underfoot, softening the acoustics and the pace. Oak and carabottino wood add warmth without fuss; marble accents introduce a cool counterpoint. The effect is a composed space calibrated around material, proportion and restraint.
The Spring 2026 collection now in store underscores that sensibility. Silhouettes are elongated and fluid; cashmere, silk and featherweight merino move in sandy neutrals, creams and muddied earth tones, with flashes of marigold and pale turquoise breaking the calm. Tailoring is softly structured and projects confidence without aggression. Leather goods arrive in buttery skins that feel almost pre-lived, as though time has already worked its magic.
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Sydney’s luxury landscape has matured in recent years; global houses no longer test the waters but commit to them. Yet Loro Piana’s arrival feels different. It is not trend-driven expansion but material logic. For a country whose sheep stations have long contributed to the house’s fabric story, this boutique reads almost as a thank-you note written in cashmere.
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From nubby tweeds to supple shearlings, the season’s most exciting menswear is as richly textured as the forests, mountain and lakes surrounding Switzerland’s Gstaad Palace.
Above: Zegna wool and cashmere coat, price upon request; Caruso wool-flannel jacket, $2,615; Tod’s wool and silk turtleneck, price upon request; Dolce & Gabbana wool-tweed trousers, price upon request; Brunello Cucinelli calfskin belt, $1,315; Paul Smith sheepskin gloves, $420.
Above: Caruso wool overcoat, $3,420; Boglioli wool-flannel jacket, $2,305, wool and cashmere sweater, $1,125, and wool-flannel trousers, $1,005; Tod’s calfskin belt, $1,025; Zegna buffalo-leather moccasins, $2,005.
Above: Massimo Alba wool-tweed jacket, $2,315; Moncler Polartec turtleneck, $835; Tod’s suede backpack, $5,230; Alonpi cashmere blanket, $2,805.
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Above: Loro Piana dark-camel Rain System cashmere jacket, $8,765, greige Rain System cashmere vest, $7,055, greige cashmere crewneck, $4,635, and brown wool trousers, $2,565; Brunello Cucinelli saddle-brown calfskin boots, $2,330.
Above: Aspesi wool and cashmere field shirt, $1,260; Sacai wool trousers, $1,190; Brioni wool and cashmere tie, $420; Loro Piana x Le Chameau rubber boots, $2,240; Paul Smith sheepskin gloves, $420; Alonpi cashmere blanket, $2,805.
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Above: Hermès shearling jacket, $33,425, calfskin overshirt, $15,010, cashmere and silk turtleneck, $3,435, and wool-gabardine trousers, $1,630; Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 watch, $21,950.
Above: Ralph Lauren Purple Label brown wool-twill sport coat, $4,245, and trousers, $1,125, cream cotton shirt, $845, and brown wool-flannel tie, $335.
Above: Louis Vuitton wool coat and wool trousers, prices upon request; Aspesi wool and cashmere sweater, $625.
Above: Brunello Cucinelli alpaca, virgin-wool and cashmere cardigan, $7,795, silk and cotton jersey shirt, $1,630, cotton and virgin-wool trousers, $2,270, and calfskin belt, $1,320; Canali cashmere and silk blazer, $5,380; Brioni wool and cashmere tie, $420.
Above: Moncler cream, brown and black mélange carded-wool sweater, $2,030, and brown ski trousers in 2L tech corduroy with RECCO reflector system, $2,765; Chopard L.U.C Quattro Mark IV watch, $57,295.
Model: Oriol Elcacho Miro
Grooming: Cristina Crosarastyle
Editor: Naomi Rougeau
Market and sittings editor: Simone Fantuzzi
Photo director: Irene Opezzo
Photo assistant: Ead Gjergji
Production: Monica Poli/
Assistant: Lorenzo Borboni
Casting: Bronson Vajda
Location: Special thanks to Gstaad Palace
Coldfocus Production
Photographed by Eduardo Miera
Styled by Alex Badia
This article appears in the Autumn issue 2026 of Robb Report Australia New-Zealand. Click here to subscribe.
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The Best Under-the-Radar Wineries in Australia
From Tasmania to Margaret River, these sommelier-approved cellar doors reward those willing to venture beyond the usual маршруits.
In wine, as in travel, the most rewarding experiences are rarely found by following the crowd. They require curiosity, a little effort, and more often than not, the right recommendation.
As luxury travel continues its shift from spectacle to substance, many of Australia’s most compelling cellar doors remain largely undiscovered—known chiefly to sommeliers, bar managers and restaurateurs whose reputations hinge on what makes it into your glass. Ask them which wineries they’d drive past the big names to visit, the producers they seek out for themselves, the bottles they champion without fanfare, and a different map of Australian wineries emerges.
The following vineyards represent the new vanguard of homespun viniculture; the places worth planning a journey around; the cellar doors that justify a deliberate detour.
Stargazer Wines, Tasmania
When asked where he would go if he had just a single recommendation to give, Al Robertson— owner of Hobart’s legendary pocket-sized wine bar Sonny—doesn’t hesitate. “One word,” he says. “Stargazer.”
Run by Samantha Connew, one of the most respected and hard-working winemakers in the country, Stargazer has quietly become one of Tasmania’s most compelling small-batch producers, crafting finely tuned wines that emphasise purity, texture and a strong sense of place. “She makes gorgeous wines,” Robertson adds. “The riesling in particular—limey, mineral and razor-sharp—is perfect with local goat’s curd or seafood.”
There’s also the Rada red, a cult favourite at Sonny. Served lightly chilled, it’s a true sommelier’s wine—bright, savoury and surprisingly versatile, especially with tomato-heavy pasta or dishes rich with cheese.
Opened in late 2025, Stargazer’s bookings-only cellar door is a short 30-minute drive from central Hobart, tucked into the idyllic Coal River Valley, not far from award-winning Tassie icons Pooley and Tolpuddle. Tastings are deliberately intimate—capped at around 12 guests—unfolding beneath vast skies and among rows of chardonnay and pinot noir, the landscape proving as memorable as the wine in your glass.
The region’s accommodation is as compelling as its wine. While the capital and surrounds brim with beautifully curated stays, few rival Saffire Freycinet—the east coast’s all-inclusive masterpiece, consistently crowned among the world’s finest hotels. Perched above spectacular Wineglass Bay, its immersive, nature-led experiences—from private plunge pools to bespoke foraging dinners and oyster-inspired spa rituals—make the two-and-half-hour drive feel entirely worthwhile.
“Tastings are deliberately intimate, unfolding beneath vast skies… the landscape proving as memorable as the wine in your glass.”
Glenarty Road, Margaret River, Western Australia
It’s impossible to talk about Western Australian wine without mentioning Margaret River—but even within this celebrated region, there are still places that reward those willing to go a little further.
“You’ve got to visit Glenarty Road,” urges Samuel Cocks, bar manager at Sydney’s world-renowned Saint Peter. Their Wildlings Savagnin is the “standout” wine he keeps coming back to, a variety rarely seen in Australia, let alone Margaret River. Textural, savoury and quietly complex, it’s a reminder that this popular region still has room to surprise.
Set on a working farm, Glenarty Road feels deeply connected to its surroundings. Sheep, pigs, cattle and sprawling vegetable gardens all feed into an experience that’s as much about food as it is wine. “Some of the best food I’ve had in WA is served here,” Cocks says, much of it sourced directly from the property. He’s not alone. WA food critics have consistently ranked it among Margaret River’s strongest dining experiences.
Beyond the usual cellar-door format, “Vino in the Vines” unfolds as a guided walk through the vineyard, with up to 10 wines matched to seasonal farm produce, house-made charcuterie and freshly baked bread. It’s immersive, generous and thoughtfully paced; closer to a curated gastronomic experience than a casual tasting.
Located further south along the coast, away from the Yallingup bustle, Glenarty Road demands a longer drive, but it’s one serious food-and-wine travellers deem essential. On the return, retreat to Cape Lodge—Margaret River’s grande dame of luxury digs—a lakeside estate of manicured gardens, private suites and a dining room that has long set the regional standard.
For those wanting to stay closer to Perth, Swan Valley endures as a local staple. Compact, historic, yet quietly evolving, Cocks describes it as, “Probably one of Australia’s hottest regions.” One local pearl is Vino Volta, an experimental, modern producer focusing on Swan Valley hero varietals like chenin blanc and grenache. Its sparkling wines, easy-drinking reds and whites, and decadent fortified verdelho have earned a loyal following among Aussie sommeliers.
Krinklewood Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Just over two hours north of Sydney, in the Broke Fordwich sub-region of the Hunter Valley, Krinklewood offers one of the region’s most transportive cellar-door experiences. Family-owned and farmed organically and biodynamically for decades—long before it became a marketing hook—the estate feels worlds away from the busier Pokolbin circuit. Its Provençal-inspired gardens, sun-drenched courtyard, olive groves, fountains and roaming peacocks create an atmosphere that encourages indulgent lingering.
The wines are elegant and restrained: verdelho, semillon, chardonnay and shiraz, all made with a light touch. A trattoria-style kitchen on site turns out simple seasonal plates and cheese boards, designed to complement rather than compete with the wines.
Make a night of it in one of the estate’s Scandi-inspired lodges—minimalist, timber-clad, with outdoor baths under open skies—or check into Tower Lodge in Pokolbin, among the Hunter’s most exclusive retreats. Dinner is best taken at Muse, a two-hatted stalwart that has long anchored the area’s fine-dining scene.
Nearby, Running Horse Wines is worth a stop for something altogether more idiosyncratic. Headed up by former jockey Dave Fromberg, the cellar door is unique in every sense of the word. Rustic and striking, it’s built from six elevated shipping containers overlooking the vineyard. Tastings here are informal, personal and unhurried—more conversation than ceremony—with Fromberg himself often pouring and storytelling in equal measure. The glass bench-top doubles as a showcase, lit from below so that the colours of Dave’s wines—especially the deep, layered tones of his aged shiraz—can be fully admired.
Bekkers Wine, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Among serious drinkers, Bekkers has achieved near-mythic status. The tiny, family-run label is the work of respected viticulturist Toby Bekkers and his French-trained winemaker wife Emmanuelle. Together, they focus on refined, fine-wine expressions of grenache and syrah—deliberately resisting the heavier, more obvious styles McLaren Vale is often known for.
Production is ultra-small, often just a few hundred to around a thousand cases a year, with most bottles snapped up via allocation lists or poured at a handful of top-tier restaurants. That makes a visit to their appointment-only cellar door a rare opportunity to experience the wines at the source, guided by the people who make them.
Round out your SA trip with a night at The Louise, located north in the Barossa—a vineyard-encircled retreat that has quietly become one of Australia’s most enduring luxury addresses.
“Provençal-inspired gardens, sun-drenched courtyard, fountains and roaming peacocks create an atmosphere that encourages indulgent lingering.”
Wild Dog Winery & Entropy, Gippsland, Victoria
Two hours east of Melbourne, the landscape begins to shift. The air cools, the roads narrow, the vineyards are fewer, and more scattered. Gippsland has long existed at the periphery of Victoria’s wine consciousness, but those paying attention know something is changing.
“The Wild Dog Winery just south of Warragul gets my vote,” says Dave Verheul, owner of Melbourne’s Embla and cult vermouth label Saison—a figure whose palate has helped shape the city’s modern wine scene. “It’s home to winemakers like William Downie and Patrick Sullivan, but what Ryan Ponsford is making under the Entropy label is very, very special.”
Set high in the hills, Wild Dog Winery is less a single estate than a quiet epicentre for some of the country’s most thoughtful winemaking. Among them, Ponsford’s Entropy Wines stands apart. His 2024 cabernet is elegant, restrained and evocative of place in a way that feels both unmistakably Australian and entirely its own. Tastings unspool without theatre, the focus squarely on the wine and the landscape that shaped it. “The added bonus,” Verheul notes, “is being able to dine at Hogget Kitchen, one of regional Victoria’s best restaurants.”
For those willing to venture beyond the familiar, Gippsland offers the rare pleasure of discovery in real time, a dominion whose best bottles are still shared more often by word of mouth than by map. Indeed, the most memorable Australian wine experiences share a common thread: they reward the curious over the merely well-travelled. Because in the end, the best wine journeys rarely follow the most direct route. And the memories—the flavours, the landscapes, the stories—are all the richer for it.
This article appears in the Autumn issue 2026 of Robb Report Australia New-Zealand. Click here to subscribe.
