Australia's best wineries, ranked by one thing only.
Australia has no formal classification of wine producers or of wine sites. This list then is my non-commercial judgement of Australia's best wine producers – according, simply, to the quality of the wine in the glass.
I've judged Australian wine for more than 25 years. This site sells no wine, auctions no wine, and has no stake in the trade of it. Life isn't fair, but this list is.
There is, therefore, one criterion for inclusion here as a Mattinson 10-Star Winery: the quality of the wine, every glass, across the range. This list is not about history, or hectares, or reputation. Every winery here has earned its place, and will or won't hold it the same way.
That is, it's a live list. It's about "now". It will be updated, continuously, as the wine(s) in the glass demand.
Seven questions, seven answers.
What is a Mattinson 10-Star Winery?
The highest honour awarded by Australian wine critic Campbell Mattinson. It signals quality and it signals consistency. When you buy the wine of a 10-Star Winery, you know what you're getting – excellence, bottle after bottle. See how the Mattinson 10-Star Classification works.
Who decides?
I decide. Every inclusion, every exclusion, made in complete independence. This site does not sell wine, does not auction wine, and has no vested interest in the marketing or exchange of it.
What is being judged?
There is one criterion – the wine in the glass, every glass, across the range. Wineries that clear that bar tend to share other traits: a recognisable house style, benchmark wines, influence beyond their own gates. Those are observations, not requirements. I love and value the story beyond the glass as much as anyone – but to be a 10-Star Winery it all hinges on the wine in the glass, where there's nowhere to hide.
How often is the list reviewed?
In effect, every day. Every time I taste the wines of an Australian producer – on the list or not – they are being considered.
Can a winery lose 10-Star status?
Yes.
How many wineries hold it?
Fifty at the list's public launch in August 2026. More will be added as producers earn 10-Star status. There is no quota.
Does a winery need a track record to qualify?
No. Heritage and lineage are considered, but the wine in the glass is the paramount concern. A winery can earn 10-Star status on its first set of releases as readily as on its twentieth. This list is a live representation of now.
The Mattinson 10-Star Wineries.
No commentary here, no preamble – just the list, in full. Tap a name to go straight to its producer page.
The list as it stands in August 2026, with more producers to come. Alphabetical for now – when it approaches 100, presentation shifts to by region.
Changes to the list.
No changes since the list went live in August 2026.