The Real Review Top Wineries lists are initiatives that aim to identify, promote and reward wine excellence. Learn more about eligibility criteria.
The Real Review Top Wineries lists are initiatives that aim to identify, promote and reward wine excellence.
The Top Wineries certificate is an annual award presented to a select group of wineries that consistently produce excellent wine. The Top Wineries list is a national benchmark that shows where your favourite winery is ahead of its peers. Wineries must have achieved a place in the annual Top Wineries list to be awarded a Top Wineries certificate for the same year.
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Ranking and eligibility
Top Wineries are determined by a proprietary algorithm, which incorporates measures like rating, recency, availability, value and context of wine reviews by The Real Review team over the assessment period of two years. Wines are tasted and reviewed blind. There is absolutely no manual sorting of the Top Wineries lists; no person decides a winery's position.
Wines for the Top Wineries lists are tasted throughout the year.
To qualify for a certificate and a place in the Top Wineries list, a winery must submit a range of wines (this can be in one or more deliveries throughout the year) that satisfies the following criteria and maintain a minimum weighted rating average:
- contains a minimum number of wine brands
- each submitted wine is a current release, i.e. the most recent vintage/bottling commercially available per wine brand
- each submitted wine is no more than 12 years old, or is non-vintage
- reviewed by one or more of our wine writers within the assessment period
What is a "wine brand" vs a "wine" vs a "current release" wine?
A wine brand can be thought of as a wine label, for which there may be several vintages or bottlings (wines). For example, Penfolds Grange is a wine brand belonging to the winery Penfolds. Penfolds Grange 2020, Penfolds Grange 2019 are both wines of that wine brand. In 2024, Penfolds Grange 2020 has been bottled, released and available for purchase, and therefore is considered the current release wine of that wine brand.Important: En primeur wines
En primeur or unfinished wines are not considered current releases. The Real Review only reviews finished wines in the bottle.
Important: Discontinued or re-branded wines
It is important that a winery's listing is accurate and up to date. Wineries must inform us if a wine brand has been discontinued (i.e. the winery has stopped making the wine) or a wine has been rebranded (i.e. renamed or combined with another wine brand), as both of these cases impact their Top Wineries eligibility criteria.
A minimum number of wine brands must be tasted
The minimum number of wine brands required to qualify is based on how many different wines a winery produces. Reviewing a minimum number of wine brands per winery gives us a perspective across a winery's range.
Tip: Wineries should submit at least 5 current release wines from the latest vintage to ensure they fulfil the eligibility criteria, whenever possible.
Specifically, when a winery produces:
- Six or more wine brands, the current releases (latest vintages) of at least five of the wine brands produced must be reviewed within the assessment period, to be considered for a Top Wineries certificate.
- Between 2 and 5 wine brands, the current releases (latest vintages) for each of the wine brands produced regularly must be submitted for assessment.
- Only a single wine brand, at least 3 vintages over the past 4 latest vintages, including its current release (latest vintage), must be reviewed, the latest of which within the assessment period, to be considered for a Top Wineries certificate.
What do we consider a "winery"?
Our Top Wineries lists have seen some comment that not all the wineries on our list are places where wine is made and grapes grown. The names on our list are wine producers. If we use the word ‘winery’ loosely, it’s a reflection of common parlance. Take a look here for a detailed explanation.
Promotional opportunities
If you've received a Top Wineries certificate, congratulations! Learn more about our promotional tools and make the most of your awards.
Our Top Wineries list is a nationally recognised list, and is published in several outlets including leading newspapers.
Contact us if you are a trade member and haven't received your Top Wineries certificate within 2 weeks of the annual Top Wineries publication date.