James Halliday Grenache Challenge

The James Halliday Grenache Challenge (JHGC) gathers varietal Grenache wines from around Australia for a competitive tasting to celebrate and elevate the varietal. The challenge is open to all producers from all regions, to gauge the diversity of Grenache expression and winemaking form across Australia, and track winemaking styles and movements developing across the country.

McLaren Vale's Penny's Hill wins the 2024 James Halliday Grenache Challenge!

The Penny’s Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache has received the highest accolade in the 2024 James Halliday Grenache Challenge.

From 137 entries submitted from across Australia, the Penny's Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache was selected as the Best Grenache by an impressive panel of judges including Andrew Thomas (Chair of Judges), Steven Paul, Pip Anderson, Toby Barlow, Lauren Hansen, Sam Watkins, Marcell Kustos, Jack Glover, Louis Schofield, Emma Jenkins, Ben Wilcox, Phillip Lord, Grace Wang, Amelia Anspach, Jackson Farrow, Matt Pedder.

For Chair of Judges Andrew Thomas, the Penny’s Hill 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache “stood out like a beacon within its class, and to ultimately be chosen as the James Halliday Grenache Challenge winner is testament to both detailed winemaking and a pedigree vineyard site. The wine displayed impressively vibrant red cherry fruit, delicate florals and a subtle whole bunch complexity, together with a sweet fruited yet savoury texture, crunchy acidity and chalky tannin structure. This is benchmark Grenache indeed.”

This nation-wide recognition follows closely on the heels of Penny’s Hill’s triumph at the 2024 McLaren Vale Wine Show, where its 2023 Single Vineyard Grenache was awarded Best Wine of Show, and Chief Winemaker Alexia Roberts was crowned the 2024 McLaren Vale Bushing Monarch. This back-to-back success underscores the winery's exceptional craftsmanship and solidifies its reputation as a leading producer of premium Grenache.

View all 2024 James Halliday Grenache Challenge results via: mclarenvalewine.au