The James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenge is a celebration of the world’s most popular two varieties and Australia’s outstanding regional diversity.

Chardonnay is Australia’s most planted white variety and the continuing evolution of its style by Australian makers is heralded globally.

As the world’s most widely planted vine and Australia’s third most planted variety, Cabernet Sauvignon is one of Australian wine’s great success stories.

The highest pointed wines for each variety will be rewarded with the James Halliday Trophy, and the regional winners with scores of 95 points or more will be awarded Best of Region.

In 2021 the James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenges were ‘blended’ and judged simultaneously in the Yarra Valley for the first time. A collaboration between Margaret River Wine Association and Wine Yarra Valley the event will be hosted and judged in each iconic region in alternate years.

"The decision to bring the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon Challenges together in August provides a win-win scenario for all the stakeholders. This year the Challenges will be held in the Yarra Valley, next year in Margaret River. The results will provide a unique snapshot of the state of play of these two great varieties." James Halliday, 2021

Born in the Yarra Valley in 2012, the James Halliday Australian Chardonnay Challenge celebrates all chardonnays in its quest to find the nation’s best.

 The James Halliday Australian Cabernet Challenge was launched in 2016 and judged in conjunction with the Margaret River Wine Show until 2019. In 2020 the competition became a partnership between Coonawarra Vignerons, Margaret River Wine Association and Wine Yarra Valley. It was judged simultaneously in Coonawarra and Margaret River with the Best of Region and overall Trophy being decided via a virtual taste-off - possibly a world-first!