General News
3 September, 2025
And the people choose …. Best’s Wines
The 2026 Halliday People’s Choice Wine Award Top 10 has been announced, with Great Western’s own Best’s Wines securing the number nine spot.
With more than 10,000 votes cast, the awards recognised wineries that deliver exceptional experiences, from welcoming cellar doors to standout hospitality and, of course, the wines themselves.
This year’s top honour went to Brown Brothers in King Valley, while Best’s proudly represented the Pyrenees and Grampians wine region.
Best’s Jess Da Costa said the recognition meant a great deal, as a winery without a restaurant facilities, or accommodation, their wine expertise and customer service is clearly memorable.
“It’s a pretty big thing, we’re pretty excited,” she said.
“When people walk through the door, we’re genuinely happy to see them, I’m genuinely happy to give them a good experience and we love wine so we are happy to sell that as well. People come in and they feel like they are at home.”
Jess said what made the honour even more special was that it came without campaigning.
“One of the most humbling things is, people will say ‘Leave us a review, you know, vote for us in this’ but none of us had given it any thought to it, there’d been no prompting of people to vote. People have walked in the door and had such a good experience they’ve gone out of their way. It makes our daily work more worthwhile knowing that people appreciate the service that we’re giving them.”
The recognition also shines a light on the Great Western region.
“It’s massive for the region, most of the country doesn’t even know where Great Western is. And here’s us coming number nine on a people’s choice award out of all of Australia,” Jess said.
Fifth generation vigneron Hamish Thomson agreed the award was a testament to the people who make Best’s what it is.
“There’s 600 cellar doors in Victoria alone, for Victoria to actually be prominent in the top 10 that’s pretty big,” he said.
“The only thing you can put it down to is the staff that we have, the actual experience that they get from the people and the place. It’s walking into this environment where the people are warm and welcoming. People are happy to be here, they’re enjoying themselves, they’re smiling, they’re laughing, the wines aren’t bad either.”
For Hamish, the award reflects more than just a single element.
“It’s the people’s choice, it’s across the range. Although we are here to make wine, it’s the people that come in the front door that makes the place. They want to be here,” he said.
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