August 21, 2025 — Family-owned Australian winery Calabria Family Wines is proud to announce that its Riverina 2024 Three Bridges Botrytis Semillon has been awarded Sweet Wine Varietal Winner of the Year at the prestigious 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, held on Wednesday evening, 21st August, in Melbourne.
This accolade is the result of rigorous tasting and review by the Halliday Wine Companion team, who assessed over 7,000 Australian wines to determine the country’s top performers.
The Sweet Wine Varietal Winner of the Year is awarded to the highest rated wine in its category, based solely on quality. Calabria’s Three Bridges Botrytis Semillon was the top standout as the top-scoring sweet wine submission, representing the finest example of its variety in the 2026 edition.
Calabria Family Wines has been crafting this hero variety of the Riverina since 1995, drawing on the unique conditions of the region to produce a wine of exceptional character. Specially selected parcels of Semillon fruit are left on the vine to develop Botrytis cinerea, a naturally occurring noble rot that thrives in the Riverina’s climate. This process intensifies the sweetness and complexity of the grapes, making them ideal for dessert wine.
“This wine is a true reflection of the Riverina and our family’s commitment to quality winemaking,” said Andrew Calabria, Sales & Marketing Director at Calabria Family Wines. “To be recognised as the top sweet wine producer for 2026 by Halliday Wine Companion is an incredible honour and an exceptionally proud moment for our team and region.”
The Three Bridges range continues to showcase the best of Calabria Family Wines’ portfolio, combining regional expression with premium winemaking. This latest accolade further reinforces the brand’s reputation for excellence in Australian wine.
In addition to this win, the Calabria Family Wine Group portfolio performed strongly in the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion edition. The McWilliam’s Wine brand received the prestigious 5 Red Star rating, while Calabria Family Wines earned a 5 Star rating. Further cementing the group’s reputation for winemaking excellence, Chief Winemaker Emma Norbiato was recognised as a finalist for the 2026 Halliday Winemaker of the Year.
Calabria Three Bridges Botrytis Semillon 2024 vintage retails for $25 and will be available from the Australian domestic market in late 2025.
About Calabria Family Wines
As a family-owned winery with 80 years of winemaking history, Calabria Family Wines has built a reputation for producing premium Australian wines that celebrate heritage and innovation. The winery has flourished to become one of Australia’s top 20 wine producers. Based in two Australian wine regions, Barossa Valley and Riverina, Calabria Family Wines are sold across all Australian markets and exported around the world to over 30 countries.
For more information about Calabria Family Wines:
www.calabriawines.com.au
www.facebook.com/calabriawines
@CalabriaFamilyWines #CalabriaFamilyWines
