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Montalto is proud to announce we’ve been awarded one of the highest honours in Australian wine: a Top Five Red Star Winery classification in the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion.
This elite status – recognised by the underlined 5 Red Star rating – is reserved for the best of the best: wineries with a long-standing history of excellence, multiple wines rated 95 points or above, and a decade-long track record of consistently outstanding results. According to the Halliday Wine Companion, the Top Five Red Winery classification signals:
“A winery generally acknowledged to have had a long track record of excellence, typically having held a 5-star rating continuously for 10 years – truly the best of the best.”
For Montalto, this is more than an accolade – it’s a tribute to our terroir, our team, and the values that have shaped us since day one.
Each year, the Halliday Wine Companion is Australia’s most comprehensive and respected guide to wine, with thousands of entries reviewed by a panel of experts led by chief editor Campbell Mattinson. Only a handful of wineries across the country are awarded the underlined 5 Red Star status – and in 2026, Montalto has earned its place amongst them.
This recognition celebrates not just a single wine or vintage, but our entire winemaking philosophy: producing exceptional wines of depth, clarity and character, crafted with precision and care across our vineyards.
Anchored by one of the Mornington Peninsula’s oldest vineyards - originally planted in 1985 - Montalto benefits from mature vine age that underpins wine quality and complexity, reinforcing its position as a regional leader in wine, food, and culture.
Situated in the cool-climate, maritime-influenced Mornington Peninsula, Montalto’s vineyards are as varied as they are beautiful. Our success with Pinot Noir – across the Single Vineyard, Estate, and Pennon Hill ranges – reflects a deep, long-standing understanding of each site and its unique expression of fruit, soil, and season.
From the intensity of the Tuerong Single Vineyard Pinot Noir to the silky, red-fruited elegance of the Montalto Estate Pinot Noir, our reds consistently capture the attention of wine critics, sommeliers, and collectors across Australia and around the world.
“This award reflects the passionate and unrelenting work in the vineyards and winery. It’s a real honour – and one that belongs to every person who has played a role in getting us here,”
“I’m proud of our winemaking team and proud of the wines we continue to craft together.”
Montalto’s commitment to excellence has always been shaped by the unique qualities of the Mornington Peninsula, where cool breezes, rich soils and thoughtful stewardship come together to create wines of purity, finesse and character.
Wine has always been at the heart of Montalto, but it is part of something greater. The Halliday recognition is a reflection of how each part of the estate works together – from the vineyards to The Cellar Door, The Restaurant, The Piazza, our gardens and events program.
“This isn’t just a win for the winemaking team – it’s a moment for all of us at Montalto,”
“Our estate is an ecosystem. Everything from our regenerative kitchen gardens to our guest experiences contributes to the reputation and quality that Montalto is now known for.”
That ecosystem includes a longstanding commitment to sustainability, local partnerships, and an unwavering focus on quality. From garden to glass, every element of the estate is shaped by the unique character of the Mornington Peninsula.
“It’s an extraordinary honour, and one we don’t take lightly,”
“The Halliday Companion is the gold standard for Australian wine – to be named a Top Five Red Star Winery in 2026 is something we’re deeply proud of.”
There’s never been a better time to visit Montalto and explore what makes our red wines award-worthy.
In The Cellar Door, our team offers hosted wine tastings across all three tiers of our range. For those looking to go deeper, the Estate to Plate experience offers a journey through our wines with a guided tasting, garden tour and finishing with a seasonal lunch in The Restaurant.
In The Restaurant, led by Head Chef Adam Johnston, you’ll find dishes that showcase our estate-grown produce – always designed to pair beautifully with our wines. Meanwhile, The Piazza offers a relaxed, alfresco setting with woodfired pizza, a curated wine list, and sweeping views across the vines and sculptures.
And of course, The Sculpture Trail provides a unique way to explore the property and reflect on the harmony between art, nature and agriculture.
For wine lovers who want to make the most of this award-winning chapter in Montalto’s story, we recommend joining Alto Wine Club.
Members enjoy:
Priority access to new and limited releases
Invitations to exclusive events at Montalto
Deliveries of your personally selected Montalto wine, straight to your door
Complimentary tastings in The Cellar Door
Discounts across the estate
It’s an easy, personalised way to stay connected to the wines you love and the team behind them.
Learn more about the Alto Wine Club here
To celebrate this honour, we’ve curated a limited-time Top Five Red Star 6-Pack featuring some of the wines that helped secure our place in the previous Halliday Companion. This is your chance to experience the depth, diversity and detail in our award-winning collection – from vineyard to glass.
Representing the pinnacle of our winemaking, this pack includes the elegant, finely structured Montalto Pinot Noir 2023 and the intensely aromatic Single Vineyard ‘North One’ Pinot Noir 2023. From our Syrah collection, enjoy the powerful yet refined Single Vineyard ‘Tuerong’ Syrah 2023 – a true of why cool-climate Syrah from the Mornington Peninsula deserves more than a second glance.
Completing the set are three of our most critically-acclaimed Chardonnays: Single Vineyard ‘The Eleven’ Chardonnay 2023, Single Vineyard ‘Tuerong’ Chardonnay 2023 and Montalto Chardonnay 2023. These Chardonnays stand alongside our reds as flagships of our cool-climate mastery.
With only 50 packs available for a very limited time only, this collection offers a rare opportunity to taste the breadth, detail and beauty of Montalto’s winemaking.
At Montalto, we believe great wine should be shared – with food, with laughter, and with a deep sense of place. This award is a celebration of everything that makes the Mornington Peninsula so special – and we can’t wait to welcome you back to the estate to raise a glass with us.
Whether you’re visiting for a long lunch, a wine tasting, a private picnic or a special event, you’ll find the same commitment to excellence that’s earned us our place among Australia’s most respected wineries.
Montalto is located at: 33 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South, VIC 3937
Open 7 days a week
The Cellar Door: Wine tastings daily
The Restaurant: Bookings essential
The Piazza: Walk-ins welcome
Beyond The Cellar Door Experiences: Advance booking required
Private Picnics: Bookings essential
Montalto has been named a Top Five Red Star Winery in the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion – an elite honour celebrating over a decade of consistent excellence in winemaking. With a focus on site expression, sustainability, and exceptional guest experiences, this recognition marks a new chapter in Montalto’s legacy on the Mornington Peninsula.
We hope you’ll join us to experience the wines, the people and the place behind this remarkable moment.
Cheers,
The Montalto Team
