James Halliday has recognised Steve Wiblin’s Erin Eyes Wines as one of ten Dark Horse wineries for 2015 with a five star rating.

There was an unusually large number of contenders for this recognition, due in no small measure to the generally outstanding 2012 vintage (the unlucky regions headed by the Hunter Valley). The normal pre-qualification applies: namely that the winery in question has not previously achieved a five-star rating, no matter that it may have been knocking on the door of five stars over the years.

In writing about Steve Wiblin’s Erin Eyes Wines, James Halliday commented:

“‘In 1842 my English convict forbear John Wiblin gazed into a pair of Erin eyes.’ It’s a long story, as is the battle owner/winemaker Steve Wiblin has had with leukaemia and a brain tumour. I knew none of that when I tasted the wines for this edition, so sentiment did not enter into the points; had it done so, they may have been higher still.”

Read more about the ten Dark Horse wineries for 2015 at Wine Companion.