Australian wine competition results

Recent Australian wine competitions have highlighted high levels of quality and diversity across various regions.

At the 2026 Sydney Royal Wine Show, which celebrated its 200th year of wine inclusion, Pooley Wines from Tasmania achieved a historic result by winning Best Wine of Show with its 2024 Syrah, as well as Best Red and Best Shiraz trophies. Other notable winners included Jacob’s Creek Le Petit Rosé 2026 for Best Rosé and ALDI’s Freya and Jules Riesling for its value. Approximately 58.5 per cent of the 1,500 entries received medals.

Similarly, the 34th annual NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show in Forbes reported strong results, with 61 per cent of its 507 entries receiving medals. This marked the second strongest result in the competition’s history. Judges awarded 52 gold medals, 82 silver, and 174 bronze. Mark Richardson, chair of judges, observed a trend of increasing quality and a rise in the presence of Spanish, Italian, and non-traditional French varieties alongside classic varieties like chardonnay and shiraz.