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This Victorian vineyard just took out Australia’s winery of the year

Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
And it’s not the first time…

Australia is no stranger to fantastic wineries. From Margaret River to the Hunter Valley, chardonnay to shiraz, winemakers are creating some of the world’s best drops. But one winery in particular is taking the spotlight in 2026.

Each year, an expert tasting panel from leading wine authority, The Real Review, assesses approximately 10,000 wines to decipher the wineries producing the best drops. And considering Australia is home to 65 designated wine regions and roughly 2700 producers, taking the crown is no mean feat. Here’s where the judges landed…

Which is the best winery in Australia?

A winemaker sipping a glass of wine from a barrel
Yarra Yering is the 2026 Winery of the Year.

Taking out the best winery in Australia for 2026 is Yarra Yering located in Gruyere in the heart of the Yarra Valley. It marks the sixth consecutive year in which a Victorian winery has taken out the top spot and the third time the producer has taken the top spot – the most of any winery in the rankings’ history.

Tasting panel member Melissa Moore highlighted the significance of the feat. “To see Yarra Yering secure three Winery of the Year titles in the last six years is a remarkable demonstration of their consistency. It’s no mean feat for a winery to maintain this level of excellence year after year, but the partnership between Winemaker and General Manager Sarah Crowe and Vineyard Manager Andrew George is close and genuinely collaborative." 

A person handpicking grapes at Yarra Yering
They handpick all fruit at Yarra Yering.

Established in 1969, originally with 30 acres, and now 90, Yarra Yering hand harvests a low yield of grapes to create in-demand drops, including the first Shiraz Pinot Noir blend in the Yarra Valley. The cellar door is open just two days a year as they focus on the quality and craft of their winemaking. 

Winemaker and General Manager of Yarra Yering, Sarah Crowe, shared her enthusiasm for the win. “You can’t win this kind of recognition three times by chance, and you certainly can’t engineer it in a single year. It is the result of sustained effort, of decisions made and work done years earlier." 

Levantine Hill at sunset
Levantine Hill was the second-most highly regarded winery.

Yarra Yering is among friends, too. The state of Victoria secured 26.1 per cent of the 429 highest-ranking wineries. South Australia once again contributed the largest share of the rankings, accounting for 34.3 per cent of the Top Wineries list. The Barossa Valley outshone any other region, achieving 11.7 per cent of the ranked wineries, while the Margaret River came in second with 9.3 per cent. 

Completing the top five wineries of 2026 are Levantine Hill (#2, Yarra Valley, VIC), Wendouree (#3, Clare Valley, SA), Penfolds (#4, SA) and Tyrrell’s Wines (#5, Hunter Valley, NSW).

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AI Prompt

The award winners

  • Vigneron of the Year: Steve Pannell – S.C. Pannell (McLaren Vale, SA)
  • Rising Star of the Year: Aaron Mercer – Mercer Wines (Hunter Valley, NSW) 
  • Len Evans Prize: Louise Rose, Yalumba 
  • Sparkling Wine of the Year: Deviation Road Beltana Blanc de Blancs Vintage 2018 (Adelaide Hills, SA) 
  • White Wine of the Year: Fighting Gully Road Smiths’ Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 (Beechworth, VIC) 
  • Rosé Wine of the Year: Chaffey Bros Wine Co. Not Your Grandma’s Rosé 2025 (Barossa, SA) 
  • Red Wine of the Year: Thistledown Sands of Time Old Vine Blewitt Springs Grenache 2024 (McLaren Vale, SA) 
  • Sweet Wine of the Year: Rieslingfreak No.8 Polish Hill River Schatzkammer Riesling 2025 (Clare Valley, SA)
  • Fortified Wine of the Year: Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat NV (Rutherglen, VIC)

Discover the full list of winners

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Rachael Thompson
Rachael Thompson is Australian Traveller's Evergreen Editor and Hotel Addict. She's responsible for the foundational content on AustralianTraveller.com, helping to manage and grow the brand’s destination guides. With a background in design and travel media, Rachael is dedicated to curating content that is as much informational as it is beautiful. She began her career at Belle magazine, before taking up editorial roles at Homes to Love and Bed Threads. When she's not writing, editing or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list is Lord Howe Island.
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The iconic Victorian beach where true Aussie surf culture was born

    Craig Tansley Craig Tansley
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    Torquay’s Bells Beach is considered one of the best surf beaches in the world.

    It’d be easy to think Australian surf culture was born around the right-hand point breaks of the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. These regions seem the epitome of how the world views Aussie surfers – bronzed (or burnt), languishing in warm water and sunshine. The reality is a lot different.

    The rise of surf culture along Victoria’s coastline

    surfers at Bells Beach in Australia
    Surfers stand on the shore at Bells Beach, where the country’s biggest surfing competition is held each year. (Image: Getty/Filed Image)

    True Aussie surf culture was born on the chilly waves of Victoria’s winters, when huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean hit cliff-lined beaches along the Great Ocean Road. These beaches were the ultimate proving ground – surfers from all over Australia arrived in panel vans and VWs to do battle with the biggest waves they could find.

    huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean at Bells Beach
    Surfers take advantage of the huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean at Bells Beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

    There are surf breaks all along this very picturesque coast – but those around Torquay were most revered. The ultimate test of a surfer’s ability – and durability – however, was Bells Beach: Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. Just beyond, the breaks at Jan Juc and Winkipop beckoned.

    an aerial view of surfers at Bells Beach
    Hit the waves along the picturesque coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Torquay became surfing’s Silicon Valley: HQ for the entire Australian surf culture revolution. Four young locals worked out of their backyards in Torquay to create two of the world’s biggest surf labels – Rip Curl and Quiksilver, which soon became the region’s biggest employers.

    surfers out at Bells Beach
    Surfers out at Bells Beach, Victoria’s most famous beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

    Rip Curl started sponsoring the Bells Beach Pro in 1973 – and have done ever since. It’s been going since 1962 – making it the world’s longest continually run surfing contest. Held every Easter, it’s part of the world surfing tour. Spectators line its 30-metre-high cliffs to watch the world’s best take on enormous waves – it’s the ultimate coliseum for the sport and has inspired generations of Aussie surfers to join the list of heroes whose names are on its iconic bell.

    Follow the waves through Victoria’s surfing heartland

    Australian National Surfing Museum, Torquay
    The Australian National Surfing Museum in Torquay. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Just behind Torquay’s main drag, you can see all that history on display at the world’s best surf museum – the Australian National Surfing Museum. Here you can take your time absorbing the 100-year-or-so history of Australian surfing and check out the 150-strong surfboard collection.

    surfboards on display at Australian National Surfing Museum
    The museum holds surfing memorabilia, including a room dedicated to the history of boards. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    But classic Aussie surf culture can be observed in everyday life all over the Great Ocean Road and Torquay. Surfing dictates life here; no work is done until the big swells have come and gone. Just being here provides a window into 60-odd years of rebellion against convention; for no-one likes nine-to-five living on the Great Ocean Road.

    surfing memorabilia at Australian National Surfing Museum
    The varied displays celebrate the Bells Beach competition, surfing legends and Aussie surf culture. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    There’s less panel vans and VW Beetles these days, but surf culture still rules life. Surfers run this coast; you’re better off keeping out of their way when they’re running down past you to face the biggest swells – then hear them swap stories at cafes, restaurants and bars all around you.

    surfing at Bells Beach
    The beach near Torquay is Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. (Image: Visit Victoria/William Watt)