***100 Best Australian Wines 2026 Festival Wines, Dates & Links to Tickets***
LONDON – 7TH MARCH – TATE MODERN – DONE
MANCHESTER – 10TH MARCH – HALLÉ AT ST MICHAEL’S – DONE
YORK – 11TH MARCH – YORK MINSTER REFECTORY – DONE
BIRMINGHAM – 14TH MARCH – THE GRAND HOTEL – DONE
EDINBURGH – 21ST MARCH – THE EDINBURGH ACADEMY – DONE
It is beyond exciting to announce the dates and cities for my 100 Best Australian Wines 2026 Festival series. This year, I welcome two new cities onto the list, with a first 100 Best foray in Manchester, supported by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and York, with expert chef and renowned restaurateur Andrew Pern. You will see above the links to these events, so you can also purchase tickets. This promises to be the finest 100 Best celebration of elite Australian wines ever! And for the first time, each event will be supported by a dedicated wine merchant who will be able to sell selected wines on the day! So, see you there & fill your cellar, too!
Here is an overview of the run-up to these nationwide events
On Monday, the 24th of November 2025, I launched my 100 Best Australian Wines 2026 initiative. It was a huge honour to showcase this elite 100 at Stoke Lodge, the official residence of His Excellency The Honourable Stephen Smith, Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
The event comprised two parts – a formal tasting with select UK buyers, wine writers and key merchants. This was followed by a private reception with the High Commissioner and his guests, including the Secretary of State for Education Bridget Philipson MP, Solicitor General Ellie Reeves MP, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Catherine West MP, and Diplomatic Corps colleagues including His Majesty’s Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps Alistair Harrison, High Commissioner of India Vikram Doraiswami and Ambassador of the Philippines Teodoro Locsin Jr.
As always, at the 100 Best Launch, I announced the Winery of the Year, and for 2026 this honour goes to Shaw + Smith, not only for their magnificent haul of headline wines in the 100 Best, as well as a large number of wines which will appear in the notes in the full Report which will be published in the New Year, but for 35 years of pioneering, cool climate winemaking, brand building and industry leadership. Shaw + Smith’s wines have never been better, and I urge you to seek out their wines.
The 100 Best Australian Wines 2026 Report will feature the largest number of recommended wines in the initiative’s history, with 100 headliners (listed below) and a further 200+ wines mentioned in the write-ups. There is no doubt in my mind that Australian fine wine has never been more memorable, age-worthy, delicious, collectable, and unique, and this year’s Report sets out to celebrate Australia’s awesome vinous achievements in the UK.
Here is a list of the 100 headline wines, their stockists and recommended retail prices. In some instances, the new vintages have yet to roll onto the shelves, and a couple of wines are arriving this month, so they have yet to score listings, but be assured, this list, designed as a complete buyer’s guide for 2026, will be up and running for my 100 Best Festivals in March this year.
I am pleased to announce that I have received support from two important sponsors this year. Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW) is sponsoring 100 Best for the second year running. This collective of some of the most important and respected wineries in the land trumpets the tagline ‘The Heart & Soul of Australian Wine’, and this could not be more accurate given the reputations of both the wineries and their rollcall of talented winemakers. In addition, I am delighted to announce my partnership with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) in London this year. Austrade is the Australian Government’s trade promotion agency, helping Australian companies expand internationally. Austrade’s contribution will allow me to introduce the featured wines to a significantly broader network of UK importers, buyers and partners. If you work in the wine trade and would like tailored support, please contact Tanya Koicheva, Austrade’s UK Wine Lead, at tanya.koicheva@austrade.gov.au.