Australia's Vintage Smallest in 25 Years

The 2026 vintage was the smallest in over 25 years at 1.27 million tonnes, according to Wine Australia’s National Vintage Report 2026. 

While adverse seasonal conditions affected production in several regions, the scale and pattern of the decline suggest that market factors were the primary driver. Four of the past five Australian vintages have been below the long-term average, with the five-year average (2021–2025) falling to 1.61 million tons – 84,000 tons below the 10-year average.

This market bulletin looks at how the composition of the Australian winegrape crush in 2026 reflects changing conditions and examines the impact on grape prices.