Australia’s Most Coveted Wine Trophy Returns as Melbourne Royal Wine Awards Unveil 2026 Program

Celebrating excellence, innovation and craftsmanship across the Australian wine industry, the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards - Australia's premier wine competition and home to the coveted Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for Best Young Red Wine - is now welcoming entries for 2026, inviting winemakers from across the country to benchmark their wines alongside the nation's best.

Established in 1883 with only 13 entries, the awards have evolved into one of Australia's most respected and prestigious wine competitions, becoming a seal of excellence for Australian wine. Having earnt recognition from both industry professionals and consumers alike and now attracting more than 2,300 entries annually, the competition continues to reflect contemporary winemaking practices, evolving consumer trends and the rich diversity of Australia's wine regions.

Beyond the iconic Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy - affectionately known as 'The Jimmy' and one of the Australian wine industry's highest honours recognising the legacy of beloved Carlton wine merchant and wine bar owner Jimmy Watson - the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards celebrate excellence across every facet of winemaking. The awards feature a suite of highly regarded trophies including the François de Castella Trophy for Best Young White Wine, the Champion Victorian Winery Trophy, the Douglas Seabrook Single Vineyard Trophy, and the Kym Ludvigsen Trophy for Viticultural Excellence, which recognises the grower or viticulture team behind the winning single vineyard wine.

Melbourne Royal Wine Awards also celebrate some of the industry’s most influential figures through dedicated honours, including the Dr Tony Jordan Trophy for Best Sparkling, the James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir, the Trevor Mast Trophy for Best Shiraz, and the Bill Chambers Trophy for Best Fortified Wine.

In total, more than 20 major trophies will be awarded across Australia's leading wine styles and regions, including Best Sparkling, Best Riesling, Best Chardonnay, Best Shiraz, Best Pinot Noir, Best Cabernet Sauvignon, Best Grenache, Best Organic or Biodynamic Wine and Best Design, alongside state-based trophies recognising excellence in key varietals.

While the 2026 awards submission stays relatively the same as previous years, notable updates include streamlined judging for Best Single Varietal White, Best Single Varietal Red and Best Red Blend, with classes no longer split by varietal and vintage but by varietal only, providing greater submission opportunities for exhibitors. Meanwhile, the Design Award criteria has been refined following industry feedback to ensure a simpler and more relevant assessment process, with exhibitors also having the opportunity to provide additional product information to support judging.

As well as medals and trophies, Melbourne Royal continues to invest in the future of Australian winemaking through the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards Professional Development Scholarship. Awarded annually to the winemaker behind the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy-winning wine, or an employee of that winery, the scholarship supports professional development opportunities that help recipients further their careers and contribution to the Australian wine industry.

Melbourne Royal Senior Manager Food & Beverage Awards Kirrily Waldhorn said “Each year, the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards provide a vital platform for Australian winemakers to benchmark their wines against the very best. Beyond the opportunity to compete for the industry's most prestigious honours, including the iconic Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, the awards celebrate excellence across every region and style, while recognising the innovation and craftsmanship driving Australian winemaking forward."

Chair of Judges, Marcus Satchell, added “The standard of entries continues to be exceptionally high year on year, reflecting the depth and diversity of Australian winemaking and so I’m looking forward to seeing what 2026 brings. Our judging process is rigorous and considered, ensuring every wine is assessed fairly and consistently through blind tasting to identify true excellence across each category.”

Judging for the 2026 Melbourne Royal Wine Awards will take place at Melbourne Showgrounds from 19–23 October, with entries assessed through a rigorous blind-tasting process by expert judging panels comprising leading winemakers, wine professionals and industry associates.
Wines are grouped regionally to enable like-for-like comparisons and assessed using the internationally recognised 100-point scoring system.

Trophy winners undergo multiple rounds of evaluation, including re-tasting and ranking through the Borda Count method, ensuring only the most exceptional wines receive Australia's most respected wine accolades.

For Australian producers, a medal or trophy at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards remains one of the industry's most powerful endorsements, delivering national recognition, consumer confidence and valuable benchmarking against peers from across the country.

Entries for the 2026 Melbourne Royal Wine Awards open from Tuesday 21st July.

For more information about the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards, visit www.melbourneroyal.com.au/wine