Wine Australia flags need to assess vineyard area after smallest vintage in 26 years

Australia’s winegrape crush totalled just 1.27 million tonnes in 2026, down 19 per cent year-on-year and the smallest crush since 2000. It is also 25 per cent below the 10-year average of 1.69 million tonnes.

The reduced crop, which was announced on Wednesday in Wine Australia's 2026 National Vintage Report, did not result in stronger grape prices, with the average value slumping 6 per cent to $570 per tonne. Value declines occurred across both warm inland and cool/temperate regions, and for both red and whites.