Entries open for Melbourne Royal Wine Awards 2026

The Melbourne Royal Wine Awards is now accepting entries for 2026, inviting winemakers from across the country to benchmark their wines alongside the nation’s best. Judging for the awards will take place at the Melbourne Showgrounds from 19 to 23 October, with entries assessed through a “rigorous blind-tasting process by expert judging panels comprising leading winemakers, wine professionals and industry associates”. Wines will be grouped regionally to enable like-for-like comparisons and assessed using the internationally recognised 100-point scoring system. Organisers explained that trophy winners will 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”.