NSW Wine Awards 2026: Celebrating NSW Wine

An afternoon with the NSW wine industry

Last Friday, we joined the NSW wine industry at the Sydney International Convention Centre for the annual NSW Wine Awards Lunch.

Organised by Matt, Bec and the NSW Wine team, the lunch brought together producers, winemakers, hospitality professionals and familiar faces from across the state.

November is NSW Wine Month. For the second consecutive year, The Wined Up is supporting the campaign. Throughout November, we're turning our attention to the regions, producers and wines that deserve a closer look. On arrival, we met familiar faces like Mark Best, Aaron Mercer and Jonathan Mattick, little did we know the latter two, both was taking home trophies for their wines.

We made our way into the dining room to our table six. There, we met Shannon, winemaker at Tamburlaine Organic Wines, and Mark, the winery's owner and managing director. They're based in the Hunter Valley, and it wasn't long before their wines became part of the conversation.

One thing we enjoy about industry lunches is the opportunity to meet producers outside their usual setting. There's time to ask questions, hear a few stories and understand what's happening beyond the label.

A taste of NSW, from the Hunter Valley to Tumbarumba

The wines on the table offered a snapshot of NSW's regional diversity, with familiar Hunter Valley producers alongside wines from further afield.

Tamburlaine‘s Sauvignon Blanc was an early standout. Shannon joked about sending a bottle to Merrick Watts to finally shut him up about the variety. The Stein Winery Riesling Reserve followed, a wine we always enjoy seeing on the table. Tyrrell‘s Semillon was another welcome pour. I'm particularly fond of Tyrrell‘s Vat 1. Followed by the reds, Tamburlaine‘s Cabernet Sauvignon brought a rich, plush expression to the table. Thomas Wines‘ Sweetwater Ridge Shiraz added another Hunter Valley perspective.

There were plenty of conversations between courses, too. We enjoyed catching up with Erin Baulderstone from Riedel Australia, who kindly came over to say hello. We also met Saxon from The Art Syndicate Wine Bar in Surry Hills who solely supports NSW wine producers. It's always interesting hearing from people putting Australian wine in front of drinkers through their own venues. Met Michelle from Destination NSW and Helena from Optimus Wines, adding a few more names to our growing list of conversations.

The food kept pace with the wines. The pasta was delicious, but the duck was the stand out dish, even Angus Barnes (the Graham Gregory recipient) commented how good it was. It was a good reminder that NSW wine is far from one-dimensional. Each region brings its own character, producers and stories to the table.

Mercer Wines: A journey worth celebrating

The headline result of the afternoon belonged to Aaron Mercer and the team at Mercer Wines. Aaron took home Best White, Best Red and the coveted NSW Wine of the Year. Three major accolades in one year is an extraordinary achievement. But for us, this result felt particularly special.

We first met Aaron, Alison and their children around two and a half years ago, when Aaron joined us on The Wined Up Podcast. Back then, there wasn't even a cellar door. There was simply a family with a vision and plenty of ambition. Since that first conversation, we've had the privilege of watching Mercer Wines grow from strength to strength.

We've seen the countless hours invested in building the business. The road trips, wine shows, industry events and weekends spent introducing people to their wines. All of it comes at a cost, particularly the time spent away from Alison and the kids. Building a winery and establishing a brand takes more than making good wine. It takes persistence, commitment and a family willing to back the vision.

Seeing that hard work recognised on such a significant stage was genuinely rewarding. It feels like the time has come for some of those sacrifices to pay off. Fortunately, Saxon managed to track down a bottle of Mercer‘s winning Tumbarumba Chardonnay. We weren't about to miss the opportunity to taste it. It was delicious.

The fruit comes from the same vineyards supplying Penfolds for its celebrated Yattarna Chardonnay. It's another indication of the quality coming out of Tumbarumba. Three trophies are impressive. Knowing the journey behind them makes this result even sweeter.

Until the next lunch

Towards the end of the afternoon, we caught up with Sally Evans, who leads the Len Evans Tutorial. Always full of energy and conversation, Sally was a lovely person to finish the day with.

As we made our way out, there was plenty to reflect on. New introductions, familiar faces, interesting wines and a few stories worth following up. For us, the Mercer result was a particular highlight. It's a reminder that behind every successful winery, there's often a much bigger story than the bottle suggests.

November is NSW Wine Month, and we're spending the month exploring the regions, meeting the producers and sharing the stories that make NSW wine worth paying attention to. There's plenty happening across the state. Make sure you get down to Sydney Cellar Door, a 3 day event from the 13-15 Nov at The Rocks. See you there!