Australia just scored a new wine festival (you'll never guess where)

A new wine festival will show off the best of Australia in 2025.

Forget France, Australia has a pretty incredible reputation for its contribution to the wine world. But anyone who has ever sipped shiraz in the Barossa or a semillon in the Hunter Valley already knows that.

What you might not know is that a brand-new way to sample the best of Aussie wines is arriving in 2025: the National Wine Festival of Australia.

Hitting Canberra in June this year, the four-day festival will celebrate Australian winemaking and mark the 50th anniversary of the National Wine Show of Australia (the country’s most prestigious wine awards).

Taste some of the best wines in Australia. (Image: Getty/Mark Piovesan)

National Wine Show of Australia Chair, Andy Gregory, believes the festival “is the only true representation of every Australian winegrowing region – a one-stop shop to taste and learn about the very best of Australian wine”.

So what does this mean for ticket holders?

Watch the winner be announced. Expect over 900 award-winning wines from all over the country, including every entrant in the 2025 National Wine Show, to be available for tasting. Book a seat at themed dining experiences paired with award-winning wines. And keep an eye out for exclusive gatherings for VIP guests.

A series of masterclasses will help you perfect your tasting technique and wine appreciation, from sessions aimed at beginners to ones designed to engage wine fanatics. You can even join the 2025 National Wine Show trophy winners and the National Wine Show Chair of Judges to learn what is looked for in an award-winning wine and which characteristics made the winners of 2025 stand out from the bunch.

Raise a glass to good wine. (Image: Getty/Franckreporter)

“Australian wine is one of our greatest tourism and trade assets, and I have no doubt that the festival will attract visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Minister for Tourism and Trade, Don Farrell, in a statement.

And while you’re there, what better excuse do you need to check out Canberra’s wineries, explore its drinking and dining scenes (and check into a stylish hotel room at the end of a long day’s tasting)?

Festival tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from $100, via nationalwinefestival.iwannaticket.com.au.