2026 Geelong Wine Show

Now in its 27th year, the Geelong Wine Show continues to bring together large and small producers from across the Geelong Wine Region showcasing the quality and diversity of their wines.

This year’s Show will be held at Gordon Tafe, Geelong conveniently located in the Geelong CBD.

This event is an essential benchmarking opportunity in the wine industry and this year’s wine show will welcome back Chair of Judges Matthew Brooke (Crown Melbourne) to lead an exceptional team of wine industry experts.

A key emphasis on the Wine Show is to use the Show as a learning and development opportunity for the region’s winegrowers. Entrants will be provided with written feedback to exhibitors who were unsuccessful in securing a medal for their wine that could be drawn upon in future wine making decisions.

It is with thanks to the sponsors, judges and Geelong region producers who make the Geelong Wine Show one of the standout regional wine shows in Australia.

KEY DATES

• Wine Entries open – Sunday 1st September 2026

• Wine Entries close – 5 pm on Sunday, 1st November 2026

• Delivery of Exhibits between – Monday 2nd November and Friday 6th November 2026.

4 x 750ml or equivalent bottles required per wine entered.

Please note: All trophy winners will be required to give an additional 5 bottles.

• Judging – Tuesday 10th November to Thursday 12th November 2026.

• Exhibitors/Trade/Sponsors Tasting – Thursday 12th November 2025, 2.30pm-4.30pm @Davidson Restaurant, Gordon Tafe

• Wine Show Awards Dinner – Friday 4th December, 6.30pm – 10.00pm @Flying Brick Cider House (Bookings close 2 weeks prior)

AWARDS & TROPHIES

As well as medals awarded to wines reaching award standard, a number of trophies will be presented at the Awards Dinner.

• Trophy for Best Wine in Show – Across all classes

• Trophy for the Most Successful Exhibitor – Exhibitor with highest aggregate score from their top 4 wines in at least 2 classes

• Trophy for Best Chardonnay

• Trophy for Best Other White Wine

• Trophy for Best Other Red Wine

• Trophy for Best Pinot Noir

• Trophy for Best Shiraz

• Trophy for Best Sparkling

• Trophy for Novotel Geelong Best Rosé

• Trophy for Best Wine of Provenance – awarded to the best flight of three wines from the red and white wine of provenance classes

Existing ShowRunner account

E-mail/
Username

Password

Remember me

Forgot your password?

Don't have a ShowRunner account?

Terms & Conditions

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1. Wines are eligible to be entered if at least 85% of the fruit is from within the “Geelong Region”. The “Geelong Region” is defined for this event as the Geelong GI area plus the following two extensions: A) the area within 20km of the Geelong GI area boundary. B) The area enclosed on the western side by the line of Longitude 143°32’, on the southern side by the coast, on the northern side by the Hamilton Highway east of the line of Longitude 143°20’, and on the eastern side by the line of the 20km buffer that runs parallel to the western side of the Geelong GI boundary.

2. Entry is restricted to finished bottled wines which may be unlabeled. Wines entered that are not commercially labelled require a self-adhesive label detailing the following information in a clear legible manner. Winery name, Wine name, Vintage, Variety/ies, Class entered, Alcohol content.

3. Wines entered in varietal classes must be made from 85% or more of the grape variety specified.

4. Wines entered in classes 1a, 1b, 2, 7c, 7d, 8, 15a, 15b & 16 must nominate varietal makeup and percentage of each part thereof.

5. Wines entered in classes 6, 7d, 11, 14 & 15b must be commercially available for sale from a licensed outlet but have no minimum stock requirement.

6. The minimum stock requirement at time of entry except for classes 6, 7d, 11, 14 & 15b is 30 dozen 750mL bottles or equivalent volume of finished wine.

7. Wines eligible for the Trophy must be commercially available for sale from a licensed outlet.

8. In all classes the wine in stock as stated on the Certificate of Entry, may be inspected and checked by the Association or its nominees. Inspections will be made. In which case each Exhibitor shall supply the association with a sealed envelope containing sale(s) reducing stock below the stipulated quantities after the entry date.

9. Entry fees include GST and are $60 per wine for financial members of GWA and $85 per wine for non-financial members and non-members.

10. All entries must be submitted and paid online via Showrunner.

11. All exhibits shall become the property of the GWA. Excess wine can be used for promotional, educational and fundraising purposes in order to advance the interests and activities of the Geelong Wine Show.

12. 4 X 750mL bottles or equivalent volume are required for each entry.

13. Entry forms accompanied by the appropriate fee must be received by 5pm on Sunday, 1st November 2026

14. Wine entries must be delivered between Monday 2nd November and Friday 6th November 2026.

15. Refer to ‘delivery of exhibits’ in the key dates section.

16. No wine is to be entered more than once in the show.

17. There must be at least 4 entries for any Class otherwise the committee may transfer those wines to another appropriate class. If this is not possible the wine and relevant entry fees will be returned to the exhibitor.

18. Fees will not be refunded for withdrawn wines.

19. Protests must be made within 7 days of the award’s announcement. However the judges’ decision is final and no discussion will be entered in to. Wines may be disqualified if it is shown that:

20. The entry is not commercially bottled; and/or

21. The quantity claimed to be produced is found to be false; and

22. Does not meet all entry standards.

23. Following the judging wines will be awarded a score using the 100 point system:

• 95 – 100 points: Gold Medal

• 90 – 94 points: Silver Medal

• 85 – 89 points: Bronze Medal

Written feedback to exhibitors will be provided on all entries that do not receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze Medal.

Any exhibitor may be required to provide wines (up to four dozen) for the Awards Presentation Dinner and other promotional activities at $200/case inclusive of WET & GST.

By entering each exhibitor agrees to comply with the ASVO Wine Show Recommendation for the use of wine show medal stickers.

For further clarification see http://www.asvo.com.au/australian-wine-show-advisory-group/wine-shows

2026 JUDGES

Chair of Judges- Matthew Brooke, Director of Wine, Crown Melbourne

Judge- Greer Carland, Quiet Mutiny, Tasmania

Judge-

Associate Judge- Peter Martinek, Mollers Lane, Geelong

Associate Judge- Luke Campbell, DWS Australia

JUDGE SELECTION

The purpose of the Committees criteria for judge selection is to ensure a diverse spread of expert opinion and viewpoint in relation to the wines being judged and so bring a broader relevance to the results and any influence they might have on Geelong winemakers and their wines. The wine show committee selects and invites suitable judges on the following criteria:

• To achieve national/international standard results and avoid regional bias, highly experienced and nationally recognised judges are recruited from outside the Geelong Region.

• Where possible the panel of 3 judges will consist of:

• an experienced Chair of judges able to achieve out of a diverse judging panel the best results possible for the wines entered

• one winemaker/technical judge

• one consumer judge, either a wine buyer or sommelier

• and one wine writer or media judge

JUDGE SCHEME

The Geelong Wine Show is run in accordance with the ASVO Wine Show Project recommendations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. and all exhibitors shall comply with the Winemakers Federation of Australia (WFA) code of practice for the display of awards. Only Gold Medal wines shall be eligible for trophies.

Wines are assessed by a panel of 3 judges with the results expressed using the 100 point system. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded to wines on the following basis:

Gold Medal: 95 points and over

Silver Medal: 90 – 94 points

Bronze Medal: 85- 89 points

ASSOCIATE JUDGING PROGRAM

The Geelong Wine Show showcases wines from wineries that use Geelong grown fruit to produce wine and is organised by Wine Geelong through the Geelong Wine Show Committee. In 2025 over 200 wines were entered from more than 50 wineries. Judging occurs over a 3-day period.

Wine Geelong and the Geelong Wine Show Committee is committed to support and facilitate wine industry representatives to gain experience that will benefit themselves as well as the Geelong and broader wine industry in wine show judging.

The position of Associate Judge will be awarded to an applicant from within the Wine Geelong community, whom after due consideration and based on this application is considered by the Geelong Wine Show Committee to be the most suitable person to benefit from such an opportunity.

2026 Geelong Wine Show

https://www.geelongwineshow.com.au/

2026 Geelong Wine Show

Existing ShowRunner account

Don't have a ShowRunner account?

Register a new ShowRunner account

Got a ShowRunner account?

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy