Facts & Figures

NSW Wine Industry - An Overview

New South Wales is Australia's second largest wine producing state, accounting for nearly one third of the nation's output.

Consumption is growing in domestic and export markets with significant upside in premium, fast growing Asian markets. In the end, the NSW wine industry makes a significant economic contribution in terms of production, export, agritourism, wholesale, retail, hospitality, business turnover and jobs created.

Contribution The Economy
$14billion
Annual Volume of Wine Produced
492,000,000 bottles
Annual Value of NSW Wine Exports
$500,000,000 and growing
Number of people employed by the NSW Wine Industry
53,000
Area of land used for NSW Vineyards
34,000 hectares

Things you didn't know about NSW Wine

  • The first vines in Australia were planted at Sydney Cove [now the
    site of Intercontinental Sydney]
  • NSW is home to Australia’s oldest continuous wine region (Hunter
    Valley), and one of the newest (New England), which was only declared an
    official wine region in January 2008.
  • Australia’s two most popular wine varieties – Chardonnay and Shiraz,
    both had their start in NSW. Shiraz was first planted by John Macarthur on
    his vineyard in Camden in 1833; and Chardonnay was first made by Mudgee
    pioneer Alf Kurtz in 1862.
  • Family businesses dominate the NSW wine industry, accounting for
    more than 75% of the total crush (only 33% of the national wine crush is
    from family businesses).
  • NSW is Australia’s second largest wine producing state, accounting
    for 32% of Australia’s $44 billion wine industry.
  • NSW is home to two of Australia’s icon varieties namely, Semillon
    from the Hunter Valley and Botrytis Semillon from the Riverina.
  • NSW is home to 7 of Australia's Top 20 Wine Exporters: Casella,
    McGuigan, De Bortoli, Nugan Estate, McWilliams, Warburn Estate, and Berton.
  • NSW is home to 8 of Australia’s Top 20 wine producers by vineyard
    area: McGuigan, Warburn, McWilliams, De Bortoli, Nugan Estate, Cumulus.
    Robert Oatley and Gooree Park
  • There are 14 official wine regions solely in NSW: Canberra District,
    Cowra, Gundagai, Hastings River, Hilltops, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, New
    England, Orange, Perricoota, Riverina, Shoalhaven Coast, Southern
    Highlands, Tumbarumba. (The Murray Darling and Swan Hill wine regions also cross in to NSW, making 16 wine regions in total)
  • NSW is home to 5 of Australia’s 20 oldest wine companies and/or
    continuously operating wine brands: Wyndham Estate 1828; Lindemans 1843;
    Drayton’s Family Wines 1853; Mudgee Wines 1856 and Tyrrell’s 1858.
  • In 1983 NSW had 76 wine producers, today is has 484+ wine producers.
  • NSW is home to over 370 cellar doors.

NSW Wine Industry Partners

Upcoming Events

23 & 24 March 2024

NSW Wine Cellar Door at The Rocks

The Rocks Market brings you their new NSW Wine Cellar Door! Savour and explore the offerings of Scarborough Wine Co., Mercer Wines, Horner Wines, and Latitude 32 Wines, each showcasing their finest creations.

Find out more ...

27 May 2024

Sydney Trade Tasting ~ Young Guns

The next NSW Wine Sydney Trade Tasting of 2024 will take place in May in a central CBD location, and will be focusing on wines from up and coming winemakers.

21 May 2024

Pinot Noir Masterclass

DPI NSW and NSW Wine are hosting a Pinot Noir Masterclass in the Hunter Valley. More information to follow shortly.

mid 2024

NSW Sommelier's Wine List Awards

The next NSW Sommelier's Wine List Awards will open in mid 2024. To find out more about these Awards and see who were the 2023 #nswwinestar click below.

Find out more...

November 2024

NSW Wine Awards Presentation

Join the Governor of NSW at a lavish lunch at ICC Sydney and be amongst the first to hear which NSW wines and winemakers have been crowned the best of the best in 2024.

Continued...