The Real Review has announced the 2026 annual update to its Wine Classification of Australia. A total of 664 Australian wines are now classified across One, Two, and Three Merit tiers, establishing the definitive benchmark of consistency for sommeliers, wine buyers, distributors, and producers.
Unlike traditional international systems tied to land values, regional boundaries, or secondary auction pricing, The Real Review Wine Classification is calculated solely on a wine’s review performance over time. To qualify, a wine must have been reviewed blind by The Real Review tasting panel over a period of at least 10 years.
- Three Merit Classification: Reserved for iconic wines representing fewer than 0.5% of all wines on the market, achieving consistent top vintage scores of 98 points or higher.
- Two Merit Classification: Awarded to wines regularly reaching top vintage scores of 96 points or higher.
- One Merit Classification: Recognises outstanding wines with top vintages consistently scoring 95 points or higher.
Once classified, a wine retains its tier for a minimum of four years. This rule provides trade buyers and wineries with commercial stability against vintage variation while allowing superior performers to move upward during each annual update.
Principal Wine Writer Huon Hooke said: “The Real Review Wine Classification is an essential tool for the wine trade because it assesses wines beyond marketing or auction pricing and focuses purely on provenance and quality in the glass over a decade or more.
“For trade buyers, it provides confidence when building a wine list or collection of Australian icon wines for retail sales. For Australian wineries, achieving a Merit classification serves as an independent mark of distinction that validates years of vineyard focus and winemaking consistency.
“With each new year, new trends emerge and producers are inducted into the Classification, initiating a new year’s worth of commentary on what is happening in the world of Australian wine.”
2026 Classification ranks & movers
The 2026 collection features 76 Three Merit wines, 234 Two Merit wines, and 354 One Merit wines.
Four wines made their Three Merit debut:
- Hentley Farm Clos Otto Shiraz (Barossa Valley, SA)
- Chatto Isle Pinot Noir (Tasmania, TAS)
- Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec (Margaret River, WA)
- Gralyn Artizan Rare Muscat (Margaret River, WA)
Five wines were promoted from Two Merits to Three Merits:
- Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1 (Yarra Valley, VIC)
- House of Arras Grand Vintage (Tasmania, TAS)
- Savaterre Chardonnay (Beechworth, VIC)
- De Bortoli Noble One (Riverina, NSW)
- Crawford River Riesling (Henty, VIC)
Emerging trends in the 2026 update
While highlighting Australia’s classic varietal icons, the development of the Classification program has seen an emergence of alternative varieties gaining placement in the One and Two Merit rankings.
“It is gratifying to see a diversity of grape varieties represented in the Classification,” said Hooke.
“This has widened and we expect it to widen further as years pass and more outstanding wines are made from fringe varieties, which are accumulating more vintages and approaching the 10-vintage minimum. This year we see varieties like Nebbiolo, Nero D’Avola, Sangiovese, and a bounty of Grenache among the new One and Two Merit wines.
“It’s exciting to watch this project evolve, and we take this opportunity to congratulate the producers of all classified wines on their excellent work.”
The Wine Classification of Australian Wine is updated annually and can be found at The Real Review website.