New data shows Australian shiraz drinkers are increasingly trading up, with sales of bottled shiraz under $10 falling 8.3% in value over the past year while sales above $35 have grown 6.9%.

It’s expected to be a strong summer for the varietal, with Circana data showing the largest week of the year for shiraz sales falls just before Christmas. Google Trends data also shows search interest for “shiraz” peaks every December.

For shiraz drinkers, good wine and good food also go hand in hand, with a Dynata Wine Drinkers Survey commissioned by
Taylors Wines showing eight in 10 (81%) of respondents say wine is part of enjoying food and the festive season is all about sharing both.

$24 Aussie Shiraz scores spot in international Top 10

A $24 Australian Shiraz has just scored 98 points and earned a place among the Top 10 wines at VINUS 2026.

The 2024 Taylors Estate Shiraz received a Double Gold Medal at the VINUS International Wine & Spirit Competition in Argentina, placing it among the competition’s highest-rated wines.

VINUS is one of Latin America’s longest-running and most prestigious wine competitions, with more than 500 wines and spirits from 17 countries judged in 2026 by an international panel of wine professionals, sommeliers and specialist journalists.

Taylors Wines Chairman Mitchell Taylor said: “The festive season is one of those times when people put a little more thought into the wine they bring to the table, so to have a $24 Shiraz recognised among the competition’s best is fantastic.

“It means Australians can enjoy an internationally acclaimed wine at gatherings with family and friends without needing to spend at the top end.”

The Estate Shiraz was one of two Taylors wines named in the Top 10 VINUS 2026, with the 2023 St Andrews Shiraz scoring 99 points and being crowned International Champion and Best Australian Wine. Taylors was the only Australian winery represented in the Top 10.

“Shiraz was one of the first varieties our family planted in the Clare Valley in 1969, so this is a particularly meaningful result for us,” Taylor said.

“To have two wines in the Top 10, including our Estate Shiraz, and St Andrews named International Champion is a fantastic endorsement of Australian shiraz on the world stage.

“For many wine lovers overseas, shiraz is their first taste of Australian wine, so recognition like this is something the whole Australian wine industry can be proud of.”

The 2024 Taylors Estate Shiraz, and the wider range, are available now at wine retailers nationally and online at www.taylorswines.com.au.