1085 wines, three hours and a tasting glass: Canberra’s ultimate girls’ day out is back

Posted on 25 May, 2026

If your group chat’s been crying out for a catch up with a bit more sparkle than your usual Friday drinks, consider this your moment.

The National Wine Festival is back in Canberra this June, and its headline Wine Tasting & Expo might just be the most indulgent (and impressive) afternoon out.

Held at Hyatt Hotel Canberra on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 June, it’s the only opportunity to try every wine entered in the National Wine Show of Australia, the nation’s most prestigious wine awards. And let’s be honest, if you’re going to indulge, you might as well indulge in the best.

Be the first to taste the top trophy winners

There are 1085 different wines to try, from hidden gems to household names, including the just-announced winners of the coveted Prime Minister’s Trophy for Champion Wine of Show, the James Halliday Trophy for Best Red, and the Len Evans Memorial Trophy for Best White.

The format is simple: three hours, a glass in hand, and a room filled with the best wine Australia has to offer. Everything on the tasting table has already won gold or silver medals at a major show just to be able to enter the National Wine Show so Canberrans have the rare experience of tasting the absolute top tier of Australian winemaking, side-by-side, all in one place.

There’ll be gourmet snacks, winemakers and experts on hand, wine and cheese pairing masterclasses and a session that gives you the inside run on which glass to use with which wine for the perfect taste experience (with a set of Riedel tasting glasses included in the price).

If you’re heading to the Friday tasting session, stick around for the Hyatt’s exclusive Terroir Wine Pairing Dinner that evening, guided by National Wine Show Chair of Judges Matt Harrop.

Your cheat sheet to the best bottles

If you’re not sure where to start when faced with more than a thousand wines, don’t stress.

You’ll be handed a complimentary National Wine Show winners’ catalogue, which doubles as your guide through the room.

Be sure to keep it on hand after the festival; it’s essentially a buyers’ guide to Australia’s best wines, so you’ll never show up to a mate’s barbie or dinner party again clutching a bottle with the bouquet and body of your finest Bunnings paint stripper.

Wine and win

This is only the second year of the National Wine Festival and it’s fast becoming one of Canberra’s most anticipated winter events. If you needed a further nudge to book, there’s the chance to pick up some pretty impressive raffle prizes: 168-bottle Le Cavist wine fridge, anyone?