Latest Tasmania wine grape harvest half of what last year's was

While the 2026 Tasmanian wine grape harvest yield was about 50 per cent down on last year, winemakers believe quality will be exceptional.

This year’s harvest was 11,163 tonnes, compared to 2025’s record-breaking 23,002 tonnes.

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies said a cold, dry and windy spring was the main factor.

“If 2025 was a year of abundance, 2026 is a vintage of absolute concentration and character – for both our grapes and growers,” Ms Davies said.

“Nature threw everything it had at the island this season – from late spring frosts and unrelenting winds to a cool, drawn-out summer which delayed harvest by up to four weeks in some areas.”

Tasmania’s 2026 harvest represented just 0.9 per cent of the country’s total by volume, but 5 per cent of the national value.

The reported value of Tasmanian wine grapes was $3,870 per tonne across all varieties, far surpassing the national average of $570 per tonne. 

“The prolonged, cool ripening period allowed for incredible flavour development and structural density, particularly in chardonnay and aromatic whites, while reds are showing concentrated deep colour,” Ms Davies said.

“The resulting wines are showing early signs of being incredibly fine, dense and exciting, underpinned by Tasmania’s elevated and crisp natural vibrancy.

“While there will be limitations on the availability of 2026 Tasmanian wine, the sheer quality of this vintage will undoubtedly reinforce Tasmania’s position as one of the world’s most exciting wine regions.”

At Meadowbank Wines, winemaker Alex Deane said they had been lucky.

“The weather that we experienced was a bit more moderate, especially during the earlier part of the season.

“We were down about 10 per cent on our average year this year,” he said.