Australian Wine Showcase 2026 | When Australian Wine Meets Vietnamese Cuisine
When people think of Australian wine, Shiraz from Barossa Valley often comes to mind. Rich, full-bodied reds with ripe fruit flavours have long shaped Australia’s reputation in the global wine industry.
But there is much more to Australian wine than its famous Shiraz.
In Vietnam, Australian wine has established a significant presence. According to figures published by Wine Australia in 2024, Australian wine accounted for approximately 10% of imported wine consumption by volume, ranking fourth after Chile, France and Italy. During the 2023–2024 export period, 108 Australian exporters shipped wine to Vietnam, with a total value of approximately AUD 9 million.
Yet how much of Australia’s wine diversity have Vietnamese consumers truly discovered?
This was the idea behind Australian Wine Showcase 2026: Taste Beyond, held on 7 October at Park Hyatt Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City and 9 October at Meliá Hanoi.
Organised by Wine Australia and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the event brought together 22 Australian wine producers alongside Vietnamese importers, distributors, sommeliers and F&B professionals.
Beyond Barossa Shiraz: Exploring Australia’s Wine Diversity
With more than 200 years of winemaking history, Australia offers remarkable diversity in climate, terroir, grape varieties and winemaking styles.
Through two main activities, Masterclasses and Trade Tasting, the showcase invited participants to explore this diversity, from familiar varieties to lesser-known expressions.
Kati Vainionpää, Education Development Manager – Asia Pacific at Wine Australia, shared the ambition to broaden Vietnamese consumers’ understanding of Australian wine beyond Barossa Shiraz, introducing the distinctive regions, varieties and styles found across the country.
When Australian Wine Meets Vietnamese Cuisine
One of the most memorable highlights in Ho Chi Minh City was the masterclass “Beyond the Palate: Discovering Australian Wine through Vietnamese Cuisine”, led by Lê Hoàng Khánh Vi, Vice President of the Vietnam Sommelier Association, and Kati Vainionpää.
The session featured an exploration of four Vietnamese dishes paired with eight Australian wines, allowing participants to experience two different wines alongside each dish.
Rather than searching for one perfect pairing, participants discovered how different wines could interact with the same dish, highlighting different flavours, textures and sensations.
As Khánh Vi explained, Australia’s diversity in climate, terroir and winemaking styles creates exciting possibilities when paired with Vietnam’s equally diverse culinary traditions.
Vietnamese cuisine is celebrated for its balance of sour, spicy, salty, sweet and umami flavours, often complemented by fresh herbs and aromatic ingredients. Australian wines, with their varied acidity, structure and flavour profiles, offer many possibilities for exploring these combinations.
Hạnh, a wine importer attending the event, also highlighted the Vietnamese food and Australian wine pairing experience as one of the most interesting aspects of this year’s showcase.
Meanwhile, in Hanoi, the masterclass “History, Evolution and Revolution of Australian Wine” explored more than two centuries of Australian winemaking, from historic vineyards to contemporary styles.
Meeting the People Behind the Wines
Beyond the masterclasses, the Trade Tasting provided an opportunity for importers, sommeliers and F&B professionals to meet Australian producers, discover their wines and hear the stories behind each bottle.
Participating wineries represented a variety of Australian wine regions, including Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Yarra Valley, Heathcote, Langhorne Creek, Grampians and Limestone Coast.
From established producers to contemporary winemakers, each tasting table offered a different perspective on Australian wine, its regional identity and the people who bring it to life.
For industry professionals, the showcase was not only about discovering new wines but also about exchanging knowledge, building relationships and exploring opportunities for the Vietnamese market.
Bringing Wine Closer to Local Food Culture
Beyond showcasing Australia’s wine diversity, Australian Wine Showcase 2026 highlighted another important idea: making wine more relevant to local dining culture.
Rather than approaching wine solely through grape varieties, regions or technical knowledge, consumers can discover it through the foods they already know and love.
Wine is not only about where it comes from. It is also about how it connects with people, culture and everyday dining experiences.
Perhaps that is the most meaningful takeaway from Taste Beyond: discovering new possibilities when Australian wine meets the rich flavours of Vietnamese cuisine.
Event information: Australian Wine Showcase 2026 – Wine Australia
Phuong Maxy began her journey as a storyteller, sharing untold stories about people in the wine industry on her personal blog. She also contributes to international publications, bringing perspectives from Vietnam’s emerging wine culture to a global audience.
With over 10 years of experience in wine marketing and communications, Phuong is passionate about connecting people, culture, and knowledge through the world of food and wine.
Her work has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Influential Women and awarded Writer of the Year by Women in Wine & Spirits Award 2025.
