SYDNEY, October 2026 — Greek premium wines have a real opening in Australia, as local drinkers turn towards premium, white, organic and lower-alcohol choices, according to data from Greece’s Office of Economic and Commercial Affairs in Sydney.
The shift in taste comes at a difficult moment for Australian wine. The local industry faces falling demand, high stocks and rising costs. Yet for Greek winemakers, that same change in habits creates new room to grow.
The opportunity sits mainly in premium and distinctive wines, the Sydney office says. Whites, low-alcohol wines and organic wines stand out, along with higher-priced reds that share those qualities.
Greek premium wines and a changing market
Australia matters because of its size. Its retail wine market is the ninth largest in the world, so even a small share can mean a great deal for a boutique producer from Santorini, Nemea or Naoussa.
Importantly, the drop in drinking does not hit every category in the same way. Red wine and Champagne are under the most pressure. By contrast, bottled sparkling wines and rosé are holding up better.
For Greek premium wines, that pattern is encouraging. Greece is best known abroad for crisp whites, and the categories that are growing in Australia are the ones where Greek producers already feel at home.
Organic sales rise by 11.9 per cent
Organic wine is one of the brightest spots. Retail sales of organic wine in Australia rose by 11.9 per cent in the 2024–25 financial year, according to the data.
Organic wine is also Australia’s third most valuable organic export. Exports are worth between A$11 million and A$12 million, and the main buyers are Japan, China and Malaysia.
At the same time, the change in drinking habits comes while Australian cellars are full. Wine production in 2024–25 reached 1.13 billion litres. As a result, stocks that were already high grew by a further 52 million litres, the highest level in a decade. Most of the surplus is red wine.
Less wine, but the same demand problem
Australian growers have already started to cut supply. The grape crush in 2026 fell by 19 per cent on the year before, and by 25 per cent against the 2016–2025 average.
About 80 per cent of that fall came from red grapes. Chardonnay remained the main winemaking variety, with a 23 per cent share, followed by Shiraz on 19 per cent.
However, smaller harvests alone cannot fix falling demand, according to KPMG figures cited by the Sydney office. Drinkers are changing their habits. They want lighter wines, more whites, more premium bottles and lower-alcohol products.
Where Greek producers fit
This is where Greek premium wines can find their place. Greek wineries will not win in Australia by competing on volume or low prices, the analysis suggests.
Instead, the opening lies in wines with a distinct identity, and with qualities that match what Australian drinkers now want. In other words, the market is moving towards the kind of wine many Greek producers already make.
For Greek Australians who have long championed Assyrtiko, Malagousia and Xinomavro at the family table, the trend may feel like the rest of the country is finally catching up.
For now, the message from Sydney to Greek winemakers is simple: Australia is drinking less, but it is drinking differently, and that difference plays to Greece’s strengths.
Source: Tornos News
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