Facts & Figures
Fun Facts
NSW Wine Region History
The first vines in Australia were planted at Sydney Cove in 1788, now the site of the Intercontinental Hotel in Circular Quay.
NSW is home to Australia’s oldest continuous wine region (Hunter Valley), and also one of the newest (New England), which was only declared an
official wine region in January 2008.
Iconic Wine Varieties
Two of Australia's most popular varieties were first grown in NSW. Shiraz, first planted in Camden by John Macarthur in 1833 and Chardonnay, first planted by Mudgee pioneer Alf Kurtz in 1862.
NSW is also home to two of Australia’s most iconic styles, Hunter Valley Semillon and Riverina Botrytis Semillon.
Diverse Wine Regions
NSW is home to 14 official wine regions (Canberra District, Cowra, Gundagai, Hastings River, Hilltops, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, New England, Orange, Perricoota, Riverina, Shoalhaven Coast, Southern Highlands, Tumbarumba) and 2 that cross into NSW (Murray Darling and Swan Hill)
NSW is the second-largest wine-producing state, accounting for 30% of the country’s $44 billion wine industry.
Family businesses dominate the NSW industry accounting for 75% of the total crush (33% of the national wine crush is from family businesses).
NSW is Leading The Way
Top Wine Exporters & Producers
NSW is home to 7 of Australia's top 20 Wine Exporters: Casella, McGuigan, De Bortoli, Nugan Estate, McWilliams, Warburn Estate and Berton.
NSW also boasts 6 of the top 20 wine producers by vineyard area, including McGuigan, Warburn, de Bortoli, Nugan Estate, Robert Oatley and Gooree Park.
Oldest Wine Companies
NSW is home to 5 of Australia’s 20 oldest wine companies and/or continuously operating wine brands: Wyndham Estate 1828; Lindemans 1843; Drayton’s Family Wines 1853; Mudgee Wines 1856 and Tyrrell’s 1858.