18 August 2026 | Brisbane, Queensland
Western Australian wine made its mark in Brisbane this week, with over 30 wineries travelling east for EXHILARATING Wines from Western Australia at Howard Smith Wharves. Enabled through the Western Australian Wine Industry Partnership, an industry-led initiative supported by the WA Government. The event brought together more than 150 wines from across WA, giving Queensland wine professionals the chance to taste across a broad selection of established names and smaller producers in one place.
For the wineries involved, the focus was on making connections in the Queensland market off the success of the Sydney event in 2025. The trade tasting attracted buyers, retailers, distributors, sommeliers, hospitality groups and wine media, with attendees representing businesses across Brisbane as well as the broader Queensland market.
Among those represented were major retail groups including Endeavour and Coles Liquor, along with Dan Murphy’s and Langton’s, independent wine retailers and fine-wine specialists. Hospitality representation included groups, restaurants, hotels, clubs, wine bars and leading dining venues, while distributors and wine businesses including Negociants Australia, Samuel Smith & Son, Select Wines Australia, CellarHand and Domaine Wine Shippers were also represented.
For producers, having this range of businesses in the room meant the conversations could move beyond tasting notes and into the practical realities of the market, from what Queensland customers are looking for to where Western Australian wines might find a place on a list or shelf.
Wines of WA CEO Larry Jorgensen noted “Exhilarating Wines from Western Australia Brisbane showed what our industry can do when we work together. With the support of the Wine Industry Partnership, producers from across the state took over Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane, pouring for local trade through the afternoon before a sold-out consumer session in the evening. It was industry led and government supported, and it worked because the wines and the people behind them did the talking. Western Australia has a great story to tell, and we’re getting on with telling it.”
The Brisbane event was the second edition of EXHILARATING Wines from Western Australia, following its debut in Sydney in 2025. Brisbane was selected as the next market because of the strength of its hospitality sector and its potential for Western Australian wine. Event planning material identified Queensland as Endeavour Group’s second-largest wine market nationally, while also noting that the state under-indexes on Australian wine.
The response from the trade gave participating wineries an opportunity to put that market potential to the test.
Corymbia winemaker Rob Mann said the event captured the energy and appeal of bringing Western Australian wines to a receptive Brisbane audience: “What do you get when you combine the raw talent, natural beauty and regional diversity of the amazing wines of Western Australia with the optimism, open minded and sophisticated folk of Brisbane? Something exhilarating.”
Laura Penniment of Alkoomi Wines said, “The event was beautifully designed and incredibly well executed from behind the scenes to front of house, it all flowed wonderfully – it was an exciting opportunity that allowed us to showcase the entire state and many of the amazing wines that we can offer.”
The event also gave Queenslanders an opportunity to meet the people behind the wines. Winery owners and winemakers from across WA were in Brisbane for the showcase, with the line-up including Vasse Felix, Cape Mentelle, Cullen Wines, Moss Wood, Leeuwin Estate, Howard Park, Cherubino, Picardy, Swinney, Corymbia, Domaine Naturaliste, Castle Rock Estate, Vino Volta and many more.
The tasting was held in the Rivershed at Howard Smith Wharves, overlooking the Brisbane River and Story Bridge. The evening consumer session followed the trade program, allowing wine lovers to taste from the same group of producers and speak directly with the people who make the wines.
Robert Parker Wine Writer and Masterclass host Erin Larkin said the Brisbane showcase was an overwhelming success:
“The Exhilarating Wines showcase in Brisbane was an overwhelming success, with a completely sold-out consumer session in the evening (over 250 pax) and a refined but focused trade group throughout the day.
Brisbane remains one of Australia’s more engaged and vibrant wine markets. The opportunity to taste not just new-release wines, but also much older and rarer examples, gave attendees even more reason to connect directly with producers and build ongoing relationships that will last far beyond this single event. Super cool. I was honoured to once again be a part of this!”
For Wines of Western Australia, the event was an opportunity to put Queensland further on the map for WA producers and, importantly, to start conversations that can continue after the tasting has finished.
EXHILARATING Wines from Western Australia | Brisbane was enabled through the Western Australian Wine Industry Partnership, an industry-led initiative supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the Cook Government.
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