What's everyone drinking? Australia's most popular wines revealed

Australians love a good drop, especially at this time of year — and especially when it’s home grown. According to government statutory corporation, Wine Australia, there are more than 2150 wineries across 65 winegrowing regions around the country, representing about 6000 grapegrowers.

Just in time for the new year, wine storage provider, Wine Ark, has released its most collected wines of 2023.

Shiraz was the most collected variety, followed by Chardonnay, but for single wines, Penfolds Grange topped the list.

Keeper of Bottles at Wine Ark, John Cuff, said the Penfolds Grange was a hard wine to topple from the top spot.

“This is the second edition in a row that sees Penfolds Grange be the most collected wine in Australia, which is also one of the country’s most expensive wines, again emphasising the importance of this iconic wine to Australian wine collectors,” he said.

Penfolds Grange also represented reliability for collectors, he said, both in terms of drinkability — and investment.

“In relation to investment, I would say that historically Penfolds wines have held their value very well,” Mr Cuff said. “When they approach their drinking window, if you were to look to exit the wine, then yes, you could make some money on it.”

While many of the wines in the top 10 such as Wynns Coonawarra Estate and the Leeuwin Estate Art Series would be familiar to wine lovers, Mr Cuff said lesser known cooler climate wines including Mount Mary, Tolpuddle and Crawford River were gaining ground. The Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay gained 66 places to break into the top 50 while Crawford River Riesling rose 59 places.

Mr Cuff said while warmer climate wines would remain popular, especially among those starting their wine collecting journey, more people are beginning to appreciate the merits of cooler climate wines.

“When people start their collecting journey traditionally they are either guided towards, or believe they should start with, the more popular regions such as the Barossa valley,” he said. “We all know that wines from the Barossa are brilliant and provide people with a glass of forward, flavoursome, rich wine that appeals to new wine buyers and collectors alike.

“Wines from cooler climates have a lovely angular acid line, elegant tannins and, traditionally, have lower alcohol than warmer climate wines. They also match our current food styles and climate very well.

“In saying that I do love a big steak and glass of heavy red!”

Given more than half of Australia’s wineries are based in South Australia, it’s perhaps no surprise to learn wines from the state are also the most popular with collectors. The Barossa Valley was the most popular by region, followed by the Hunter Valley in NSW.

Wine Ark Tasting Room. John Cuff recommends to buy what you enjoy drinking, even if it’s for investment.

For those looking to restock their cellar or start collecting in 2024, Mr Cuff’s advice is simple: collect what you enjoy drinking.

“There is no use buying Coonawarra Cabernet for an investment if you don’t like Cabernet,” he said. “Worse case, if you can’t sell it, you can drink it.”

His tips for good Australian tipples include Margaret River Cabernet and Chardonnay, Yarra Valley Cabernet, Tasmanian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, single vineyard McLaren Vale Grenache and Shiraz from the “new” Barossa.

Here’s cheers.

Pure Amazon, an A&K Sanctuary, has officially launched its voyages into the 21,000-square-kilometre Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.

Designed for just 22 guests, the new vessel positions itself at the high end of wilderness travel, offering quiet, immersive, and attentive experiences with a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio. The focus is on proximity to wildlife and landscape, without the crowds that have made parts of the Amazon feel like tourism has arrived before the welcome mat.

Where Architecture Meets the River

The design direction comes from Milan-based architect Adriana Granato, who has reimagined the boat’s interiors as part gallery, part observatory. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame rainforest scenes that shift hour to hour, and every space holds commissioned artworks by Peruvian artists.

The dining room’s centrepiece, Manto de Escamas de Paiche by Silvana Pestana, uses bronze and clay formations that mirror the scale patterns of the Amazon’s giant fish. Pestana’s works throughout the vessel reference environmental fragility, especially the scars left by illegal gold mining.

In each suite, hand-painted kené textiles by Shipibo-Konibo master artist Deysi Ramírez depict sacred geometry in natural dyes. Cushions by the BENEAI Collective feature 20 unique embroidered compositions, supporting Indigenous women artists and keeping traditional techniques alive in a meaningful, non-performative way.

Wildlife Without the Tame Script

Days on board are structured around early and late river expeditions led by naturalist guides. Guests may encounter pink river dolphins cutting through morning mist, three-toed sloths moving like they’re part of the slow cinema movement, and black caimans appearing at night like something from your childhood nightmares.

The prehistoric hoatzin appears along riverbanks, giant river otters hunt in packs, and scarlet macaws behave like the sky belongs to them. The arapaima — the same fish inspiring Pestana’s artwork — occasionally surfaces like an apparition.

A Regional Culinary Lens

The culinary program is led by a team from Iquitos with deep knowledge of Amazonian produce.

Nightly five-course tasting menus lean into local ingredients rather than performing them. Expect dishes like caramelised plantain with river prawns, hearts of palm with passionfruit, and Peruvian chocolate paired with fruits that would be unpronounceable if you encountered them in a supermarket aisle.

A pisco-led bar menu incorporates regional botanicals, including coca leaf and dragon’s blood resin.

A Model of Conservation-First Tourism

Pure Amazon’s conservation approach goes beyond the familiar “offset and walk away” playbook. Through A&K Philanthropy, the vessel’s operations support Indigenous community-led economic initiatives, including sustainable fibre harvesting and honey production in partnership with Amanatari.

Guests also visit FORMABIAP, a bilingual teacher training program supporting cultural and language preservation across several Indigenous communities. Notably, the program enables young women to continue their education while remaining with their families — a rarity in remote regions.

Low-intensity lighting, heat pump technology, and automated systems reduce disturbance to the reserve’s nocturnal wildlife.

The Experience Itself

Itineraries span three, four, or seven nights. Mornings often begin with quiet exploration along mirrorlike tributaries; afternoons allow for spa treatments or time on the open-air deck. Evenings shift into long dinners and soft-lit river watching as the rainforest begins its nightly soundtrack.

Granato describes the vessel as “a mysterious presence on the water,” its light calibrated to resemble fire glow rather than a foreign object imposing itself on the dark.

It is, in other words, slow travel done with precision.

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Pure Amazon has begun journeys deep into Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, combining contemporary design, Indigenous craftsmanship and intimate wildlife encounters in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.