Australians have a continuing love affair with Burgundy

Australian wine lovers can’t get enough of fine Burgundies with with sales volumes up 13.3% and value up 26.1% in 2025, bringing the market close to record levels.

The Bourgogne Wine Board will continue its three-year communications campaign in Australia with the second chapter of the ‘Take a Closer Look’ campaign: inviting trade, media, and consumers to deepen their exploration of Bourgogne wines.

Building on a first series of events in Sydney in year one, Melbourne is in the spotlight for 2026 as the campaign encourages Australians to venture further off the beaten path, experience Bourgogne wines differently, and uncover the diversity that exists within and beyond the region’s most familiar names. 

Take a Closer Look is billed as an invitation to reconnect with “the shared foundations of the Bourgogne wine range: emotion, experience, terroir, know-how and authenticity”.

Through tastings, trade activations, consumer events and more, the second year of the campaign creates opportunities to engage with a new generation of committed winegrowers and their iconic wines. 

The focus is on producers that are "reshaping perceptions of Bourgogne while remaining deeply anchored in their places of origin".

Australia is Bourgogne’s 14th largest export market by volume (17th by value). 

Renewed growth is driven primarily by Crémant de Bourgogne (up more than 7% in volume and up 11% in value), alongside strong performance from white wines overall (up nearly 16% in volume and 4.3% in value). 

Chablis continues to stand out, reaching double-record levels with growth of 23.6% in volume and 22.4% in value.

At the same time, Village appellations from the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais have doubled their export volumes (Villages from the Mâconnais was up by 110% in volume compared to 2024, and white wines from the Côte Chalonnaise up by 168%), while Mâcon wines are up 43% in volume.

“With the second year of Take a Closer Look, our ambition is to go deeper - to highlight the diversity of Bourgogne wines and show how accessible, expressive and relevant they are today," says Anne Moreau, president of the Bourgogne Wine Board's Communication Commission. 

The Take a Closer Look campaign will offer a trade tasting and  masterclass in Melbourne on June 2, a trade-only webinar training session in late July and the second edition of Chablis Week: a promotion of Chablis wines across select Merivale venues (date TBC). 

The numbers are very bubbly for Prosseco DOC

Australians still cannot get enough of affordable DOC Prosecco.

Recent data shows a big jump in popularity for Italian Prosecco.

More than 2.13 million bottles of the bubbly have been sold in Australia so far this year, which is a 14% increase on 2023 numbers.

The Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Australia (ICCI AUS) says the rise in popularity is because Australian drinkers are looking for a taste of the Mediterranean at home.

The president of the DOC consorzio, Giancarlo Guidolin, expressed his satisfaction at the current trends and what it means for the ongoing relationship with the Australian market.

“In recent years, we have seen a positive trend in the Australian market, which gives us great satisfaction considering the ongoing issues with Australia regarding the protection of our designation,” Guidolin said.

Italian producers object to Australian wineries using the name Prosecco.

“These issues are currently tied to the outcome of the negotiations on the free trade agreement with the EU, within which the protection of a list of European designations will be established,” he said.

I see no difficulties were Australian producers to use the name Aussecco, or Ozsecco.

While the sparkling wine variety has seen a solid jump in popularity in Australia, the Frizzante variety of Prosecco DOC has also seen a major jump in sales, albeit from a lower base.

Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Australia CEO, Rachele Grassi, said the soaring popularity of DOC Prosecco in Australia was gratifying but unsurprising.

“Australian consumers have a passion for Italy and, knowing that by looking for the geographical indication Prosecco DOC they are guaranteed an authentic Italian product, they are transported to the sun-drenched elegance of a Mediterranean getaway,” she said. 

Prosecco DOC sales figures have also increased across been the US, UK, Germany and France.

Image: Giancarlo Moretti Polegato - owner of Villa Sandi, which produces top-notch DOC and DOCG Prosecco.

Australians can't get enough of avocados

Australians just can't get enough of avocados.

Whether it is smashed avocado on toast, guacamole, or seafood cocktail with avo, Australians are eating more avocado than ever before.

Avocados Australia says that in financial year 2021-22 Australians consumed 4.76kg of avocados per person - a significant increase on the previous year’s figure.

“It’s clear that consumers took advantage of the lower prices experienced this year and ate more avocado,” said John Tyas, CEO of Avocados Australia.

“Avocados aren’t like confectionery. If you eat a little more avocado, you don’t need to feel guilty as you are having more of something that’s healthy and nutritious.

“It is great news that Australians are eating more avocado as that means consumers are benefiting from avocado’s health-giving properties.

“Our facts at a glance figures are a great reference for our growers, or anyone wanting to see how our industry is performing.

“The domestic consumption increase is a welcome trend considering that production is also expected to increase.”

To view Avocados Australia’s FACTS AT A GLANCE key statistics online click here.