Wineries from Victoria, Australia step up efforts to grow Canadian market | Canada Voices

Earlier this month, 37 wineries from Australia’s Victoria region introduced their wines to sommeliers, buyers and other members of the wine trade in Toronto and Vancouver. The visit followed a strong reception during Wine Victoria’s first dedicated Canadian tour in February, prompting the organization to return, says chair Stephanie Duboudin.

“We came back because there was such strong interest with trade,” says Duboudin, whose organization supports export development, market education and trade relationships for more than 800 Victorian producers.

The continued absence of American wine from major Canadian markets has opened opportunities for producers elsewhere, including domestic wineries in Ontario and British Columbia. Wine Victoria, which represents the most wine regions and individual wineries in Australia, hopes to turn that shift into lasting market growth. The organization works alongside Wine Australia, the national statutory authority for the wine sector, while also pursuing its own market-development strategy.

Their latest visit featured masterclasses pairing Victorian wines with benchmark selections from French producers, alongside a walk-around tasting featuring wines divided by subregion. According to Duboudin, the samples from the 37 wineries represented the largest participation by Victorian producers outside of Australia.

“We’ve never hit that mark before, which also tells you about the appetite from the producers as well.”

Duboudin says the focus is on building awareness of Victorian wines among Canadian buyers, retailers and restaurant operators, with an aim of converting interest into sales.

“It’s important to keep a concerted effort, not to be a flash-in-the-plan visit,” she says. “Obviously, we’d love to sell more wines across Canada, but awareness-building is the No. 1 focus.”

The strategy comes as Australian wine exports to Canada continue to grow. According to the Wine Australia Export Report for the year ended June, 2026, exports to Canada rose by 13.2 per cent in volume and by 19.6 per cent in value. Victoria’s exports increased by 5.1 per cent in volume and 27.3 per cent in value over the same period, highlighting the state’s contribution to the overall growth of Australian wine exports to the Canadian market.

For Wine Victoria, Asia and the United States have been long-term priority markets to build awareness and drive sales, while Canada has joined Britain as an increasingly important market.

One challenge in establishing Victoria as a recognizable wine brand is the diversity of its offerings. The state has 21 wine regions, producing an extensive range of styles, from sparkling to fortified, from cool-climate to warm-climate expressions of red and white grape varieties. “There’s a lot to cover,” she says.

There are also issues distinguishing Victoria from the broader Australian wine category. The state’s wines often differ from the styles that have traditionally shaped international perceptions of Australian wine, whether they are approachable, value-driven brands, such as Yellow Tail or Wolf Blass Yellow Label or the rich and full-bodied shiraz associated with the Barossa Valley. “It’s a bit hard to change the perception of those bigger companies that were first to market with big, bold shiraz and other value priced wines,” Duboudin says.

Discovering a wine lover’s paradise in Australia’s Yarra Valley

That’s why trade education is central to Wine Victoria’s efforts, particularly considering that Victorian producers export nearly half of their wine. The emphasis is on communicating Victoria’s fine-wine credentials and regional diversity. The Yarra Valley, for example, is known for its premium chardonnay and pinot noir, as well as more complex expressions of cabernet and shiraz.

During the blind tasting masterclass in Toronto, Giant Steps Circle of Fifths Chardonnay 2024 from Yarra Valley was poured in comparison to Joseph Burrier Chateau du Clos Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Pouilly 2022 from Burgundy France. The Bass Phillip Estate Pinot Noir 2023 from Gippsland, a larger wine region in southeastern Victoria, was presented with Domaine Pavelot Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru En Caradeux 2023, also from Burgundy.

A syrah and cabernet-merlot blend from Victoria were also placed beside sterling examples from France’s Rhône and Bordeaux regions.

“We feel confident with how our wines sit beside wines that you can buy from other countries in those same varieties,” Duboudin says.

Three regions to know:

Yarra Valley is Victoria’s oldest wine region, established in 1838. Its chardonnay and pinot noir have become celebrated around the world, while its complex shiraz (lighter regional examples are sometimes labelled as syrah) and cabernet sauvignons are better known at home. Top producers to watch for in Canada include Coldstream Hills, De Bortoli, Giant Steps, Mac Forbes and Luke Lambert.

Grampians has a long history with grape growing, dating back to the 1860s. It was the source of some of the earliest sparkling wines produced in Australia and has become known for its cool-climate red wines, notably elegant and peppery styles of shiraz. Top producers to look for in Canada include Bests Wines, Mount Langi Ghiran and Seppelt.

King Valley has developed a strong focus on Italian grape varieties, including sangiovese, nebbiolo and glera, the grape variety responsible for Prosecco. Brown Brothers, Dal Zotto and Pizzini are ones to watch for.