Drink Victoria takes on Marvel Stadium

This 5th year the Drink Victoria Trade Show expanded out not only by taking on a huge space of the Medallion Club at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium but by attracting wineries and distilleries from far reaching corners of Victoria from Mornington to the Grampians.

It was wonderful to see on July 27, 2026 such diverse offerings this year. From not only beautiful large wineries such as Point Leo Estate in the Mornington Peninsula to boutique / small batch wineries in the Grampians such as Black and Ginger.

Digital display featuring the text 'drink well. drink victorian.' against a blue background with colorful dots.
Selfie of a woman with long dark hair and red lipstick smiling in front of a welcome sign for the Drink Victorian industry tasting event.

This trade show was designed to attract many buyers in the hospitality industry, connecting them to the producers across Victoria in one yearly hub, supported by the Victorian Government through Agriculture Victoria. Their united mission is to ‘Get more Victorian drinks on Victorian lists’.

Connecting this year was so much easier using our lanyard QR codes to share and download contact details of all potential suppliers using the lead capture app.

Drinks Alliance Victoria is a collaboration between Victorian beverage producers and Food and Drink Victoria (the not-for-profit behind Melbourne Food & Wine).

Regions within Victoria were clearly marked with all the producers in that region, making life easier to source the producers from the area you wanted.

This trade show is not for the faint hearted. There is a lot of tasting/drinking to be done in one day and to get around as many selected wineries as possible. Drink Victoria did lay on a buffet lunch however the queue to get to the food absorbed a lot of valuable time to get around the show — though completely necessary to balance out the consumption of alcohol 🙂 This year there was a beautiful array of antipasti and Asian delights which were delicious..

Gippsland wineries pulled out the stops by getting at one with nature with their labelling.

Sign displaying 'Gippsland + Geelong and Bellarine' at an event, with a stylish orange background and blue dotted design.
Table display featuring Gippsland Wine Company wines, with bottles and informational materials.
A display of bottles of wine featuring various labels, including '2022 Blanc de Noir' and '2024 Pinot Noir', with a background of tasting notes and awards.

For me it was interesting to meet wineries and producers in far reaching areas I have yet to be explore. I did talk with Hadyn Black extensively about the possibility of bringing a Hold the Prosecco winey tour to the Grampians – watch this space for future updates.

A man in a navy blazer smiles while standing behind a table showcasing three bottles of Mount Langi Ghiran wine, with a wooden display and glasses nearby.
A man with a beard holding a bottle of wine, standing by a table displaying various wine bottles, at a wine tasting event.
A man stands behind a table displaying several bottles of wine, including Best's Great Western Riesling and Best's Shiraz, at a wine event. The table also features an orange menu titled 'Best's Wines' and promotional materials.

Other regions there were the Gippsland + Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula, Macedon Ranges + Heathcote, Mornington Peninsula + Yarra Valley, Goulburn Valley + King Valley and Rutherglen, Grampians + Pyrenees, Beechworth + Smaller regions. This show is not only for wineries it also had beer, wine, spirits, cider, low and no-alcohol products and everything in between.

A crowded wine tasting event showcasing Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley wines, featuring hanging decorative lights and informational signs.
A man with short hair, wearing a dark shirt and a name tag, stands at a wine tasting station with several bottles of wine displayed. In the background, there is a bar area and a sign reading 'wine'.
Four wine bottles from PT Leo Estate displayed on a table, including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rosé, and Pinot Noir, with a blurred background of event attendees.

On my travels exploring the show and talking with the producers I was occasionally treated to some premium harvested wines brought out from under their counter – such a treat!

Some of my selections for tasting on the day were:

WINES

Best’s Wines, Black & Ginger Wines, Bromley (no relation to the artist), Crittenden Wines (2023 Chi de Coeur Pinot Noir), Gippsland Wine Company, Helen and Joey Estate (2024 Wayward Child Pinot Noir), Mount Langi Ghiran (2022 Talus Shiraz), Pt Leo Estate (2023 Pinot Noir), Scotchmans Hill (2025 SWB Cuvee Brut), Seville Estate (2029 Blanc de Blancs), Shadowfax Wines (2023 Little Hampton Pinot Noir), Sutherland Estate (2023 Pinto Noir), Syrahmi (2021 Mourvèdre), Tahblik (2024 GSM), Taltarni (Victorian Brut NV), Vignerons Shmolzer & Brown (2024 Thorley Riesling), Vinea Marson (2024 Barbera), Yarra Yering (2023 Underhill Shiraz).

SPIRITS

Hunters Rum Distilling (Spiced Rum), JimmyRum (Spiced Rum), Licorista Bros (Bella Spritz Limoncello), Luxso (Limoncello Crema), Marionette (Vanguard Luxury brand – Apricot), Recollection Spirits (Pumpkin pie vodka), Schnapps Idea Distillery (Pear Packham Brandy), White Possum (Lychee Liqueur).

A woman stands behind a display of bottles labeled 'Hunters Rum' at a venue overlooking a stadium. The table includes a tablet showing rum information, an ice bucket, and various rum bottles.
A smiling man with a beard stands behind a table showcasing various bottles of Jimmy Rum, at a crowded event. He is wearing a white shirt and a name tag, and the table features a menu and a sign advertising a Daiquiri Disco event.
Two people standing behind a table displaying various bottles of Heathcote Gin, including Chocolate Espresso Martini and Passionfruit flavors, with a stadium visible in the background.
A woman stands behind a table displaying various bottles of spirits. The table features flowers, informational cards, and a sign that says 'That Spirited Lot Distillers.' The setting is a busy event with attendees in the background.
A man in a green hoodie stands behind a table displaying various bottles of spirits labeled 'Recollection Spirits.' A sign indicating the brand is also visible.
A woman standing behind a table displaying various bottles of spirits at a distillery event, with a sign indicating 'Schnapps Idea Distillery'. She is wearing a gray shirt and a name badge indicating her role.

Beer

Two Bays Brewing Co. (Gluten Free Japanese Rice Lager), Jetty Road Brewery, Bad Shepherd (Peanut Butter Porter)

A display table featuring Jetty Road Brewery products, including various cans of beer, a promotional sign, and a life preserver with the brewery's logo. Two staff members are present, with a stadium view in the background.

LOW/NON

Aquafab (vegan foam alternative for cocktails) – Below: Aquafab shaking things up!

A person with curly hair is arranging wine glasses on a display table labeled 'PLUMM' inside a stadium, with seating and playing field visible in the background.

Plumm Glassware were showcasing their beautiful glasses and Drink Victoria gave two beautifull gifts of a personalised (engraved) wine opener, and their florist repurposed the flowers to bouquets for attendees to take home – a great momento from another exhilarating Drink Victoria trade show.

A woman holding a bouquet of yellow flowers while wearing a red jacket and a scarf, with a city skyline in the background.
A red and silver metal stapler with a polished finish, positioned horizontally on a plain white background.

So that concludes my review of the day. It was fun – I did ask for small pours as hate throwing away in the spittoon, but some tastings were so delicious I had to just go with the pour!

Until next time…

One thought on “Drink Victoria takes on Marvel Stadium”

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  1. Hi Petra, Congratulations ! Another brilliant ‘report.’ Cheers, Sande 🥂🍷🥂Sent from my iPhoneOn 17 Aug 2026,

    Thank you Sande. Glad you enjoyed it.
    All the very best,
    Petra x

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