South Australia has enjoyed a huge night at the 2026 Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards, with local venues collecting six national category wins and Adelaide’s 2KW Bar & Restaurant crowned the state’s best wine list.
The results were announced at NSW Parliament House in Sydney on Monday, September 28, as more than 300 hospitality and wine industry figures gathered for the awards’ 33rd year.
Leading South Australia’s charge was The Crafers Hotel, which walked away with two national honours: Australia’s Best Pub Dining Wine List and Australia’s Best Listing of South Australian Wines.
Meanwhile, 2KW Bar & Restaurant was named Best Wine List South Australia, with judge Andrew Graham highlighting the venue’s “Local Heroes” selection, which champions both cult South Australian producers and emerging names.
It was one of several major wins spread across Adelaide and regional SA.
A Prayer for the Wild at Heart claimed Australia’s Best Wine List with a maximum of 200 wines for the second year running.
Restaurant Botanic extended an impressive run of its own, taking Australia’s Best No-Lo Alcohol List for a third consecutive year.
Adelaide CBD venue Canopy was recognised for Australia’s Best Cocktail List, while Clare Valley’s The Rising Sun made its mark with Australia’s Best Listing of a Single Region’s Wines.
Together, the results underline the breadth of South Australia’s hospitality offering, with everything from pub dining and fine dining to cocktails and alcohol-free lists recognised on the national stage.
The awards also revealed the Top 10 wine lists in South Australia for 2026.
2KW Bar & Restaurant took the number-one position, followed by Restaurant Botanic and The Salopian Inn.
Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant placed fourth, ahead of The Crafers Hotel, Uraidla Hotel, Otherness Wines, Chainti, Jennie and A Prayer for the Wild at Heart.
Chair of Judges Toni Paterson MW said this year’s strongest lists showed increasing support for Australian wines, particularly bottles produced in a venue’s home state.
“The best lists are showing greater support for Australian wines, including those from their home state, which is heartening,” she said.
Judges also identified several trends emerging across Australian wine lists this year, including the rise of grenache, chilled reds, mini cocktails and smaller pours by the glass.
Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards were established in 1993 and assess lists on factors including content, balance, suitability for the venue, presentation and pricing.
More than 35 Australian and international judges take part in the process, including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, wine writers and former award winners.
Nationally, Melbourne venue Society claimed the major Australia’s Wine List of the Year title, along with Australia’s Best Capital City Dining Wine List and Australia’s Best List of Wines by the Glass.
SA Top 10 wine lists 2026
- 2KW Bar & Restaurant
- Restaurant Botanic
- The Salopian Inn
- Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant
- The Crafers Hotel
- Uraidla Hotel
- Otherness Wines
- Chainti
- Jennie
- A Prayer for the Wild at Heart
All 2026 award winners
National winner
Australia’s Wine List of the Year — Society, VIC
The Judy Hirst Award — Loïc Avril, Yuki Hirose MS and Lee Sangyeop
State and territory winners
Best Wine List ACT — The Boat House
Best Wine List New South Wales — Shell House Dining Room & Terrace
Best Wine List Queensland — Otto Brisbane
Best Wine List South Australia — 2KW Bar & Restaurant
Best Wine List Tasmania — Black Cow Bistro
Best Wine List Victoria — Society
Best Wine List Western Australia — Gibney
Type of trade awards
Australia’s Best Capital City Dining Wine List — Society, VIC
Australia’s Best Country/Regional Dining Wine List — Laura, VIC
Australia’s Best Club Dining Wine List — Junction Moama, NSW
Australia’s Best Hotel/Resort Dining Wine List — Altitude Restaurant, NSW
Australia’s Best Pub Dining Wine List — The Crafers Hotel, SA
Australia’s Best Wine Bar List – The Fiona MacDonald Award — bibo Wine Bar, NSW
Category awards
Australia’s Best New Wine List – The Tony Hitchin Award — Infinity by Mark Best, NSW
Australia’s Best Wine List (Max 50 Wines) — The Rover, NSW
Australia’s Best Wine List (Max 100 Wines) — Me-Gal, NSW
Australia’s Best Wine List (Max 200 Wines) — A Prayer for the Wild at Heart, SA
Australia’s Best List of Wines by the Glass — Society, VIC
Australia’s Best Food & Wine Matching List — Jonah’s Restaurant & Boutique Hotel, NSW
Australia’s Best Champagne List — Ten Minutes by Tractor, VIC
Australia’s Best Sparkling Wine List — Cru Bar + Cellar, QLD
Australia’s Best Listing of Australian Wines — Infinity by Mark Best, NSW
Australia’s Best Listing of ACT Wines — Capitol Bar & Grill, ACT
Australia’s Best Listing of New South Wales Wines — Altitude Restaurant, NSW
Australia’s Best Listing of Queensland Wines — Blackbird Brisbane, QLD
Australia’s Best Listing of South Australian Wines — The Crafers Hotel, SA
Australia’s Best Listing of Tasmanian Wines — The Agrarian Kitchen, TAS
Australia’s Best Listing of Victorian Wines — Ten Minutes by Tractor, VIC
Australia’s Best Listing of Western Australian Wines – The Peter Forrestal Award — Gibney, WA
Australia’s Best Listing of Organic & Biodynamic Australian Wines — Altitude Restaurant, NSW
Australia’s Best Listing of Cellared & Museum Wines — Rockpool Bar + Grill Sydney, NSW
Australia’s Best Listing of a Single Region’s Wines — The Rising Sun, SA
Australia’s Best No-Lo Alcohol List — Restaurant Botanic, SA
Australia’s Best Aperitif List — Devine Food and Wine, NSW
Australia’s Best Digestif List — Gibney, WA
Australia’s Best Japanese Sake List — ANTE, NSW
Australia’s Best Beer List — Besk, WA
Australia’s Best Cocktail List — Canopy, SA
Australia’s Best Listing of French Wines — Maison Bâtard, VIC
Australia’s Best Listing of Greek Wines — Olympus Dining, NSW
Australia’s Best Listing of Italian Wines — Florentino, VIC
Australia’s Best Listing of New Zealand Wines — Cru Bar + Cellar, QLD
Australia’s Best Listing of USA Wines — Reine & La Rue, VIC
Best Wine List – Sommeliers Choice — Foni Pollitt of Mayfair Lane Pub & Dining Room
Best Wine List – Australia’s Choice (Consumer) — Jonah’s Restaurant & Boutique Hotel, NSW
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2KW, A Prayer For The Wild At Heart, Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards, Chainti, Featured, Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, Jennie, Otherness Wines, Restaurant Botanic, the crafers hotel, The Salopian Inn, Uraidla Hotel
