Australian wines shine in Malaysia

Wine Australia turned its attention to Malaysia last month as part of the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group’s latest in-market activation, designed to increase market access and improve bilateral trade for producers of Australia's finest wine and food.

Wine Australia General Manager Market Development Paul Turale was on the ground in Kuala Lumpur for the two-day event, attending a packed itinerary that included a trade industry roundtable, a wine masterclass, a media conference and a Taste the Wonders of Australia Gala Dinner.

Mr Turale said while Australian wine doesn’t have any material market access issues with Malaysia, the in-market activation provided the opportunity to highlight the diversity and quality of Australian Wines and engage directly with what is a unique market in the region. 

“The interesting part about the Malaysian market is that while the population is about 34 million, the actual wine-drinking population is much smaller, with industry sources suggesting it’s about 1 or 2 million,” Mr Turale said.

“While it’s a relatively small audience segment, it’s actually our third biggest wine market in Southeast Asia, behind Singapore at number one and closely behind Thailand at number two.”

One hundred percent of the wine consumed in Malaysia is imported. Australia is Malaysia’s largest supplier with a 40 per cent volume share of the wine market. In the 12 months ending in June 2025, 131 Australian wineries exported 2.7 million on litres of premium wine to Malaysia worth $42.4 million.

“It’s a really engaged audience,” Mr Turale said. “The Malaysian people attending the events had a good understanding of regionality and the diversity of Australian wines, and we supply a good mix of wines across all price points.”

This is the seventh in-market activation for the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group, and Mr Turale said the mix of events provided important insights into the Malaysian market.

The wine masterclass was run by award-winning wine specialist Lim Hwee Peng from Singapore, providing tastings and insights into the array of varieties of Australian wine covering classic and contemporary styles, with varieties included Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Grenache and Nero d’Avola.  

During canapes and at the Gala Dinner, guests had the opportunity to sample a variety of Australian Sparkling, Fiano, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Shiraz. Dessert was accompanied by a Botrytis Semillon that left a great lasting impression with those attending.

“The wines on show illustrated the quality and diversity of our offer, and at the end of the event we had many people inquire about where they can access the wines, which is a good sign.”

Mr Turale said the Taste the Wonders of Australia Gala Dinners are always a great opportunity to showcase Australian wine paired with premium Australian food.

“Malaysians know Australia for our traditional favourites of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. These events give us the opportunity to showcase new and different varieties, and new styles of wine being produced, wines that are more versatile and complement the flavours and textures of local cuisine,” he said.

“It also gives us the opportunity to talk about new plantings that suit a changing climate, with increased understanding of what varieties flourish in the 65 individual wine grape growing regions across the continent.” 

Mr Turale said one of the insights to come out of the tastings was the increasing interest in the Australia wine industry’s sustainability practices.

“People wanted to know what we are doing at a national level around sustainability,” he said. “People want products that are premium and that offer good value, but there is a clear interest in sustainability, both economically and environmentally.”

Mr Turale said the other important insight was gained in the roundtable discussion with trade and government representatives at the Australian Embassy. 

“There was clear demand for more wine activities, and the local Trade Commissioner and his team clearly see an opportunity for future growth in the wine category,” he said. 

“It’s great to know we have strong support at the government level from the Embassy, and we will certainly look at ways to continue to build on that in the future.”