Hunter Valley winemaker Aaron Mercer has been named Rising Star of the Year in the 2026 edition of The Real Review’s Top Wineries of Australia.
The Rising Star award recognises an emerging wine professional who has delivered standout results but is yet to receive widespread recognition. Introduced in 2025, Mercer is only the second recipient of the title.
Mercer said the recognition was a reflection of the support around him, including the Hunter Valley wine community, growers across NSW and his team at Mercer Wines.
“This is not a solo effort. This is as much for them as it is a recognition for me and the work we do at Mercer Wines,” he said.
Founded in 2020 by Aaron and his wife Alison, Mercer Wines has already claimed multiple major trophies, including national awards for shiraz, tempranillo and red blends.
The announcement was made alongside The Real Review’s annual Top Wineries of Australia ranking, which assesses more than 10,000 wines using a proprietary scoring algorithm. The Hunter Valley performed strongly, with Tyrell’s Wines (5th), Brokenwood (17th) and Lake’s Folly (26th).
