Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) announced its finalists in six of the eight Wine Communicator Awards today.
The winners will be announced at a gala Awards Night on Wednesday, November 19 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. The awards and their finalists (in alphabetical order) are:
- Digital Communicator of the Year, sponsored by drinks association: Robyn Lewis, Dan Sims and Cake Wines
- Best Trade or Technical Wine Writer, sponsored by FULLER: James Atkinson, Anthony Hoare, Cathy Howard and Sonya Logan
- Best Wine Publication (trade or consumer), sponsored by Pernod Ricard Winemakers: Alquimie, Gourmet Traveller WINE and James Halliday’s Wine Companion
- Best Wine Book (trade, technical or consumer), sponsored by Vintec: Barossa Shiraz – Discovering The Tastes Of The Barossa’s Regions by Thomas Girgensohn, The Champagne Guide by Tyson Stelzer and Spirit of the Swan – 180 Years of Winemaking in the Swan Valley by Michael Zekulich
- Best Wine Website or App, sponsored by vin65: Vinomofo, Winehound and Wineosphere
- Best Single Feature Article or Wine Column, sponsored by Treasury Wine Estates: Avril Lavigne et Le Vin Naturel by Daniel Honan, Last of his generation by Jeni Port, Tasting the feel by Jeremy Pringle and Let’s be Franc by Dan Traucki.
WCA Chair Angie Bradbury said now in its second year the Wine Communicator Awards attracted some outstanding entries from a wide array of writers, website designers, wineries, wine businesses and wine communicators.
“Our 12 judges across four judging panels put in a lot of thought and hard work to choose the finalists and all commented on the quality exhibited by those who entered,” Ms Bradbury said.
“Choosing just three or four in each Award hasn’t been easy but we believe we’ve found the examples that represent best practice, smart and innovative wine communication.
“I particularly want to point out the two digital Awards – Best Wine Website or App and Digital Communicator of the Year, which both attracted their highest number of entries and showed a big leap forward in quality and originality.”
The judging panel for the awards included a mix of industry professionals, including US-based VinTank CEO Paul Mabray, Canadian wine writer and editor Christopher Waters, current Digital Communicator of the Year Jane Thomson, FULLER director Peter Fuller, Australian Grape and Wine Authority Program Manager Anne Duncan and WCA national board members, Louise Radman, Roger Sharp and Angus Barnes.
The Gourmet Traveller WINE/WCA New Wine Writer Award, which will be announced separately later this week, was judged by editor Judy Sarris, contributing editor Huon Hooke, and Ms Bradbury.
“I can’t wait for November 19 to announce the winners at our Awards Night – it’s a great night to come together and celebrate the outstanding contribution to, and excellence in, wine communication in all its forms,” she said.
“The cocktail style function also has a strong focus on networking, with plenty of time to catch up with colleagues new and old before the end of year break.”
The coveted Wine Communicator of the Year will also be announced at the Awards Night, with the winner selected from a list of winning finalists by the Wine Communicators of Australia Board.