2019 Wine Communicator Awards
The annual WCA Wine Communicator Awards recognise outstanding contribution to, and excellence in, wine communication in all its forms.
In each category, a short list of finalists is reviewed and selected by the panel of expert judges. A winner is then chosen in consultation with WCA Board. The overall Wine Communicator of the Year is then chosen from the category winners. Previous winners have included Gourmet Traveller Wine, Tyson Stelzer, Judy Sarris, Gill Gordon-Smith, Jeni Port, Huon Hooke, Jane Ferrari, James Halliday, Max Allen and Campbell Mattinson.
Going from strength to strength, this is the seventh year we have run the awards in an expanded format covering everything from print to digital.
Nominations for the 2019 Wine Communicator Awards are now CLOSED.
The 2019 Wine Communicator Awards Finalists and Winners have been announced! CLICK HERE
Select the category below for entry information and judging criteria.
- Best Wine Public Relations Campaign (Individual or Team) - Award Partner, Handpicked Wines
- Best Published Feature Articles or Wine Columns - Award Partner, Treasury Wine Estates
- Best Digital Wine Communicator - Award Partner, Liquid Ideas
- Best Wine Website or Wine App - Award Partner, Purple Giraffe
- Best Wine Student - Award Partner, The University of Adelaide
- Best Wine Educator - Award Partner, The University of Adelaide
- Best Wine Book (Trade, Technical or Consumer) - Award Partner, Calabria Family Wines
- Best Wine Publication (Trade or Technical) - Award Partner, Pernod Ricard Winemakers
- Best Wine Publication (Consumer) - Award Partner, Pernod Ricard Winemakers
- Best New Wine Writer - Award Partner, Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Wine Communicator of the Year - Award Partner, Wine Communicators of Australia
2019 Wine Communicator Awards Key Dates
Entries Open: 3 June 2019
Entries Close: 6 September 2019
Finalists Announced: 14 October 2019
Awards Ceremony: 13 November 2019
WCA Awards Judges:
Best Wine Book (Trade, Technical or Consumer) - Award Partner, Calabria Family Wines
Best Wine Publication (Trade or Technical) - Award Partner, Pernod Ricard Winemakers
Best Wine Publication (Consumer) - Award Partner, Pernod Ricard Winemakers
- Philip Reedman – Master of Wine, Phillip Reedman MW Pty
- Milton Wordley – Photographer, Milton Wordley
- Katherine Candy - National Wine Specialist, Pernod Ricard Winemakers
Best Digital Wine Communicator – Award Partner, Liquid Ideas
Best Wine Website or Wine App - Award Partner, Purple Giraffe
- Toni Carlino – Owner, Wine Marketing Hub
- Sally Lewis – Media & Hospitality Director, Liquid Ideas
- Robyn Haworth – General Manager, Winetitles Media
Best Wine Student- Award Partner, The University of Adelaide
Best Wine Educator – Award Partner, The University of Adelaide
- Marni Cook - WCA Board Member
- Jacqui McRae - Manager ARC Graphene Research Hub, The University of Adelaide
- Anita Poddar - Corporate Affairs Manager ,Wine Australia
Best Wine Public Relations Campaign – Award Partner, Handpicked Wines
Best Published Feature Articles or Wine Columns – Award Partner, Treasury Wine Estates
- John Cuff – Director, Wine Ark
- Stephanie Dubourdin - Managing Director, Food & Wine Insights
- Graeme Little – General Manager Sales & Marketing, Seguin Moreau Australia
Best New Wine Writer – Award Partner, Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Judy Sarris – Editor, Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Julian Rifkin - Copy Editor, Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Angie Bradbury - Managing Director, Dig & Fish
- Huon Hooke - Independent Wine Writer
As well as being a personal honour, it was a huge vote of confidence in good old-fashioned print media storytelling. In a world increasingly dominated by short-attention-span digital content, it’s gratifying to know that readers still value longer-form journalism about the issues and the history and the people that make the world of wine so endlessly fascinating.
The WCA Award has given me a louder voice in the wine world and the chance to get out there, to tell the stories that make Australian wine so special, not only in Australia but internationally. As a woman in the wine industry this opportunity is an important one. I am honoured to be involved in selecting the next winners and encourage everyone to apply.
"We have always been full of admiration for the WCA initiatives to improve and encourage excellence in all forms of communication about wine.
The team at GT WINE is absolutely thrilled and amazed to have won Wine Communicator of the Year 2016. We are very honoured to share this prestigious accolade with all the talented people who contribute to both the print and digital versions of the magazine."
"Wine Communications Australia is a unifying force in the diverse and dynamic world of wine communication, a significant and vital link that facilitates collaboration, accountability and excellence."
"The list of previous winners is impressive for the quality and breadth of wine knowledge on display, and their ability to communicate to a wide audience. Joining them was a great personal honour. The award is highly sought after."
Previous Wine Communicator Award Winners
Since its inception in 2013 the annual Wine Communicators Award series has acted as an industry benchmark and a coveted prize for all in the wine industry. Winners of the awards in previous years are detailed below.
- Wine Communicator of the Year - Barossa Grape & Wine Association
- Best Wine Public Relations Campaign (individual or team) - Barossa Grape & Wine Association
- Best Wine Publication (technical or trade) - Wine & Viticulture Journal
- Best Wine Publication (consumer) - Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Best Wine Book (consumer) - The Highly Improbable Audacious Adventures of Wirra Wirra 1894 -2019
- Best Wine Website/App - Barossa Grape & Wine Association
- Best Digital Wine Communicator - Jane Thomson, The Fabulous Ladies' Wine Society
- Best Featured Article or Wine Column - Nick Ryan
- Best Wine Student - Emily Palmer, The University of Adelaide
- Best Wine Educator - Armando Maria Corsi
- Best New Wine Writer - The Four Seasons by Stuart Smith
- Wine Communicator of the Year - Max Allen
- Best Wine Public Relations Campaign (individual or team) - Taylors Wines
- Best Wine Publication (technical or trade) - Wine Australia RD&E News
- Best Wine Publication (consumer) - Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Best Wine Book (consumer) - Hunter Wine: A history – Julie McIntyre & John Germov
- Best Wine Website/App - eBev
- Best Digital Wine Communicator - Dan Sims – REVEL Global
- Best Featured Article or Wine Column - Max Allen
- Best Wine Educator - Kerry Wilkinson – The University of Adelaide
- Best New Wine Writer - Kirsty Petrides -The Greek Sparkling You Need to Know About
- Wine Communicator of the Year - Gill Gordon-Smith
- Best Wine Public Relations Campaign (individual or team) - Pernod Ricard Brand Communications Team : St Hugo Cellar Door
- Best Wine Publication (technical or trade) - Elizabeth Bouzoudis : Grape Grower & Winemaker Magazine
- Best Wine Publication (consumer) - Judy Sarris : Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Best Wine Book (consumer) - Patrick Iland : Australian Wine style and taste* people and places
- Best Wine Website/App - Justine Henschke : Henschke Wines
- Best Digital Wine Communicator - Ali Laslett : Winemakers Federation of Australia
- Best Featured Article or Wine Column - Morgan Dunn
- Best Wine Educator - Gill Gordon-Smith
- Best New Wine Writer - Pippa Merrett : The Art of Wine Writing
- Wine Communicator of the Year - Judy Sarris
- Digital Wine Communicator of the Year - Jane Thomson
- Best New Wine Writer Award - Josh Martin
- Best Published Feature Articles or Wine Column - Ben Canaider
- Best Wine Educator Award - Jenny Polack
- Best Wine Publication of the Year (trade, technical or consumer) - Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Best Wine Book (trade, technical and consumer) - Tipsy
- Best Wine Website or Wine App - Gourmet Traveller WINE
- Wine Communicator of the Year - Tyson Stelzer
- Digital Wine Communicator of the Year - Tyson Stelzer
- Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine New Wine Writer Award - Tony Anisimoff
- Best Wine Publication (trade or consumer) - Alquimie
- Best Wine Book - Vintage Tasmania, by Tony Walker
- Best Wine Website or App - Gourmet Traveller WINE (digital)
- Best Trade or Technical Wine Writer - Richard Smart
- Best Published Feature Articles or Wine Column - Max Allen
- Best Wine Educator - Wine101x (University of Adelaide)
- Wine Communicator of the Year - Jeni Port
- Digital Communicator of the Year - Cake Wines
- Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine New Wine Writer Award - Charley May
- Best Wine Publication (trade or consumer) - James Halliday's Wine Companion Magazine
- Best Wine Book - The Champagne Guide 2014-15 by Tyson Stelzer
- Best Wine Website or App - Vinomofo
- Best Trade or Technical Wine Writer - Cathy Howard
- Best Single Feature Article or Wine Column - Last of his Generation, Jeni Port
- Wine Communicator of the Year - Andrea Frost
- Digital Communicator of the Year - Jane Thomson, Fabulous Ladies Wine Society
- Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine New Wine Writer Award - Greg Plowes
- Best Wine Publication (trade or consumer) - Through a Sparkling Glass: An A-Z of the Wonderland of Wine, by Andrea Frost
- Best Wine Website or App - McWilliam's Wine Group
- Best Trade or Technical Wine Writer - Tyson Stelzer
- Best Single Feature Article or Wine Column - Dulcie's Vineyard, Campbell Mattinson
Award Partners
