Fifty-two early and mid-career professionals in the wine industry have been selected as mentees for the 2026 Wine Industry Mentor Program.
Successful individuals come from SA, NSW, VIC, WA, and QLD, and from a broad range of areas including marketing, winemaking, viticulture, business management, logistics, wine studies, sales and wine retail.
The Wine Industry Mentor Program has been supporting and inspiring wine industry professionals every year for 8 years since 2019, offering them a one-on-one mentoring relationship with leaders from across the supply chain. The program runs over 6-months from June to November.
A national, whole-of-sector initiative, the Wine Industry Mentor Program is delivered by Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA), Wine Australia, Adelaide University, Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology (ASVO), and Wine Industry Suppliers Association (WISA).
The program gives the successful candidates the opportunity to connect with like-minded peers, grow their confidence and skills, and be inspired to chase their full potential with encouragement and guidance from some of the most respected leaders in the wine industry.
Lynda Schenk, one of the original founders of the program and Chair of Wine Communicators of Australia said, “Australia’s Wine Industry Mentor Program distinguishes itself as a world leader in mentoring programs for the wine industry, in terms of number of one-on-one mentoring pairs each year and the breadth of mentees, compared to industry mentoring programs in other major wine producing countries
On behalf of all the partners, we are extremely proud of how the program enhances the careers of individuals in the wine industry. We want to congratulate the 2026 cohort for having the courage to apply. The applications from mentees were of impressive quality and showed a diversity of mentoring needs. We were also delighted with the strong interest from so many high-calibre individuals offering themselves as mentors of the next generation. This generosity of spirit is one of the things that makes the wine industry so great.”
The program partners thank the mentors who donate their time so willingly to support and foster the development of others in the Australian wine sector. A list of the 2026 Mentors is available here.
The list of successful 2026 Wine Industry Mentor Program mentees follows.
Adam Penberthy, Queensland Wine, QLD
Ajay Gothwal, Gill Estate, VIC
Alana Kaye, Wine Australia, SA
Alberto Morales, Adelaide University, SA
Alex Shakespeare, Gilbert Family Wines NSW
Amba Goldsmith, Minks Estate, NSW
Amber Penneck, Leconfield Wines, SA
Anita Quinn, Australian Vintage, SA
Anne McKenzie, Brothers At War, SA
Ashlee Hood, Australian Vintage Limited, SA
Ben Townsend, Elderton, SA
Callum Strong, VIC
Craig Hood, Treasury Wine Estates, SA
Danny Grimshaw, Watkins Family Wine, SA
Eleanor Coxwell, Shadowfax, VIC
Emily Morris, Endeavour Group, WA
Ewa Lobaza, Treasury Wine Estates, VIC
Feleasha Prendergast-Seymour, Evans&Tate, WA
Georgie Zema, Zema Estate, SA
Gerome Vaughan, Burch Family Wines, WA
Hannah Ritchie, Wild Duck Creek Estate, VIC
Violet Wang, Wynns Coonawarra, VIC
Henry Xu, Ferngrove, WA
Jack Gibbon, Dan Murphys, NSW
Jacob Parton, Bests Wines, VIC
Jade Kahle, Bests Wines, VIC
Jeremy Little, Warrabilla Wines, VIC
Kate Henderson, The University of Adelaide, SA
Kayla Ford, Swinney Vineyards, WA
Keegan Thomson, Robert Stein Wines, NSW
Madeline Beath, Vinarchy, NSW
Maggie Jarrett, See Saw Wines, NSW
Margie Burke, Negociants, VIC
Marthinique de Bruin, Margan Wines, NSW
Matthew Goldstein, Mount Mary, VIC
Megan Fechner, Fehnig, ACT
Michael Kean, 1562 Wines, NSW
Nick Heard, Kay Brothers, SA
Nigel Street, Langtons, VIC
Paulina Sanhueza, Fogarty Wine Group, WA
Pauline Vermeire, De Bortoli, VIC
Penelope Parker, Dan Murphys, VIC
Rachel Oppedisano, Joval Wines, VIC
Ralph Ventura, Blackhearts & Sparrows, VIC
Riccardo Pagliai, Paxton Wines, SA
Richard Szabo, The Real Review, NSW
Sabine Duval, Hungerford Hill, NSW
Sam Cartwright, Gibson Wines, SA
Sara Grounds, Giant Steps Wine, VIC
Sarah Carlson, Adelaide Hills Wine Region, SA
Tara Donnelly, SA Department of Primary Industries, SA
Wendy Bowman, Barwang Wines, NSW
Media Contacts:
Alex Burgener, Marketing Manager, Wine Communicators Australia. wca@winecommunicators.com.au
Lara Pacillo, Media Officer, Adelaide University. lara.pacillo@adelaide.edu.au
Sonya Logan, Communications Manager, Wine Australia. Sonya.Logan@wineaustralia.com
Chris Waters, Executive Officer, Australian Society of Viticulture & Oenology. ASVO@asvo.com.au
Liz Schoen, Executive Chair, Wine Industry Suppliers Association. executivechair@wisa.org.au