Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) announced the nine winners of its Wine Communicator Awards at a rousing Awards Night at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney on Tuesday November 10).
The awards and their winners were:
- Wine Communicator of the Year – Tyson Stelzer
- Digital Communicator of the Year – Tyson Stelzer
- Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE New Wine Writer Award – Tony Anisimoff
- Best Published Feature Articles or Wine Column – Max Allen
- Best Trade or Technical Wine Writer – Richard Smart
- Best Wine Educator – Wine101x (University of Adelaide)
- Best Wine Publication (trade or consumer) – Alquimie
- Best Wine Book – VintageTasmania, by Tony Walker
- Best Wine Website or App – Gourmet Traveller WINE (Digital)
WCA Chair Angus Barnes said last night was a fantastic culmination of a highly successful Awards and we wish to say a special thank you to our Awards Night partner Riedel.
“This has become our most important event on the annual WCA calendar – certainly in terms of who we are, what we stand for and our aspirations for the future,” Mr Barnes said.
“I particularly want to congratulate our new Wine Communicator of the Year Tyson Stelzer – who in the past 12 months has added to an already impressive CV with his new TV Show People of the Vines and an all-new Champagne-dedicated website and digital resource.
“Tyson – in all his efforts and communications – is an insightful, respectful and gifted communicator who thoroughly deserves this second turn as our Wine Communicator of the Year.”
The judging panel for the awards included a mix of industry professionals, including International digital expert Paul Mabray, Fabulous Ladies Wine Society founder Jane Thomson, Wine Australia Program Manager Anne Duncan, 2014 Wine Communicator of the Year Jeni Port, the drinks association CEO Sandra Przibilla, photographer Milton Wordley and Radpublic Director Louise Radman. The Gourmet Traveller WINE/WCA New Wine Writer Award was judged by editor Judy Sarris, contributing editor Huon Hooke, and WCA Chair Angie Bradbury.