Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) announced the eight winners of its Wine Communicator Awards at a rousing Awards Night at the Four Seasons Hotel, on Wednesday night (November 19), including the coveted Wine Communicator of the Year.
The awards and their winners are:
- 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
WCA Chair Angie Bradbury said the evening was a fantastic culmination of a highly successful Awards, designed to recognise outstanding contribution to, and excellence in, wine communication in all its forms.
“Through these awards, WCA seeks to raise the profile of best practice communication and encourage more of it – and this year’s winners in all categories are fantastic examples of this,” Ms Bradbury said.
“I particularly want to congratulate our Wine Communicator of the Year Jeni Port. Jeni was the first wine writer at The Sun News-Pictorial (now Melbourne’s Herald-Sun) and has spent the past three decades sharing the stories around Australia’s great wines, its colourful and talented characters as well as the industry’s many challenges and triumphs. As the longest serving wine writer at The Age, she is also a published author and occasional wine judge – but her continued commitment to telling the real wine story in her honest and compelling way is what WCA is recognising in bestowing this Award.”
The judging panel for the awards included a mix of industry professionals, including International digital expert Paul Mabray, Canadian editor Christopher Waters, former Digital Communicator of the Year Jane Thomson, Lowe Wines David Lowe, Fuller director Peter Fuller, Australian Grape and Wine Authority program manager Anne Duncan, and WCA national board members, Roger Sharp, Louise Radman and Angus Barnes. The Gourmet Traveller WINE/WCA New Wine Writer Award was judged by editor Judy Sarris, contributing editor Huon Hooke, and WCA Chair Angie Bradbury.
Download Media Release for more details on each winner and contact details for further information.