Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) announces the finalists of the 2025 Wine Communicator Awards across the thirteen individual categories
WCA’s Executive Officer, Ruth Harris commented, “Following intense scrutiny and discussion by the various judging panels, we have selected the finalists in the 2025 Wine Communicator Awards.
This year, entries were up by 46%, meaning the judges’ task was substantial but also delightful. They saw outstanding entries from big and small wineries, from wine and viticulture educators, from wine regions and wine publications, and from both amateur and professional writers, and podcasters.
Ours is an industry that often recognises excellence via wine shows as well awards for winemaking, viticulture, sustainability and supply chain operations by various other industry bodies. The WCA Wine Communicator Awards are the only awards that put the spotlight on the communicators; the people who talk, promote, educate and present wines to a wider audience, and the brilliant campaigns they create. We’ve narrowed them down to these finalists, all of whom demonstrate absolute excellence in wine communication. We heartily congratulate all the finalists and look forward to revealing the winners on 6 November.”
Each entry was reviewed by a panel of independent, expert judges (see details on WCA website) and the finalists and category winners were selected. The overall 2025 Wine Communicator of the Year Award will now be chosen from the category winners in consultation with the WCA Board and all the winners will be announced at the WCA Award Ceremony on Thursday 6th November 2025 in Sydney. The 2025 Wine Communicator of the Year receives a $1000 cash prize with their trophy.
Tickets are now on sale to attend the Awards Night, find out more here.
The finalists for each category, in alphabetical order, are:
Best Australian Wine Communication Campaign (sponsored by Wine Australia)
- Grant Burge Wines x Wallabies – British & Irish Lions Tour 2025 by Vinarchy
- NSW Wine Month by NSW Wine Industry Association
- Brown Brothers Moscato Mango Swirl by Brown Family Wine Group
Best Digital Communication (sponsored by Purple Giraffe)
- EcoVineyard
- Halliday Wine Companion Podcast
- Wine with Meg + Mel Podcast
Best Social Media Communication (sponsored by Endeavour Group)
- Cupio – It’s Giving Summer
- EcoVineyard
- Ten Minutes by Tractor
Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column (sponsored by Vinarchy)
- Ed Cavanagh, ‘Trouble Brewing in Margaret River’ published on Substack
- Katie Spain, ‘An Hour With’ column published in Wine Business Magazine
- Max Allen, ‘Why These Australian Wines are at risk of extinction’ published in the Australian Financial Review Magazine
- Shanteh Wale, ‘An Unexpected Pilgrimage’ published in Halliday Magazine
Best Innovative Packaging (sponsored by Saverglass, an Orora Group Company)
- Enchante Rose
- Paddington Lane
Best Wine Book (sponsored by the University of Adelaide)
- Alternative Reality by Max Allen
- St Agnes Distillery: The First 100 Years by Luke McCarthy
Best Winery Website (sponsored by Parallax Design)
- Head Wines
- Ottelia
- Two Hands Wines
Best Wine-Themed Event
- Adelaide Hills Winter Reds Festival
- Innocent Bystander Pop Up Events at Babylon
- Ovata House
- Pinot Palooza
Best Wine Communicator: Cellar Door (Individual or Team) (sponsored by Vinomofo)
- Crittenden Cellar Door Team
- Malou Helder, Simon Tolley Wines
- Nicolas Williams, Hungerford Hill Wines
Best Wine Communicator: Marketing (sponsored by the University of Adelaide)
- Emily Sharland, Emily Sharland Marketing Communications
- Gabrielle Richardson, Ten Minutes by Tractor
- Madeleine Legoe, Casella Family Brands
Best Wine Communicator: Sales (sponsored by Wine-Ark)
- David Wright, Pikes Wines
- Leon Thomas, Rathbone Group
- Paul Geraghty, Zonte’s Footstep
Best Wine Education Provider (sponsored by RIEDEL)
- Andrea Roberts-Davison from Melbourne Polytechnic
- More Great Less Whine
- Retallack Viticulture and Ecology
Best Wine Student (sponsored by Wine Communicators of Australia)
- Chloe Nangle
- Jesslyn Francis
- Kate Elizabeth Henderson
