Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) announces the winners of the 2023 Wine Communicator Awards, including the overall Wine Communicator of the Year awarded to writers Jane Lopes & Jonathan Ross for their book How to Drink Australian.
The annual Awards recognises outstanding contribution to, and excellence in, wine communication in all formats. Fifteen experienced and respected wine industry professionals judged the categories across a number of criteria. The judges said they were impressed with the calibre, creativity, passion, and skill shown across various communication channels.
The category award winners are:
Best Wine Marketing Communication Campaign (Individual or Team)
- Liquid Luxury by Stanton & Killeen
Best Wine Blog or Podcast
- Wine with Meg + Mel Podcast
Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column
- Tom Kline
Best Serial Wine Publication
- The Quinta Quarterly by Stanton & Killeen
Best New Wine Book
- How to Drink Australian by Jane Lopes & Jonathan Ross
Best Wine-Themed Event
- Pinot Noir Celebration Australia 2023
Best Wine Communicator – Cellar Door
- Jodhi Thoms, Elderton Wines
Best Wine Educator
- Robin Shaw, Wine Tourism Australia
Best Wine Student
- Cassidy Shaw, The University of Adelaide
Overall Winner
2023 Wine Communicator of the Year
- Jane Lopes & Jonathan Ross (Authors – How to Drink Australian)
WCA Executive Chair Angus Barnes said, “Last night’s Awards ceremony was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate excellence in communication. Whilst the wine industry is experiencing some challenges right now, the ability to communicate widely and effectively is absolutely critical. We wish to say a special thank you to everybody who applied for the 2023 Wine Communicator Awards. The calibre of entries continues to impress our judges. We would also like to thank our Award category sponsors for their support and commitment.”
“The Awards continue to be the most important event on the annual WCA calendar, recognising as it does excellence in many different facets of wine storytelling.”
The overall Wine Communicator of the Year is chosen by the WCA Board from the winners. Previous winners include the Cellar Door Team at Oliver’s Taranga, Trish Barry, Barossa Grape & Wine Association, Max Allen, Gill Gordon-Smith, Katie Spain, and Jeni Port.
This year, the Wine Communicator of the Year was awarded to Jane Lopes & Jonathan Ross. Their book, How to Drink Australian, was described by the judges as perhaps the best example of this kind of book ever written. The fact that Jane and Jonathan are flying the flag for Australian Wine in the important US wine market is an added bonus. They possess that unique combination of education, both having passed the prestigious Master Sommelier exams, life experience, having curated fine dining wine lists in Australia and the US before starting their own wine import business, as well as the ability to communicate and pass on that knowledge and passion.
Jane and Jonathan suggest that ‘the Australian wine industry is every bit as deserving of the scholarship that the historic wine regions of Europe receive’. They went on to say, “There’s never been a more exciting time to drink Australian wine…. And it is perhaps the most exciting country in the world to be drinking from right now.”
