The Australian Women in Wine Awards today announces the key dates for the 2017 awards, as well as two brand new award categories for this, its third year.
Due to the recently announced partnership with Wine Australia, which will see the winners announced as part of an awards ceremony and tasting at Australia House in London, the schedule has shifted from a November to a 26th September announcement date, bringing the whole process forward by two months.
So for 2017 the following dates apply:
- Entries Open 20 May
- Entries Close 1 August
- Finalists Announced 22 August
- Winners Announced 26 September
As in previous years, the announcement will be streamed LIVE online around the world, this time direct from the London event – an event which already has 50+ Australian women in wine signed up to fly over and be involved.
“We’re thrilled with the exciting direction the awards are taking this year,” says AWIWA founder Jane Thomson. “These are the world’s only wine awards for women. And with the world’s attention now on us, and an opportunity to shine on the global stage in London, we’re hoping the entire Australian wine community will get behind it and that we’ll have a record number of entries in 2017.”
There will also be two new awards introduced, bringing the total to eight for 2017. They are:
- Winemaker of the Year – sponsored by WineArk
- Viticulturist of the Year – sponsored by Wine Australia
- Owner / Operator of the Year – sponsored by JancisRobinson.com
- Workplace Champion of Change
- Cellar Door Person of the Year – sponsored by Platinum Bags
- Researcher of the Year
- Marketer of the Year (NEW) – sponsored by Brown Brothers
- Woman of Inspiration (NEW) – sponsored by Irvine Wines
The Woman of Inspiration Award will not require the usual entry process, and will instead be awarded by the AWIWA advisory board to a woman who has demonstrated a long term significant impact in the wine community and been an inspiration to those around her.
In conjunction with the eight official AWIWA awards, this year Wine Australia is introducing a one-off award for Honorary Australian Woman in Wine, which will be presented to a woman in the UK trade who has made a significant contribution to Australian wine.
The Australian Women in Wine Awards – which are owned and operated by The Fabulous Ladies’ Wine Society – was started in 2015 and works to celebrate and reward the work of women in the Australian wine community, and community leaders who champion equality and fairness for all sexes in the workplace. Previous winners include Prue Henschke (Viticulturist of the Year, 2016), Rose Kentish, Ulithorne (Winemaker of the Year, 2015) and Iain Riggs, Brokenwood (Workplace Champion of Change, 2016).
The awards are also overseen by an advisory board of high level industry professionals. In 2017, they are:
- Corrina Wright, CEO & winemaker, Oliver’s Taranga
- Samantha Connew, owner & winemaker, Stargazer Wine
- Jeni Port, Wine writer
- Rebekah Richardson, winemaker, Irvine Wines
- Toni Carlino, independent marketing consultant, Vigneto
- Sarah Andrew, Wine Educator, Fine Wine Partners
- Jane Thomson (Chair), founder The Fabulous Ladies’ Wine Society
Entries open 20 May at www.womeninwineawards.com.au.
The entire awards program is funded by our partners and award sponsors. This year’s important Gold Partners include Pernod-Ricard Winemakers, WBM Magazine, Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch & Tonnellerie Saint Martin.
Pictured is (from left to right) Irina Santiago-Brown (winner of the Viticulturist of the Year 2015), Briony Hoare (finalist of the Owner-Operator of the Year 2015) and Rose Kentish (winner of the Winemaker of the Year 2015). Photo credit Milton Wordley.
