Now in their 14th year, the annual awards recognise the outstanding contributions made to wine communication.
Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) has announced the finalists for the 2026 Wine Communicator Awards, recognising the outstanding contributions made to wine communication across Australia. --- Now in their 14th year, the annual Wine Communicator Awards comprise 13 individual categories, with an overall Wine Communicator of the Year then chosen from the category winners. Previous winners have included Andrew Caillard MW, Andrea Frost, Barossa Grape & Wine Association, Gill Gordon-Smith, Jeni Port, Judy Sarris, Katie Spain, Max Allen, Oliver’s Taranga, Trish Barry and Tyson Stelzer. --- WCA’s Executive Officer, Ruth Harris, says: “Each year we turn a spotlight on those wine communicators who are doing outstanding work promoting, educating and engaging the wider public on the wonders of wine. The finalists this year all sent in fantastic submissions which showed the genuine depth and breadth of excellence in Australian wine communication. They included insightful wine books and articles; entertaining podcasts and Youtube channels; brilliant brand marketing campaigns; top quality wine educators; successful wine tasting events – big and small; beautifully-designed websites and wine packaging; and fabulous cellar door, sales and marketing people promoting wine with passion. --- “Judging involved detailed scrutiny to determine who was worthy of being named a finalist, and confirms each of the named finalists as an inspiring examples of wine communication excellence,” she continued. --- Each submission for the Wine Communicator Awards was reviewed by a panel of judges, who determined the finalists and category winners. The overall 2026 Wine Communicator of the Year is chosen by the WCA Board from the category winners. Both category winners and the overall winner will be revealed at the Wine Communicator Awards Ceremony, held in Sydney on Thursday 5 November. --- The finalists for the 2026 Wine Communicator Awards are: --- Best Australian Wine Communication Campaign --- Best Digital Communication --- Best Social Media Communication --- Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column --- Best Packaging Design --- Best Wine Book --- Best Winery Website --- Best Wine-Themed Event --- Best Wine Communicator: Cellar Door (Individual or Team) --- Best Wine Communicator: Marketing --- Best Wine Communicator: Sales --- Best Wine Education Provider --- Best Wine Student (the winner of this category receives $500 towards continuing their wine studies) --- Molly holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism, and with five years spent working in pubs and brewpubs in England, her move into drinks journalism was a natural progression. In June 2023, Molly stepped... More by Molly Nicholas ---
The historic pub is opening its doors today under the Barrelhouse Group after a three and a half year renovation.
Kitti Gould --- One of Sydney’s most iconic pubs The Observer Hotel reopens its doors today under new owners the Barrelhouse Group. Best known for venues including The Duke of Clarence, the Barber Shop and Hickson House, Mikey Enright and Julian Train have given the heritage-listed space a new lease of life. --- The pub has undergone a complete renovation over the past three and a half years to fit the bill of a classic English pub. “This is a proper locals’ pub at heart, there’s no pretense here, just genuine hospitality and wholesome British pub classics with a modern twist,” says Enright. --- “This isn’t our first rodeo, we know what makes a pub feel truly authentic: It’s somewhere you walk in, meet people and have a laugh with friends, whether you’re settling into a cosy dining nook or sitting on the footpath watching the harbour with a pint or a classic cocktail, it’s built for everybody to feel at home.” --- The multi-level pub has a public bar, a glass conservatory, parlour rooms, private dining space, and a dining room and lounge that has been fitted out with antique furnishings sourced from the UK. “The building is actually three heritage sites stitched together – Waterman’s Arms, The Observer Tavern and an old car garage that’s now our sunny beer garden,” says Train. “The challenge was honouring each ones history, while also giving the place a coherent flow.” --- Former Icebergs talent Sam Bull is running the kitchen as head chef, and has focused on pub classics from roasts to scotch eggs and aged steaks. “We’ve swapped traditional mushy peas for a vibrant pea salad and we’re serving a roast with all the trimmings every day of the week, while on Sundays, we’ve gone all out with four different options,” he says. --- There are also prawn cocktails, Berkshire pork sausage rolls, whisky-drenched ribeye, spatchcock brined in leftover juniper and a gin-macerated Eton mess, all nods to the distilling expertise of the group. Highlights of the drinks offering include a 70-bottle wine list, classic cocktails, spritzes and a signature Irish coffee. --- The Observer Hotel opens its doors today at 69 George Street in The Rocks. It’s open seven days from 10am until late. --- Sponsored by Peerless --- Sponsored by Tomkin --- Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ac ornare lectus. Sed bibendum lobortis... --- Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ac ornare lectus. Sed bibendum lobortis... --- hbspt.forms.create({ region: "na1", portalId: "8838799", formId: "e54699d2-4fed-4c75-a5cb-6e11059ed6d3" }); ---
No new items today.
Sept. 29, 2026By Cody Profaca --- Society headlined the Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards on Monday night, taking out the top national prize and four trophies altogether, including Best Wine List Victoria, in front of 300 industry professionals at NSW Parliament House. --- The seven Best Wine Lists of State awards were significantly different to 2025, with only one venue, Western Australia’s Gibney, defending its title. --- Gibney was a clear standout in the awards and a close contender for the overall Australia’s Wine List of the Year. It also successfully defended its Australia’s Best Listing of Western Australian Wines title for a second year, while adding Australia’s Best Digestif List. --- Besk also celebrated back-to-back wins for the title of Australia’s Best Beer List, while Foni Pollitt of Hall of Famers Mayfair Lane Pub & Dining Room was acknowledged by her peers to be awarded the Sommelier’s Choice Award. --- New South Wales continued its strong presence in the Awards with a total of 16 major category wins. --- Altitude Restaurant at the Shangri-La in The Rocks, Sydney, was one of three restaurants to receive three or more awards, and was named Australia's Best Hotel/Resort Dining Wine List, Best Listing of New South Wales Wines, and Best Listing of Organic & Biodynamic Australian Wines. Judges praised its comprehensive list spanning “left-of-centre” options for consumers looking to explore, --- Two other New South Wales venues were among the eight that claimed multiple of the 47 awards. The newly-opened Infinity by Mark Best claimed Australia’s Best New Wine List and Australia’s Best Listing of Australian Wines, while Hall of Fame member Jonah’s Restaurant and Boutique Hotel claimed Australia’s Best Food & Wine Matching List and Best Wine List - Australia’s Choice. --- The state also claimed both the Best Wine List under 50 Wines and Best Wine List Under 100, awarded to The Rover and Me-Gal respectively. --- However, it was Shell House Dining Room & Terrace that took home the Best Wine List NSW trophy for the first time. --- Adelaide’s 2KW Bar + Restaurant also won its respective SA state title for the first time, while The Crafers Hotel emerged as the only South Australian venue to receive multiple awards, for Best Pub Dining Wine List and Best Listing of South Australian Wines respectively. --- Judge Andrew Graham praised 2KW's Local Heroes selection championing cult-status SA producers alongside the up-and-coming. --- Fellow Adelaide CBD venue A Prayer for the Wild at Heart received Australia’s Best Wine List Under 200 Wines for the second year running, while Restaurant Botanic won Australia’s Best Non-Alcoholic List for the third year in a row. --- Iconic Auburn jaunt The Rising Sun Hotel was also celebrated, with the list curated by Clare Valley winemaker Kerri 'KT' Thompson with owner Simon Clausen. --- "A lot of these wines come from people I've worked with for years, and from vineyards you drive past on the way into town," said Thompson. "Putting them on a pub list means they get drunk the way they were made to be drunk, with food, without any ceremony around it. That's the best thing you can do for a grower." --- Following its six inductions into the Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards Hall of Fame last year, Cru Bar + Cellar continued its dominance by being named Australia’s Best Sparkling Wine List and Australia’s Best Listing of New Zealand. --- However, it was Fink Group's Otto Brisbane that clinched the state's top accolade. --- Otto’s award was received by Fink Group’s Amanda Yallop, who became the third individual in 33 years to be inducted into the Australia's Wine List of the Year Awards Hall of Fame. --- Victorian venues took out a total of 10 major categories, second only to New South Wales. --- Ten Minutes by Tractor, Australia’s Wine List of the Year in 2021, also received multiple awards for Best Champagne List and Best Listing of Victorian Wine, but was trumped by Society. --- Laura at Pt. Leo Estate, Maison Bâtard, Florentino, and Reine & La Rue all received category awards, with the full results available to view here. --- Canberran Italian restaurant Capitol Bar & Grill celebrated its win as Australia’s Best Listing of ACT and Canberra District Wines for the third consecutive year, with judges noting its breadth of local producers from across eight regions. --- The Boat House clinched the best-in-state title, building on its induction into the Hall of Fame last year. --- The riesling-led wine bar Rizla was also acknowledged as a finalist for Australia’s Best Wine List Under 200 Wines and Australia’s Best Listing of ACT and Canberra District Wines. --- And finally, Black Cow Bistro clinched Best Wine List TAS. --- The Launceston venue was commended for its diversity in producers and varieties across The Apple Isle. --- Also representing the state was The Agrarian Kitchen, named Australia’s Best Listing of Tasmanian Wines for the second year in a row. --- Toni Paterson MW said the 2026 Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards shone a spotlight on a number of emerging category trends. --- “This year has seen the rise of grenache, mini-cocktails, chilled reds and small pours by the glass, the latter encouraging experimentation while staying mindful of cost,” she said. “The international offering is incredibly varied, allowing people to explore the world of wine without leaving our shores. We have also seen a wider range of cuisines and menu formats, with share plates increasingly popular.” --- She also said locally-informed lists are continuing to perform best. --- “The best lists are showing greater support for Australian wines, including those from their home state, which is heartening, especially when local wines represent excellent value, are better than ever, and offer great style and varietal diversity. --- “Despite recent challenges, our restaurant sector has great energy, with fabulous wine and beverage lists compiled by confident, knowledgeable sommeliers.” --- // --- Read more and review all 47 awards + eight Hall of Fame inductions here --- Share the content --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 28, 2026 --- Sept. 28, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 22, 2026 --- Sept. 21, 2026 --- Sept. 21, 2026 ---
Sept. 29, 2026By Cody Profaca --- The highly anticipated Australian debut of the NFL made a significant impact from the outset, selling out the MCG and pushing Melbourne hotel occupancy to 92 per cent on game eve and 83 per cent on game day. The game drew 2.19 million viewers on free-to-air television in Australia, with Channel Seven, Netflix and ESPN among the broadcasters and platforms carrying the game to an Australian and global audience. --- The occasion presented a major opportunity for Australian drinks to reach a different audience. Asahi Beverages secured a Carlton Dry sponsorship. Endeavour Group became the official retail liquor partner. And Hill-Smith Family Estates’ Y Series signed on as the official wine partner for the next three years. --- Y Series was the first to sign on as an official partner and was arguably the drinks brand that stood out the most on game day, selling 20,000 glasses of wine in the MCG stadium, and 30,000 including the Kick Off Festival. --- Jack Glover, Executive Director - Marketing and Sales at Hill-Smith Family Estates, told Drinks Trade: “If you do the math, that means 20 per cent of the people there consumed wine at a sporting event, which is a really, really good stat. From my history of putting wine into grounds at events, that is a real win for us around trial." --- The HSFE team at Melbourne Park --- Jack Glover has supported a number of high-profile wine sporting deals over the past decade across Accolade and Hill-Smith Family Estates, which he joined in late 2023. This included Oxford Landing's activation at the UK leg of the British and Irish Lions Tour in 2025. --- The former Len Evans Scholar is clear on the need for Australian wine to continue to evolve not just its portfolio mix but how it markets to consumers if it is to emerge from the current challenges it is facing. --- "It's no secret that there are challenges in the industry," said Glover. "Not just [for] brands, it's a tough time right through from our grower resources and families involved, to the distribution businesses around the world. No one or no brand can exclude themselves from those challenges.” --- Although there is no single silver bullet nor one-size-fits-all answer, the wine industry broadly and increasingly needs to adapt how it connects with its consumers. This applies to language used, touch points reached, and the product itself. --- The launch of Y Series as the NFL's official partner in Australia and New Zealand is an example of adapting the language, consumer touchpoints and product format around wine, delivering a high-impact campaign with significant reach. --- “A partnership like the NFL doesn't come around very often. We were really keen to look at something that could position Y Series in a space that's maybe not so wine-familiar and connect to a different consumer base, but also tie into something that had more than just sport; underpinned by really big occasion and excitement and energy. And the NFL brings that." --- The Y Series-NFL partnership was supported by an ongoing retail national giveaway campaign and stadium-exclusive Y Series cans --- Jack Glover attributed Y Series' strong MCG sales to a number of factors, including the earlier kick off time and the different demographic in attendance. But above all else, he mentioned availability. --- "Availability is one of the key things around consumer choice in-ground and being accessible and easy to purchase,” he said. --- He also believes that Y Series was able to cater to the diverse mix of people at the sold-out MCG clash on the morning of Friday 11 September. --- “You've got true fans of either the 49ers or the Rams, and then you've got fans of the NFL, and you've got people who want to be part of it, so you had a real festival atmosphere there, which I think plays into a diverse repertoire of drinks. Not just beer and RTD, but wine. I think all those things, coming together, delivered a good result for us.” --- Hill-Smith Family Estates is still assessing how many of these consumers were new-to-wine and new-to-Y Series. --- "The NFL has around about 8.8 million person fan base in Australia, so there is, of course, a crossover into wine drinkers and those that are familiar with Y Series. But we also recognise that, particularly in Australia, sport and the association or the event around sport is not just the game, it's the occasion and everything that leads up to it ... and so being a part of that gives us a chance to tap into that." --- The decision to launch in cans was also crucial, with the format "essential to be able to have trial at the MCG" as the preferred and only way of serving wine at a general admission or that sort of kiosk. --- Glover said that the limited-edition Y Series cans, which were available in four varietals, Rosé, Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc, and Shiraz, may be rolled out into broader Australian retail after a number of supplier partners expressed interest. --- “We're definitely considering it at the moment,” he said. “While they're not single serve, because the ABV of wine is always a bit higher, that smaller serve and that convenience around cans is definitely the feedback we're getting, so we'd like to look at that more closely.” --- The stadium-exclusive cans were available in Rosé, Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc, and Shiraz --- Despite not being a primary objective of the Hill-Smith Family Estates' NFL investment, the successful launch has already positioned Y Series firmly in front of a US audience. --- This has been true not only for consumers watching the game, but for its US trade partners and importers as well, explained Glover. --- "I don't think you could draw a direct outcome from this partnership here into what happens in the US … but our distribution partners have been interested to see what we've been doing and how it shows up. It's actually quite a nice talking point rather than a consumer-facing one.” --- He continued: “We're a talking point to the different wholesalers that we've got throughout the various states in that market that sell Y Series. Y Series has traditionally had a good presence through parts of the U.S; albeit, Australian Y [Series] competes directly against the US-based Ys, in particular California.” --- This month’s historic NFL debut is only the first opportunity for Y Series to leverage its three-year partnership. Although the dates next season haven’t been announced yet, the next game is expected to fall roughly around the same time in 2027. --- “Now we've had one game, I think everyone was pretty amazed with what happened on that Friday in Melbourne. We want to be part of that in a bigger and better way," said Glover when asked about plans for 2027. --- This includes building on its Kick Off Festival debut at Melbourne Park and growing its Retail Consumer Prize in its second year leading up to the Super Bowl 2028. --- Jack Glover said he also felt Y Series had performed well at the debut as it was the right fit for the occasion. --- He concluded: "The Y Series is a fantastic, vibrant lifestyle brand. There's a Y for every why. It's a great range of wines across sparkling, traditional varietals, emerging varietals and lighter styles, and we're going lighter in our alcohol as well, so it's a great fit for us, and it allows us to activate the NFL across a broad range of our customers and therefore speak to a broader range of consumers.” --- // --- Carlton Dry named latest drinks partner for NFL’s Melbourne debut --- Share the content --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 28, 2026 --- Sept. 28, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 23, 2026 ---
Sept. 29, 2026By Cody Profaca --- Metcash has expanded its partnership with AI search and conversation platform Coveo. --- The owner of Australian Liquor Marketers and Independent Brands Australia will integrate Coveo’s generative AI capabilities into its AskROSS system, allowing retailers to ask questions in natural language and describe what they are looking for to generate more relevant results. --- Madeleine Fitzpatrick, general manager retail at Metcash, said: “This represents a significant step forward in delivering a more modern, intelligent and customer-centric experience. Retailers can now ask questions in natural language and receive fast, trusted answers that help them make better decisions. That means less time spent searching for information, more time focused on serving shoppers and a simpler, more intuitive experience overall." --- The expansion comes as major Australian drinks businesses increase their investment in AI and data technology. Over the past few weeks alone, Paramount Liquor revealed details of what an AI-native Paramount would look like and Endeavour launched AI-powered shopper data platform Distilled Data with Quantium. --- Lion, which was recently named Supplier of the Year at the Australian Drinks Awards, also became the first FMCG partner of OpenAI in Australia and New Zealand in April. --- The new partnership builds on Metcash’s existing deployment of Coveo in other areas of its operations, including online B2B marketplace Sorted. --- It builds on Metcash’s AI program, which has been developed by enterprise AI service company Publicis Sapient for the past two years. --- “Our work with Metcash has always been grounded in a simple ambition: make it easier for independent Australian retailers to run and grow their businesses,” said Cassandra Kelsall, head of advisory at Publicis Sapient Australia. “This next phase with Coveo brings AI into the everyday moments that matter for retailers, helping them find answers faster and get the right support when they need it. There’s real potential for AI in B2B, from agentic commerce to AI-powered search, because it turns complex information and systems into practical value.” --- Alexander Mahr, managing director of Coveo APAC, said the Canadian-based company is a “proud partner of Metcash” as it continues its mission of supporting independent retailers across its Food, Hardware and Liquor pillars. --- Instead of using keywords to interpret what a user is trying to find, Coveo's AI-Relevance technology allows users to ask questions or be descriptive in-search, returning more relevant results. --- Mahr concluded: “Metcash's continued investment in Coveo reflects a clear focus on equipping its retail network with trusted, generative AI-powered experiences that help teams find information faster, make better decisions and ultimately deliver better service to customers. We're proud to support one of Australia's leading wholesalers as it continues to innovate with AI." --- // --- Metcash Liquor winds down NZ business, grows Australian market shareeBev joins Oolio, extending hospitality ecosystem to supplier networkHow are Australian liquor retailers using AI and tech to their advantage? --- Share the content --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 23, 2026 --- Sept. 14, 2026 --- Sept. 14, 2026 --- Sept. 8, 2026 --- Sept. 3, 2026 --- Aug. 21, 2026 ---
Sept. 29, 2026By Ash Pini --- Drinks Trade digital editor Cody Profaca and regular contributor Markus Patz have both been shortlisted as finalists for Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column in the 2026 WCA Wine Communicator Awards. --- Profaca made the top four for his print feature The future of Australian wine is here today and here to stay, which can be viewed online on page 26 of Drinks Trade Summer 2025 issue 97. --- Patz was recognised for his digital feature The edges of the wine world: What Tenerife asks of Australia reflecting on his experience at the inaugural 2026 Island Wines Summit in Tenerife. --- The 2026 Wine Communicator Awards include 14 categories, including the Wine Communicator of the Year title, with the winners to be announced at the Awards Night on Thursday 5 November. --- WCA executive officer Ruth Harris said: “Each year we turn a spotlight on those Wine Communicators who are doing outstanding work promoting, educating and engaging the wider public on the wonders of wine. The finalists this year all sent in fantastic submissions which showed the genuine depth and breadth of excellence in Australian wine communication.” --- Each submission was reviewed by a panel of independent and expert judges, with the finalists later chosen in consultation with the WCA Board. --- “Judging involved detailed scrutiny to determine who was worthy of being named a finalist, and confirms each of the named finalists as an inspiring examples of wine communication excellence,” Harris said. --- The Awards Night will be held at Stanley Street Gallery in Sydney on November 5, with tickets available for purchase here. --- The finalists for each category, in alphabetical order, are: --- Best Australian Wine Communication Campaign (sponsored by Wine Australia) --- Best Digital Communication (sponsored by Liquid Ideas) --- Best Social Media Communication (sponsored by Endeavour Group) --- Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column (sponsored by De Bortoli) --- Best Packaging Design (sponsored by WineHub) --- Best Wine Book (sponsored by the University of Adelaide) --- Best Winery Website (sponsored by Parallax Design) --- Best Wine-Themed Event (sponsored by Purple Giraffe) --- Best Wine Communicator: Cellar Door (Individual or Team) (sponsored by Coravin) --- Best Wine Communicator: Marketing (sponsored by Vinomofo) --- Best Wine Communicator: Sales (sponsored by Coravin) --- Best Wine Education Provider (sponsored by RIEDEL) --- Best Wine Student (sponsored by Wine Communicators of Australia) --- The winner of this category receives $500 towards continuing their wine studies. --- Share the content --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 29, 2026 --- Sept. 28, 2026 --- Sept. 28, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 24, 2026 --- Sept. 23, 2026 ---