Each year we’ve profiled the special sites and remarkable custodianship of up to 50 winegrowers in a celebration of Australian viticulture.
Wine writer Max Allen has curated the awards since their inception in 2020 alongside a panel of Australia’s leading winegrowing professionals and academics with expertise in viticulture, grapevines and sustainability.
“While it’s called the Vineyard of the Year Awards – and yes, there are four trophies – really, the trophies are just a by-product of the bigger picture and intent of the program,” Allen said.
“The ‘awards’ process enables us to dig deep into the best practices and share learnings. There are so many great growers out there and we want to share their stories. These awards are a celebration of a large group and a collective mission each year, and our focus is around curating leading vineyards and growers to promote the common objective.”
“The ‘awards’ process enables us to dig deep into the best practices and share learnings. There are so many great growers out there and we want to share their stories. These awards are a celebration of a large group and a collective mission each year, and our focus is around curating leading vineyards and growers to promote the common objective.”
Viticulturist Richard Leask has featured in previous awards, and joined the panel for the last two editions.
“I first entered the Vineyard of the Year Awards in 2020 as it was a new and much-needed initiative to promote the role of the grower in making wine of provenance, as well as the value of the viticulture profession, sustainability and to advance these topics,” he said.
“Gathering for the latest awards event in Melbourne, what really struck me was the value of meeting fellow growers from around the country – sharing ideas and forging new friendships. There’s nothing like it. I hope to participate again in the coming year and I encourage all growers and viticulturists to get involved.”
Finalists can take part in a series of optional events following vintage 2026. The idea is to build connections between growers and vignerons from around the country, promote sustainable best-practice viticulture and strengthen the understanding of the sense of provenance in wine. It will also promote sales of the wines that come from the vineyards.
“Gathering for the latest awards event in Melbourne, what really struck me was the value of meeting fellow growers from around the country – sharing ideas and forging new friendships. There’s nothing like it. I hope to participate again in the coming year and I encourage all growers and viticulturists to get involved.”
All finalists are profiled in editorials at younggunofwine.com and on social media. You can see the list of past finalists here.
“Gathering with so many inspiring winegrowers for last year’s awards was truly wonderful,” said Max Allen. “Making connections is what this event is all about: connecting wine lovers with the places where our top wine are grown; strengthening the link between all the hard work that goes into growing grapes with the flavours and quality of the wine in our glass; and bringing passionate, hard-working, deep-thinking viticulturists, vignerons and vineyard managers together, to talk, learn and encourage each other to continually improve what they do.”
We’re calling all growers, viticulturists and vignerons to step forward. These awards celebrate viticulture. By championing top vineyards and their stewards, we can build awareness of their core role in shaping the wines we love. This collective industry benefit is the great outcome of these awards. The path forward is through participation.
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