Iain Riggs has taken home an Australian Women in Wine Award (AWIWA). Iain is renowned for mentoring at Brokenwood some of Australia’s finest young wine professionals, many of them women – like Yarra Yering’s Sarah Crowe, James Halliday’s 2016 winemaker of the year. And that is why Iain has been given the title of Workplace Champion of Change at the 2016 Australian Women in Wine Awards. The six 2016 AWIWA winners were announced on Tuesday night via a live-stream broadcast screened at functions in regional wine areas, including one in the Hunter at Brokenwood winery.

Winegrape growers are urged to continue to lodge damage reports to trigger additional support under Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). Following last Friday night’s destructive hail and gale-force winds, growers have been lodging damage reports with Murray Valley Winegrowers (MVW). These have been passed on to government assessors, and as at Wednesday afternoon (November 16), damage to wine grapes covered more than 1100 hectares, with probable losses of around 25,000 tonnes.

Californian wine producer Jackson Family Wines has renewed its sponsorship of the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW), the institute has confirmed. Jackson Family Wines became a ‘Supporter of the Institute’ in 2013 and joins a host of key industry players, including Constellation, Riedel and Santa Rita Estates, who act as major supporters. The family-owned Jackson Family Wines crafts award-winning wines with a focus on sustainable viticulture, and responsible vineyard and natural resource management. The family’s portfolio comprises more than 40 wineries.

Yealands Wine Group Founder and Principal, Peter Yealands, has been recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award at The Drinks Business Green Awards 2016 for his continued innovation and commitment to sustainable practices. His company, Yealands Wine Group (Yealands), on the same night received a Renewable Energy Implementation runner-up award for the installation of the largest solar array in New Zealand on their winery roof. The Drinks Business Lifetime Achievement Award looks for an individual who has “excelled throughout their career in furthering environmental, sustainable or ethical practices in the drinks industry to the benefit and education of others.”

An Otago pinot noir with “truffle-like” overtones may have stolen the show yet the Bay can still lay claim to the country’s best syrah. Mission Estate Winery scooped the coveted Champion Syrah category at Saturday night’s Air New Zealand Wine Awards, with its Mission Reserve Syrah Hawke’s Bay 2015. It was pipped at the post by Lowburn Ferry’s Home Block Pinot Noir Central Otago 2014, which claimed the Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show Trophy in front of a 1000-strong audience in a gala dinner at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre.

The UK’s decision to leave the EU was “a slap in the face” but it doesn’t lessen Britain’s importance as a key wine market according to Australian producer Neil McGuigan. Speaking to the drinks business during a visit to London, McGuigan said: “Brexit was a slap in the face and caused us a lot of stress due to the devaluation of the pound but you’ve got to get on with it. “There are a lot of issues at the moment with wine brands coming into the UK from around the world but the longterm outcome could be positive if Australia negotiates a good free trade agreement with the UK, which could accelerate the change of a shift of emphasis from the Old World to the New World.

Jacob’s Creek Chief Winemaker Ben Bryant today announced the appointment of Trina Smith to the position of Group White & Sparkling Winemaker, based out of the brand’s home in the Barossa Valley. With over 20 years of winemaking experience and completion of international vintages in California, Italy and South Africa, Trina’s vision for Jacob’s Creek will be driven by her diverse background and specialist winemaking expertise. “Jacob’s Creek is a proudly Australian brand of world-class standards, with a strong heritage of some of the finest winemakers in the country, who continually inject their passion and knowledge into building the brand into what it is today.

WFA announced today that Mr Sandy Clark, former Chairman of Brown Brothers Group and Mitchelton Wines, has been appointed by the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) as its new President. Mr Clark will succeed Mr Tony D’Aloisio AM, whose second and final permitted term as President concludes at the close of today’s AGM. Mr D’Aloisio congratulated Mr Clark on behalf of the Board and said “I am delighted that such a qualified and experienced individual as Mr Clark is taking over as President. He brings an xtraordinary wealth of business acumen spanning various sectors. I wish him well.’

Barossa Valley estate Seppeltsfield has been crowned Global Best of Wine Tourism at the 2017 Great Wine Capitals awards, announced in Portugal last week. Seppeltsfield is the first Global Wine Tourism Winner to represent Adelaide, South Australia – a new member to the Great Wine Capitals network this year. The award of excellence graces Seppeltsfield as Australia’s leading property for wine tourism services. Representatives from Seppeltsfield joined South Australian government primary industry and tourism delegates in Porto, Portugal to accept the award.

The winners of the 2016 Australian Women in Wine Awards (AWIWA) were announced last night, 15th November, via a web broadcast that was streamed to celebration events taking place all over Australia. Seven award winners were named in six categories. “On behalf of the entire Board of the AWIWA I want to extend our sincere congratulations to all the winners,” said AWIWA Chair, Jane Thomson. “It is truly a delight to see the breadth of talent and dedication recognized. We know these awards are having a positive impact on the conversation around gender equality in our wine community, and we know that the winners of the 2016 AWIWA powerfully demonstrate the contribution that women make.”