Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology (ASVO) President Brooke Howell has announced two new Fellows of the Society: Wendy Cameron MW and Nick Bulleid MW.
ASVO Fellows are bestowed with this honour for their particularly outstanding and meritorious contribution to the grape and wine industry to the Society.
“The selection of Fellows is always challenging as there are many ASVO members who have greatly contributed to both the ASVO and the wider industry,” Howell said.
“This year was no different, with a particularly high standard of candidates.
“The collective wisdom that both Wendy and Nick encapsulate is extraordinary, as is the diversity of their background and experience. These two individuals have greatly assisted the Society to move forward and are greatly respected by their peers.”
Wendy Cameron MW
Wendy is an experienced Australian winemaker and researcher, working in the wine industry since 1986.
Her professional experience includes small and large scale winemaking, wine show judging, and she also contributes more broadly to research and development.
Wendy has authored articles in industry journals and presented at numerous workshops and seminars.
She contributes to numerous Australian wine industry committees and more broadly in education and other scientific and agricultural endeavours.
In 2019 Wendy completed her Ph.D. research thesis that examined the ripening patterns in Australian winegrape vineyards, with this research being published in the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research.
Additionally, in 2016 she completed the Masters of Wine program. Throughout her career, Wendy has been active in learning, mentoring, and providing professional guidance to future generations entering the wine industry.
She was awarded the inaugural ASVO Winemaker of the Year award in 2012 and has used her wealth of knowledge to give back to the research, development and extension system that supports that Australian wine industry.
Wendy joined the ASVO as a student in 1988 and has since contributed to the ASVO as chair of the ASVO Winemaker of the Year selection committee in 2018 and 2019, presented at ASVO seminars in 2012 and 2020, was an ASVO director from 2006-2008 and was a member of the planning committee for the 17th AWITC.
Wendy’s contribution to the ASVO and the wine industry, in general, has had a significant impact on females entering the industry.
She has also advocated for the industry’s ability to recognise and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Wendy has been an industry leader in driving the need to improve our ability to measure, understand and manage the impact of smoke taint, working closely with the AWRI to provide an industry perspective and sample material.
Wendy is a director of the AWRI board and her contributions have paved the way for current and future wine industry innovation to achieve profitability and sustainability.
The committee selected Wendy for her contributions to the wine industry on multiple levels. Her thirst for knowledge, inspiring others with her strong work ethic and relentless focus on volunteering her time for the betterment of the industry.
The committee noted Wendy’s voluntary commitment to the ASVO through board positions, planning committees and sharing of research has been significant and along with her contribution to the wider industry positions.
Nick Bulleid MW
Nick is a successful viticulturist, winemaker and businessman. Since 1978 he has been a shareholder and Director of Brokenwood Wines in Hunter Valley and manages his own Hatherleigh vineyard in the Southern Tablelands.
Nick is a highly regarded consultant, providing assistance with winemaking, blending, quality assessment, valuation, and marketing in Australia and New Zealand.
Nick joined the ASVO as a founding member in 1981 and was a board director from 1996 to 1998, representing NSW and 1999-2001 as a general director.
He convened and presented at the 1997 ASVO Seminar ‘Emerging White Varieties’, presented at the 1999 Seminar ‘Modern Viticulture – Meeting Market Specification’ and convened the 2001 ASVO Seminar ‘Who’s Running This Show? Future Direction of the Australian Wine Show System’.
Nick also presented at the 10th AWITC and convened a workshop at the 12th AWITC. Nick continues to volunteer his time to ASVO advisory committees, assessing applicants for the AWAC scholarship and nominees for the ASVO Awards for Excellence.
Nick has made a major contribution to defining industry best practice in wine show benchmarking.
He chaired the ASVO wine show committee that developed the 2004 ASVO Wine Show Recommendations, contributed to the 2015 ASVO Wine Show Technical Advisory group, and co-authored the 2015 ASVO Wine Show Best Practice Recommendations.
The ASVO wine show recommendations have been well adopted across the Australian industry over the last 15 years and have produced more robust and uniform practices.
Nick has also made extensive contributions to industry benchmarking, having judged in several capital city and regional wine shows in Australia, New Zealand, London, and Singapore.
He was also chairman of the Canberra regional wine show for five years and chairman of the New South Wales wine awards for three years.
Through these numerous roles, Nick has passionately mentored numerous young wine industry professionals and openly shared his knowledge.
Nick was previously Wine Manager for Cellarmaster Wines and worked in head office for Southcorp wines for nine years where he assisted the flow of information between wine production and the sales and marketing departments.
In 1992 he became the third Master of Wine in Australia. Nick has shared his extensive knowledge of wine production and sensory evaluation as a visiting professor at Charles Sturt University for 13 years, teaching wine evaluation.
Nick has been widely recognised as an outstanding wine communicator through his journalism of wine in national newspapers and magazines.
He has jointly edited and authored the Australian Winemaking textbook on practical winemaking and continues to write the occasional article for consumers and a regular column ‘from the tasting bench’ in WBM.
Committee members commented that Nick has had a tremendous impact within the wine show system both for industry and through his involvement with ASVO’s best practice recommendations that are utilised across a multitude of wine shows in Australia.
His continued contribution to the industry over a long period was valued by the committee and reflects the true nature of a Fellow of the ASVO.
The honorary membership category of Fellow of the Australian Society of Viticulture & Oenology recognises the exemplary contributions by Members of the Society, and to the discipline and/or profession of Viticulture and/or Oenology.
A list of ASVO Fellows can be found at https://www.asvo.com.au/asvo-fellows-society.
The ASVO Fellowships were announced at the ASVO AGM on Monday 16th November 2020.
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