With two weeks to go until entries close in the 2019 Australian Women in Wine Awards (AWIWA), the AWIWA Board are calling for women throughout the Australian wine community to lean in, step forward, and put their entry in for the award category that best represents their role by Thursday 1st August.
“These awards celebrate and highlight the amazing work of women in our wine community. For that to happen, we need to hear about what you’ve been doing!”, says AWIWA founder Jane Thomson.
“So often we hear that women feel they’re ‘just doing my job’. But that’s exactly right – you are doing your job, and given the low overall participation rates of women in this industry, you’re doing an amazing thing already. So tell us what you’re up to in your job. You just never know where it might lead – you may end up in New York as a finalist!”
While there are eight award categories on offer this year, many are still unaware that one of those awards – the Champion of Diversity and Equality (formally the ‘Workplace Champion of Change’ Award) is also open to men, wine businesses and wine related associations to enter.
“It’s such an incredibly important award, this one,” says Sarah Collingwood, AWIWA Board member and co-owner of Four Winds Vineyard in Canberra. “Because we need champions of all genders in order to drive real and lasting change. Diversity in all its forms benefits the whole Australian wine community.” Previous winners of this award have included Iain Riggs (Brokenwood), Lara Simic (Winestate) and Professor Eileen Scott (Adelaide University).
The 2019 award categories are:
• Winemaker of the Year – sponsored by Tonnellerie Saint Martin
• Viticulturist of the Year – sponsored by Wine Australia
• Researcher / Innovator of the Year – sponsored by Angove Family Winemakers
• Champion of Diversity and Equality – sponsored by Australian Grape & Wine
• Owner / Operator of the Year – sponsored by WineWorks Australia
• Woman of Inspiration – sponsored by Irvine Wines
• Marketer of the Year – sponsored by denomination
• Cellar Door Person of the Year – sponsored by Purple Giraffe
In addition to this year’s eight award categories, Wine Australia will be sponsoring the Honorary Australian Woman in Wine Award – USA, with a bursary prize to explore Victorian wine regions proudly supported by the Victorian Government. This accolade will be awarded to a woman who lives and works in the USA and has made a positive impact in the US wine industry promoting Australian Wine.
This award honours the AWIWA 2019 ceremony’s host country, the USA, and ties in with the largest wine promotion ever held in the USA – Far From Ordinary: Aussie Wine Month.
The Australian Women In Wine Awards will be held on 17 September (morning of 18 September, Australian time) in New York and will be live streamed back to Australia and around the world.
More information on the Australian Women in Wine Awards can be found at www.WomeninWineAwards.com.au.
