Adam Wadewitz named winemaker of the year

Adelaide Hills-based winemaker, Adam Wadewitz, has been named Winemaker of the Year (WOTY) 2022 by The Wine Magazine.

Wadewitz has spent the last ten vintages as chief winemaker at Shaw + Smith in the Adelaide Hills, and Tolpuddle Vineyard in the Coal River Valley. More recently, he has also made the newly released MMAD Vineyard wines from Blewitt Springs.

Michael Hill Smith MW said: “Adam is a natural leader and deep thinker – a once in a generation winemaker at the height of his powers.”

In May this year, Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay 2020 won Best Australian White wine at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) and just last month the 2021 vintage scored a perfect 100 points in The Wine Magazine.

Peter Forrestal, Chairman of Judges of The Wine Magazine WOTY said: “Adam Wadewitz is collaborative, charismatic, supremely talented and at the top of his game. He has led a strong team at Shaw + Smith to undreamt of heights with the Adelaide Hills collection and revitalised an ancient Blewitt Springs vineyard with unique Chenin, Shiraz and Grenache under the MMAD label. Ten vintages of the Tolpuddle wines has been enough to earn them a place in the top echelons of Australian wine, making them essential elements of any great Aussie wine list: iconic status awaits.”

Wadewitz is Chief Winemaker and joint-CEO of Shaw + Smith. Here, not only have Shaw + Smith classics such as M3 Chardonnay continued to evolve on his watch, but he has also introduced exciting single site Shaw + Smith wines, notably from the Balhannah Vineyard for Shiraz and the Lenswood Vineyard for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Moreover, he has overseen significant changes in farming practices including the move to more organic practices and certification.

Adam worked in Great Western from vintages 2006 to 2012, making the 2012 Jimmy Watson winning Best’s Bin 1 Shiraz 2011 before moving back to his home state to work with Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW at Shaw + Smith in 2013. He was dux of the Len Evan’s Tutorial in 2009 and judges widely.