Last week at its annual Awards event, Wine Communicators of Australia recognised Australia’s top wine communicators across 11 categories. Notably, Andrew Caillard MW was named the overall winner after his book The Australian Ark took out the the Best New Wine Book category.

“This year, the 2024 Wine Communicator of the Year was awarded to Andrew Caillard MW,” said Angus Barnes, Executive Chair of the WCA.

“The recipient is a person… that has demonstrated that they excel in their area of professional work and communication in the wine sector, led by example, demonstrate respect for the wine industry and its consumers, and uphold the professional standards valued by WCA… Congratulations Andrew and The Australian Ark team.”

Caillard’s WCA win follows on from other notable accolades including receiving the IWSC’s 2025 Wine Communication Trophy earlier this month.

"Andrew is such a major figure in wine communication, especially with his seminal book, The Australian Ark, which is such a tour de force,” said the IWSC judges at the time.

“He’s a specialist on the specific subject of Australian wine, but with such a huge international reach that has to be recognised.”

Barnes added, “I will borrow some words from our judges who, when talking about The Australian Ark, said this is the most important book on the Australian wine community yet written… ambitious in scope, meticulous in research, and profoundly influential... I will add that I too believe this to be a piece of wine communication of considerable historical significance.”

Each year, the finalists are chosen from a panel of independent and expert judges from all submitted entries. The finalists and category winners are then selected in consultation with the WCA Board, with the overall Wine Communicator of the Year award chosen from the category winners.

According to Barnes, “last night’s Awards are perhaps the most prestigious event in the WCA calendar. Having previously been presented as a single award, the format was changed in 2013 to reflect awards across a number of different categories. These awards reflect the changing nature of wine communication, but still the critical importance of communicating all things wine.”

Best Innovative Wine Packaging, a new category for 2024, was won by Denomination’s Tread Softly Bagnum design, leading out finalists Oxford Landing’s One to One and Banrock Station’s Wise Wolf.

The full list of category award winners from the Wine Communicators of Australia’s 2024 Wine Communicator Awards is as follows:

  • Best Wine Marketing Communication Campaign (Individual or Team): Dan Riccardo’s by Pernod Ricard
  • Best Digital Communication: Wine for the People by Unico Zelo
  • Best Social Communication: Viticulture Australia
  • Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column: Katie Spain
  • Best Innovative Wine Packaging: Tread Softly Bagnums by Denomination
  • Best New Wine Book: The Australian Ark by Andrew Caillard MW (author), Dr Angus Hughson from The Vintage Journal & David Longfield from Longueville Media (co-publishers)
  • Best Winery Website: Punt Road Wines
  • Best Wine-Themed Event: Dark Side of Wine by The Winemakers of Rutherglen
  • Best Wine Communicator – Cellar Door: Tracey Whooley, Singlefile Wines
  • Best Wine Education Provider: Jill Bauer, The University of Adelaide
  • Best Wine Student: Syuzanna Mosikyan, The University of Adelaide
  • Overall Winner - 2024 Wine Communicator of the Year: Andrew Caillard MW (Author – The Australian Ark)

Angus Barne concluded, “I wish to say a special thank you to everybody who applied in the 2024 Wine Communicator Awards, and congratulations to all the finalists and winners. The calibre of entries continues to impress our judges.”

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Jane Lopes & Jonathan Ross 2023 Wine Communicators of the Year

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