The Wine Industry IMPACT Awards Gala Dinner, held Thursday night at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide, celebrated the achievements and contributions of key players in the Australian wine industry. Hosted by Katie Spain, the event brought together industry leaders, innovators, and supporters to honor excellence across the wine supply chain.
Tim Stead, Chair of the Wine Industry Suppliers Association (WISA), highlighted the significance of the awards, emphasizing that the evening was not just about celebrating individual winners but the resilience and innovation of the entire industry.
“The finalists and winners represent the Australian wine industry’s greatest competitive advantage,” said Stead. “Our capacity to innovate, improve, and adapt to changing conditions is what makes our sector resilient, and that’s what we’re celebrating tonight. I encourage everyone in our industry to look to the achievements of the award recipients for inspiration.”
The awards recognized outstanding accomplishments across various categories, showcasing the dedication and creativity propelling the Australian wine industry forward. Winners were selected by an expert panel of judges who carefully evaluated each nomination for its impact and contribution to the sector.
Sustainability Award: Pernod Ricard Winemakers
Pernod Ricard Winemakers took home the Sustainability Award for their commitment to waste reduction and landfill diversion efforts. The company’s employee-led initiatives to repurpose materials as alternative fuel have generated both cost savings and environmental benefits, demonstrating their leadership in sustainability across the wine industry.
Packaging & Design Award: Pernod Ricard Winemakers
Also winning the Packaging & Design Award, Pernod Ricard, in collaboration with Visy Glass, introduced a lightweight Riesling bottle. The new bottle design reduced weight by 108 grams and height by 11mm, improving sustainability, load efficiency, and reducing environmental impact while opening new market opportunities for the wine.
Wine Tourism Award: Sidewood Estate
Sidewood Estate won the Wine Tourism Award for their innovative approach to building a welcoming destination in Hahndorf. Despite the challenges of the 2020 pandemic, the winery’s cellar door and restaurant created a unique space to celebrate their premium wines and foster a community atmosphere. Today, it stands as the heart of the estate and a destination for visitors to connect with Sidewood’s story and passion.
Viticulture & Grape Growing Award: Lallemand
Lallemand received the Viticulture & Grape Growing Award for their groundbreaking innovation, LalVigne PROHYDRO. This product enhances grapevine resilience to water stress, ensuring better grape quality and yield in challenging environmental conditions, and promoting sustainability in the vineyard.
Ag-Tech & Innovation Award: Nukon
Nukon, a part of the SAGE Group, won the Ag-Tech & Innovation Award for their work on a digitalized, end-to-end automated Barrel Management System. Developed in partnership with Treasury Wine Estates, this first-of-its-kind innovation has transformed traditional winemaking processes into a more efficient, sustainable, and data-driven operation.
Winemaking & Oenology Award: Affinity Labs
Affinity Labs won the Winemaking & Oenology Award for their service providing precise nutritional information and energy calculations to meet new EU label standards. Their service supports transparency, ensuring that winemakers comply with evolving regulations while offering consumers accurate, reliable information on wine labels.
Engineering & Equipment Award: PTI Pacific
PTI Pacific earned the Engineering & Equipment Award for their automated solution for dead-end filtration. Their innovative system, which incorporates automated backwashing with a specific filter cartridge, improves wine filtration efficiency and reduces energy use, offering a more sustainable alternative to cross-flow filtration.
Logistics & Supply Chain Award: Rural Freight Connections
Rural Freight Connections won the Logistics & Supply Chain Award for their efforts to revolutionize winery deliveries. By pairing wineries with the right local carriers, they have improved delivery efficiency and sustainability, benefiting both wineries and the local hospitality sector while fostering stronger relationships within the industry.
Supplier of the Year: Affinity Labs
Affinity Labs was also named Supplier of the Year, recognized for their invaluable contributions to the wine industry with their nutritional information and energy calculation services. Runners-up for the Supplier of the Year Award included Rural Freight Connections and Ripen Tech.
Additionally, a special award for outstanding overall contribution, judged by the Board and Membership Committees of Australian Grape and Wine, was presented to an undisclosed recipient.
The 2024 IMPACT Awards Gala highlighted the Australian wine industry’s ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and excellence, setting a benchmark for future achievements in the sector.
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