Esteemed wine historian Andrew Caillard MW and viticulturist Dylan Grigg have been crowned recipients of the prestigious Maurice O’Shea and McWilliam’s Excellence in Action awards at the annual Australian Wine Industry Awards.
Determined via a two-stage process starting with a panel of respected industry leaders, Caillard and Grigg were selected from a shortlist by leaders within the Mount Pleasant and McWilliam’s organisations.
Adrian Sparks, Chief Winemaker at Mount Pleasant Wines, says Caillard earned the title for his ongoing and extensive work to promote the Australian wine industry, which spans 45 years and renowned titles such as The Australian Ark, Penfolds: The Rewards of Patience, the LANGTONS Classification of Australian Wine (Editions I-VII), and The Vintage Journal.
Last year, Andrew Caillard was recognised by both Wine Communicators of Australia and the International Wine & Spirits Competition as their wine communicator of the year.
“Andrew’s dedication to researching and championing the Australian wine industry is truly admirable,” said Adrian Sparks. “His work has played a defining role in elevating its reputation on the global stage. We are honoured to present him with the Maurice O’Shea Award in recognition of his significant contribution.”
Upon receiving the award at last night’s awards ceremony held in Adelaide Town Hall, Andrew Caillard MW said: “Working with the Australian wine industry has been a great privilege. We truly belong to a great cause and something that all generations of Australians – young and old – should be proud of … Hopefully this will be seen as being symbolic; that working in wine is a vocation – not a job – and that making a difference of some sort takes time, requires patience and demands collaboration with others.”
Andrew Caillard MW at the Australian Wine Industry Awards
This year’s instalment of the awards marks the 35th anniversary since the Maurice O’Shea Award was founded by the McWilliam family – the former long-term owner of Mount Pleasant – to pay homage to its legendary winemaker Maurice O’Shea.
It also marks the second year in which the McWilliam’s Excellence in Action Award has been run.
In his acceptance speech, the award’s second ever recipient Dylan Grigg said “this is an industry and a room full of passion and it’s something that I’m very proud and grateful to be a part of. This award goes out to all the viticulturists out there. It’s for the recognition that healthy vines and long lived vines are important to this industry.”
A respected viticulturist, advisor and vineyard owner, after beginning his career in the Barossa, Grigg established Meristem Viticulture in 2008 as a service to help growers and winemakers get the most from their vines.
Returning to the University of Adelaide, Grigg has since completed his PhD in grapevine age and grape and wine quality with study sites in his home region of the Barossa Valley where he also runs his own wine brand Vinya Vella specialising in old vine grenache.
“Old vines are a valuable aspect of our Australian winemaking industry symbolising our rich viticultural history and high-quality wines,” said Andrew Calabria, Calabria Family Wine Group’s Sales Marketing Director and third-generation family member.
“Dylan Grigg’s ever-enduring work in protecting and advocating for these treasures is incredibly important and encompasses the spirit of the McWilliam’s Excellence in Action Award which we are so proud to present to him.”
Dylan Grigg continues: “This award recognises excellence in action, and for me that action has always been driven by curiosity and learning. Learning to care for wines and the land to produce a great product we can share and enjoy that brings people together.”
Dylan Grigg is the second recipient of the McWilliam’s Excellence in Action Award
The winners for both awards were selected through a conferral process with a panel of some of the industry’s most respected leaders, industry body organisations, journalists and previous winners of the Maurice O’Shea. The final shortlist of talent was then narrowed down to the individual winners by leaders within the Mount Pleasant and McWilliam’s organisations.