Penfolds’ Chief Winemaker Peter Gago has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Meininger Awards, recognising his long-standing contribution to the global wine industry.
The award was presented in Düsseldorf on 14 March, on the eve of ProWein, one of the world’s most significant wine trade shows. Gago joins a distinguished list of past recipients including Piero Antinori, Bruno Paillard, Angelo Gaja and Marvin Shanken.
In receiving the award, Gago said: “This award is profoundly humbling and I’m honoured to be here in Germany to receive it. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost four decades since I joined Penfolds and in that time, the ‘grip of the grape’ has never loosened; it’s a privilege to help preserve Penfolds legacy and spread the word on Australian wines around the world.”
Established by German publisher Meininger Verlag, the award recognises influential figures in the global wine industry for innovation, leadership and international impact. Winners are selected by juries made up of editors, critics and industry experts across Meininger’s publications.
Gago joined Penfolds in 1989 and was appointed Chief Winemaker in 2002, becoming only the fourth person to hold the role in the brand’s 182-year history. Over the years he has received numerous accolades, including being named Winemaker’s Winemaker by Institute of Masters of Wine and The Drinks Business in 2012.
He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2017 for his service to the Australian wine industry, later receiving an honorary doctorate from University of South Australia in 2018 and induction into the Decanter Hall of Fame in 2021. In 2025, Wine Communicators of Australia named him South Australia’s Legend of the Vine.
During his tenure, Gago has overseen a period of continued innovation at Penfolds while maintaining the brand’s signature House Style. Projects under his leadership include cross-hemisphere collaborations with Champagne Thiénot and the Frey family, as well as releases such as the g3, g4 and g5 Grange multi-vintage blends, V Chardonnay and the Penfolds Ampoule.
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