Australian Wine Industry Awards
AUSTRALIAN WINE INDUSTRY AWARDS
McWilliam’s Wines and Mount Pleasant Wines have worked side by side for nearly a century. Their partnership has paved the way for both wineries to become internationally recognised icons, demonstrating winemaking excellence for wine lovers across the globe.
It is in this spirit that the new owners of these distinguished wineries, Calabria Family Wines and the Medich Family Office, come together to celebrate the Maurice O’Shea Award and a new award - the McWilliam’s Excellence in Action Award.
MAURICE O'SHEA AWARD
About Maurice O’Shea: Maurice O’Shea was the eldest child of the Irish John Augustus O’Shea and the French-born Léontine Francoise Beucher. When his father passed away, it was Léontine who arranged her eldest son’s trip to France in 1914 at the age of 17. It was in 1921 that O’Shea, having just returned from France, persuaded his mother to purchase a 16.3-hectare property on the rich, volcanic soils in the Parish of Pokolbin, in the Hunter Valley. Maurice O’Shea’s blending techniques and sophisticated use of oak – talents learnt while studying oenology at France’s Montpellier University – were credited with producing red table wines of enormous flavour, intensity and longevity. The McWilliam family, led by Keith McWilliam, recognised the talent and potential of this great winemaker. In 1932 they joined forces with Maurice O’Shea by purchasing 50 per cent of the winery, acquiring the remaining share in 1941. In 1956, aged 59, Maurice passed away surrounded by both Marcia and his daughter, Simone. Initiated in 1990, the triennial McWilliam’s Maurice O’Shea Award commemorates and pays homage to the legendary Maurice O’Shea.
WINNERS
2022 - Pamela Dunsford OAM
2019 - Robert Hill-Smith
2016 - The Len Evans Tutorial
2014 - Dr Peter Dry
2012 - The Australian Screwcap Initiative
2010 - Philip Laffer AM
2008 - Dr John Gladstones
2006 - The Late Dr Ray Beckwith OAM
2004 - The Late Guenter Prass AM
2002 - The Australian Wine Research Institute
2000 - Dr Wolf Blass AM
1998 - The Late Dr Bryce Rankine AM
1997 - Brian Croser AO
1996 - The Late Hazel Murphy AM
1995 - James Halliday AM
1994 - The Jacob’s Creek Brand
1993 - The Late David Wynn AO
1992 - The Late Ron Potter OAM
1991 - The Late Len Evans OBE AO
1990 - The Late Max Schubert AM
EXCELLENCE IN ACTION AWARD
This new award was created by McWilliam’s Wines' new owners - the Calabria Family Wine Group - as part of the new collaboration with Mount Pleasant to focus on the many current challenges facing the wine industry and the people or organisations tackling the key issues head on for the betterment of the industry.
WINNERS
2022 - Australian Women in Wine Awards
Discover more at https://www.australianwineindustryawards.com/