Australian Wine Industry Awards

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AUSTRALIAN WINE INDUSTRY AWARDS

An Australian wine partnership since 1932

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