Virginia Willcock named ASVO 'Winemaker of the Year'
Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock has been named ‘Winemaker of the Year’ at the ASVO Awards for Excellence, held at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide.
ASVO president Andy Clarke said, “Virginia is one of Australia’s most awarded winemakers, but never rests on her laurels in her pursuit of recognition for Margaret River.
Virginia was rewarded for her “unrelenting dedication as a regional champion for the Margaret River wine region”.
The judges said, “She is overtly passionate about Margaret River wines and has a deep understanding of the region after 32 vintages, including 18 years as Chief Winemaker at Vasse Felix. She is driven to achieve recognition for the region’s distinct wines and bring them to new levels of elegance, power and complexity, without heaviness.”
“Her relentless pursuit of winemaking excellence is matched by her need to tell the world about Margaret River Cabernet and Chardonnay. She has represented the region as a presenter and panellist on numerous occasions and served years on the Margaret River Wine Industry Association Board.”
Virginia expressed her appreciation for the recognition the award represents. “In any industry, your peers are always the harshest critics; they have the deepest knowledge in the field. This award is from them, which is why no other award has ever meant quite so much.”
We hope you will join us in congratulating Virginia on this outstanding achievement.
ASVO Winemaker of the Year Award
This award honours an outstanding winemaker who demonstrates a broad positive contribution to the Australian wine industry and / or community, improvement from standard practice in their field through adoption of innovative practices, technologies or standards, and contributes positively to the culture of their organisation and the broader wine industry in either a regional, state or national capacity. The nominees’ activities for which they are being recognised must have occurred within Australia over the previous five years. This award is sponsored by Wine Australia.
About the ASVO
The ASVO strives to promote the advancement of professional knowledge, professional skills and professional attitudes, in the fields of viticulture and oenology, in members of the Society. As an industry, we are fortunate to have many very skilled and professional people who are contributing significantly to the industry, inspiring those around them to seek out and adopt innovative practices. The ASVO Awards for Excellence recognises the achievements of some of the most dedicated and professional individuals in the wine industry.