The Australian Wine Industry Awards are returning for 2025, including the Mount Pleasant’s Maurice O’Shea Award and the new McWilliam’s Wines Excellence in Action award.

This year marks the 35th anniversary since the founding of the Maurice O’Shea Award in 1990 by the McWilliam family to pay homage to Mount Pleasant’s legendary winemaker Maurice O’Shea.

Both awards will be presented at the Australian Wine Industry Awards ceremony at Adelaide Town Hall in July, in partnership with McWilliam’s Wines and Mount Pleasant Wines.

The Maurice O’Shea Award recognises an individual, group, or organisation for their incredible service or contribution to the sector through winemaking, cultivation, innovation and technology.

“We’re thrilled to announce the return of the Maurice O’Shea Award for its 35th year in 2025,” Mount Pleasant Chief Winemaker Adrian Sparks said.

“Maurice O’Shea was a man who devoted his efforts to the craft of making exceptional quality Australian wine and this award reflects that sentiment to honour an individual or group making a significant impact on our wonderful industry today.

“Mount Pleasant is proud to continue to honour Maurice O’Shea and his enduring legacy to the Australian wine industry by presenting this award in collaboration with the Calabria family.”

The McWilliam’s Excellence in Action Award will return for its second year to acknowledge an individual, group or organisation that has made a significant impact in the face of the numerous challenges currently facing the Australian wine industry.

“The McWilliam’s Excellence in Action Award shines a light on the many challenges currently facing the wine sector and the individuals or bodies who are striving to overcome these obstacles for the greater good of the Australian wine industry,” said Calabria Family Wine Group Sales & Marketing Director Andrew Calabria.

“McWilliam’s Wines has had its fair share of challenges in its 148-year history, but the family’s perseverance and commitment to the industry are what, to me, stand out over those many years, and we feel this award is an important way to honour their legacy.”

The last awards were presented in 2022, which was the first edition held under the Australian Wine Industry Awards banner.

It also followed a change of ownership to both Mount Pleasant and McWilliam’s Wines in 2021 by the Medich Family Office and Calabria Family Wine Group, respectively, which saw the two work together to honour the distinguished awards and bring the industry program into a new era.

In 2022, the Maurice O’Shea Award was presented to Pamela Dunsford OAM, recognising her 40-year-plus contribution to the industry as a trailblazer for women in wine. Dunsford was the first woman admitted to study Oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College before she spent 19 vintages at Chapel Hill where she was also the first female wine show judge.

The McWilliam’s Excellence in Action Award was presented to the Australian Women in Wine Awards (AWIWA) for their focus on championing the work of women in the Australian wine community.

The judging committee for this year’s awards includes Phil Ryan (Ambassador, Mount Pleasant Wines), Doug McWilliam (past chairman, McWilliam’s Wines and fifth generation industry family member), Sally Evans (Director, Len Evans Tutorial), Louisa Rose (Head of Winemaking, Yalumba and Hills Smith Family Vineyards), Bill Calabria AM (Director and Winemaker, Calabria Family Wine Group), Mark Krstic (Managing Director, Australian Wine Research Institute), Lee McLean (Chief Executive, Australia Grape & Wine), Jane Faulkner (independent wine journalist).

Members of the Australian wine industry have been invited to submit a nomination for either award here: www.australianwineindustryawards.com/nomination.

The Australian Wine Industry Awards, presented by Mount Pleasant and McWilliam’s Wines, will take place at the Adelaide Town Hall in July 2025.