Judges
The judges are sourced from a broad base and include leading Australian winemakers, wine journalists, wine buyers, distributors and fine wine retailers.
Entries are blind tasted and judged on their own merits (see ‘Judging Process’ in the Entry Booklet for details. To ensure the anonymity of the Exhibit and to protect the integrity of the judging process, entries are allocated a tasting order number, separate from the Catalogue (Exhibit) Number.
Meet The Judges
Chair of Judges
Melanie Chester
Melanie Chester is the Head of Winemaking and Vineyards at Giant Steps in the Yarra Valley, working with the unique single vineyards in its portfolio.
Armed with a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology from the University of Adelaide, Ms Chester started as a winemaker at Seppelt at Great Western, working across a diverse range of brands before joining Sutton Grange Winery in Central Victoria as the Chief Winemaker in 2015. In the same year she was named Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine's Young Winemaker of the Year.
Melanie Chester
Panel Chair Judges
Emma Norbiato - Calabria Wines, NSW
Leanne Altmann - Trader House, VIC
Luke Jolliffe - Stella Bella Wines, WA
Marcus Satchell - Dirty Three Wines, VIC
Sarah Crowe - Yarra Yering, VIC
Tom Carson - Yabby Lake Wines, VIC
Tom Wallace - Brown Family Wine Group, TAS
Judges
Alice Davidson - Aunt Alice, TAS
Ben Mullen - Mulline Vintners, VIC
Emma Farrelly - State Buildings, WA
Glenn Barry - Tonic Wines, SA
Greg Lane - Foley Wines, NZ
Nadja Wallington - Chalou Wines, NSW
Penny Grant - Shaw and Smith, QLD
PJ Charteris - Charteris Wines, NSW
Rob Mann - Corymbia Wine - WA
Rohan Smith - Medhurst Wines, VIC
Shanteh Wale - Over A Glass, NSW
Simon Steele - Bellbrae Estate, VIC
Tim Dolan - Kaesler Wines, SA
Trina Smith - Pernod-Ricard Winemakers, WA
Associate Judges
Alex Beckett - Marong Estate, VIC
Ben Harris - Wynns Coonawarra Estate, SA
Ben Miller - Treasury Wine Estates, VIC
David Li - Joval Wines, VIC
Emily Glover - De Iuliis Wines - NSW
Emma Shaw - Collector Wines, ACT
Imogen Dillon - Ten Minutes By Tractor, VIC
Liinaa Berry - TFE Hotels, VIC
Soph Ward - Xanadu Wines, WA
Tom Kline - Tom Kline Wines, VIC
Topsi Wallace - Jim Barry, SA
Amanda Flynn - Yering Station, VIC
Andrew Higgins - Tamburlaine Organic Wines, NSW
Bonnie Spain - Marmelo, VIC