This International Women’s Day, I would like to shine a light on some incredible women whose work is rarely seen by the public but is absolutely vital to the future of Australian wine. At the recent ASVO Awards of Excellence, I had the privilege of standing beside some truly formidable people who are doing much of the heavy lifting behind the scenes.
It was a joy to see Dr Kerry Wilkinson, a Professor of Oenology with 18 years of dedication to research and education, receive the Wine Science and Technology Award. We also need the spark of the next generation, like the wonderful Maggie Jarrett from SeeSaw Wines. Maggie was recognised as an Emerging Talent for building the Rootlings youth network from the ground up, proving that one idea can make a massive impact on our industry's culture.
And of course, if we want the industry to continue, we need the systemic, long-term leadership of someone like Dr Mardi Longbottom. Recently inducted as a Fellow of the ASVO, Mardi has spent fifteen years at the AWRI championing sustainability and climate risk analysis.
These women may not always be the public face of a brand, but they are the reason we have an industry to celebrate in the first place and do much of the work that ensures we will have a solid wine industry in the future. I’m proud to work and participate in the same industry as them and celebrate their immense contribution to what ends up in your glass.
