Max Allen has been named the 2025 Wine Communicator of the Year by Wine Communicators of Australia.
He is the first person to ever win the award twice, having won it in 2018.
The announcement was made at the end of the WCA’s annual awards night at Darling Harbour in Sydney, with Max giving his acceptance speech by live stream from Germany.
WCA national chair Lynda Schenk said, “Max Allen was selected as this year’s overall winner, as voted by the WCA Board.
“His work continues to set the benchmark for written wine communication in Australia – consistently insightful, authentic and grounded in deep industry knowledge.
“It’s also great to see smaller producers like Ten Minutes by Tractor (Gabrielle Richardson) standing alongside well-established names, showing that impact comes from creativity and clarity, not just scale.
“On behalf of WCA, I congratulate Max on being named Wine Communicator of the Year for a second time – the first person ever to receive this coveted award twice.
“It’s a remarkable achievement that reflects his sustained excellence and influence in shaping how Australia communicates about wine.”
Overall Winner ~ 2025 Wine Communicator of the Year
Max Allen
Best Australian Wine Communication Campaign
Sponsored by Wine Australia
Brown Brothers Moscato Mango Swirl by Brown Family Wine Group
Best Digital Communication
Sponsored by Purple Giraffe
Halliday Wine Companion Podcast
Best Social Media Communication
Sponsored by Endeavour Group
Ten Minutes by Tractor
Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column
Sponsored by Vinarchy
Max Allen’s ‘Why These Australian Wines are at risk of extinction’, AFR magazine
Best New Wine Book
Sponsored by University of Adelaide
Alternative Reality by Max Allen
Best Innovative Wine Packaging
Sponsored by Saver Glass
Paddington Lane, designed by Denomination
Best Winery Website
Sponsored by Parallax Design
Head Wines
Best Wine-Themed Event
Pinot Palooza
Best Wine Communicator – Cellar Door
Sponsored by Vinomofo
Nicholas Williams, Hungerford Hill Wine
Best Wine Communicator – Marketing
Sponsored by University of Adelaide
Gabrielle Richardson, Ten Minutes by Tractor
Best Wine Communicator – Sales
Sponsored by Wine-Ark
David Wright, Pikes Wines
Best Wine Educator
Sponsored by RIEDEL
Retallack Viticulture and Ecology
Best Wine Student
Sponsored by Wine Communicators of Australia
Jesslyn Collins, The University of Adelaide
Photo: Max Allen accepting his first Communicator of the Year prize in 2018.
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