NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Twenty years ago, the editors of Wine Enthusiast conceived an annual-award program to honor individuals and companies that have contributed to the success of the wine industry. Over the years, the size and scope of Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Star Awards have expanded to encompass spirits and to showcase hands-on consumer gatekeepers from all aspects of the industry. The awards recognize how varied and rich the wine culture and its peripheral facets have become, and celebrate the innovative trailblazers who are driving what consumers put in their glass every day.
What does it take to be a Wine Star winner? Among other attributes, energy, courage, groundbreaking vision and business acumen.
“We’re thrilled to announce these highly esteemed seventeen Wine Star Award winners of 2019,” says Editor & Publisher of Wine Enthusiast, Adam Strum. “Over the last twenty years, Wine Enthusiast has strived to anticipate what’s next in the world of wine and beyond and these recipients embody that vision. We will be honored to present these winners with the Wine Star trophy in a special commemorative location this year: the stunning and historic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.”
And the 2019 Wine Star Award winners are…
- Person of the Year – Linda Reiff, President & CEO, Napa Valley Vintners
- Lifetime Achievement – Francis Ford Coppola
- Philanthropy Award – The Bob and Marie Gallo Foundation
- Wine Executive of the Year – Bob Torkelson, President & CEO, Trinchero Family Estates
- Winemaker of the Year – Dave Phinney, Founder & Winemaker, Locations Wine
- Social Visionary of the Year – International Wineries for Climate Action (Jackson Family Wines and Familia Torres)
- Wine and Culture Award – Hampton Water (Gérard Bertrand, Jon Bon Jovi and Jesse Bongiovi)
- Innovator of the Year – Oregon Solidarity (King Estate, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Silvan Ridge Winery and The Eyrie Vineyards)
- American Winery of the Year – Bogle Vineyards, Clarksburg, CA
- European Winery of the Year – Tasca d’Almerita, Sicily, Italy
- New World Winery of the Year – Trapiche, Mendoza, Argentina
- Wine Region of the Year – Sonoma County, California
- Winery Experience of the Year – Viña Vik, Millahue, Chile
- Importer of the Year – Maisons Marques & Domaines USA Inc
- Sommelier / Beverage Director of the Year – Laura Maniec-Fiorvanti, Cofounder, Corkbuzz
- Retailer of the Year – Wine.com
- Spirit Brand / Distiller of the Year – Nonino
The winners will be honored at the 20th annual Wine Star Awards Dinner in San Francisco, California, at the Palace of Fine Arts on Monday, January 27th, 2020. To attend or RSVP please contact Jen Cortellini at jcortellini@wineenthusiast.net. To read in-depth profiles of the Wine Star Award winners, pick up the Best of Year Issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine hitting newsstands December 10th, 2019 or online at WineMag.com. To join the social conversation follow @WineEnthusiast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #WineStarAwards.
About Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Wine Enthusiast’s approach to wine and spirits is accessible and unpretentious, and enjoyed by novices and experts alike. With a vibrant print magazine published 13 times per year and a dynamic digital media platform delivering original content daily, the media group’s audience is over one million strong. The magazine and its Buying Guide with more than 275,000 ratings and reviews make up the most comprehensive database in the industry available for free online at www.WineMag.com.
