The Young Guns of Wine Awards were held on this Tuesday past, marking 20 years of celebrating up and coming winemakers. If you’ve yet to discover Young Guns of Wine, they’re an independent publication that celebrates emerging talents in the industry and works to encourage new generations to engage with wine. Cam and I wanted to shine a spotlight on this year’s awards and the exceptional calibre of winemaker featured in the winner’s circle, many of which you’ll find on our shelves. After all, encouraging newcomers to join the wine industry in any capacity is a cause we can get behind.
If that wasn’t incentive enough, yours truly was also one of the judges for the 2026 Awards, so I come armed with insider knowledge on how we reached our winners. Over the course of 48 hours, we tasted more than 200 wines - a pair per applicant. After tasting, we would read a written application which introduced the winemaker and their brand, and explain how their submitted wines were representative of their contribution at the winery.
It was instilled into us before we started tasting that every applicant is worthy of encouragement, no matter the degree to which they contribute towards a final product. Though the idea of a winemaker tending their vines and crushing each grape underfoot is a more romantic one, it's far from reality for many young winemakers. While some finalists were indeed vignerons who grow their own grapes, others were members of a team in a large-scale operation, or running negocé labels made from sourced grapes. There was a variety of approaches and experience levels amongst the top 50, united by a passion for their craft that was evident in their wines.
For the most part, the top 50 was relatively easy to choose. It wasn't until we got down to the awards that the judges started digging their feet in. There were some spirited discussions, as is wont to happen when you lock six industry professionals in a room together. One I felt particularly passionate about was L'Anima Wines' Passvm Muscat Blanc, who we awarded 'The Danger Zone' award to. You'll find a more in depth look at the wine below, but the sum of it is this - of 200 wines, that was the wine I woke up thinking about several days later. Sometimes, it's not about breaking a wine down to it's components - is it balanced? High acid, low acid? Lengthy on the finish? - rather it's how it tells a story in the glass, intangible and ill-defined yet completely evident with every sip.
Even seasoned judges will feel the pressure to "choose right" when judging a subjective field like wine. Yet, over a drink following the awards, the judging panel agreed we had selected winners that were undeniably deserving of their accoldaes.
The Young Gun of Wine
“For twenty years, we’ve scoured the country looking for the best emerging talents in wine – people with new ideas, intense creativity, the skill to pull off their wildest ideas, and an unwillingness to compromise. And that’s a pretty tidy way to sum up what makes the wines of Lauren and Matthias Utzinger so special. […] Lauren and Matthias’s work demonstrates clearly that technical skill can coexist happily with a vigneron’s ethos.” Young Guns of Wine
Utzinger's story is a tale as old as time - a young person crossed oceans to find adventure, and instead found love. Yet, few can say they did what Matthias Utzinger did - he found love twice. Together with his partner Lauren, they fell head over heels for the western side of the Tamar Valley, the region now home to their winery. They tend to plantings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah, all planted at high density and farmed organically. At their core, Matthias and Lauren are winegrowers, not winemakers. As such, much of their efforts are directed towards cultivating the healthiest vines and the highest quality fruit, in the hopes that the final wine reflects a pure expression of origin.
The Best New Act
Whispers of Chaos / Marcus Torzi
“Whispers of Chaos brings a breath of fresh air to one of Australia’s most hallowed wine regions, the Barossa Valley. A region built on powerful, concentrated reds is facing a world that has moved toward freshness, lightness and accessibility – and Torzi’s wines, made with Italian stoneware, unconventional blends and an instinct for restraint that producers twice his age are still reaching for.” Young Guns of Wine
Born and raised in the Barossa by winemakers, you could be forgiven for expecting something more traditional from up-and-comer Marcus Torzi. Instead, he’s opted to make modern, understated and undeniably drinkable wines. A blend of Roussanne, Riesling and Semillon in the white makes for a textural, sumptuous drink, while the red combines Sangiovese and Cabernet, making what can only be described as a junior Super Tuscan. It's juicy, yet savoury, bright yet brooding. Two absolutely ripping wines that form the core of his brand for now - we can't wait to see what comes next for this young gun.
The Vigneron
Kerri Greens / Lucas & Alyce Blanck
“Lucas Blanck of Kerri Greens is a grower-maker in the most literal sense. Blanck leases and farms four vineyards across Mornington Peninsula – at Red Hill South, Balnarring and Tuerong – managing via organic practices (not certified) across all sites, and controls everything from pruning to harvest himself. Blanck grew up at Domaine Paul Blanck in Alsace – one of that region’s most respected family estates – before a vintage in Australia in 2010 led to a life on the Mornington Peninsula instead” Young Guns of Wine
Organic viticulture is the name of the game at Kerri Greens. Lucas Blanck comes to us from Alsace, where he grew up immersed in winemaking and viticulture. The Peninsula caught his eye, a region that thoroughly suits the aromatic varieties of Alsace, as well as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Vine health is paramount, with much of Lucas' time being spent getting to know each of their vineyards' incongruencies and how best to manage them. His winemaking is subsequently understated, allowing the grapes to speak for themselves and minimising oak and other secondary flavours in favour of fruit purity.
The Danger Zone
L’Anima Wines / Michael Williams
“The Danger Zone trophy recognises risk-taking, original thought, and daring winemaking. The ‘Sobremesa’ Passvm Muscat Blanc by Michael Williams of L’Anima is exactly this […] miles away from the traditional Australian ‘sticky’, with an appealing saline freshness courtesy of McLaren Vale’s oceanic influence and complex layers of marzipan, honey, and orange blossom flavour.” Young Guns of Wine
Michael chose the name L'Anima, meaning the soul or animating force of a being, rather aptly for his passion project. What makes Michael tick is the point at which history, geography, food, culture and a sense of place collides. He's happiest when he's tinkering, be it finding new places for old varieties and vice versa, or blending judiciously to yield a wine greater than the sum of its parts. His ouevre will always feature left-of-centre varieties made with as much care and thought as the classics are, or techniques inspired by ancient practices and brought to the modern era.
Winemaker’s Choice
“The Winemaker’s Choice is voted on by the gathered winemaker finalists, who meet before the trophy presentation to taste each other’s wines. Matthew Large spent years making some of Australia’s most celebrated wines – overseeing winemaking at Shaw + Smith, Tolpuddle and MMAD – before walking away at the end of 2024 to farm his own grapes and focus on his own label, Praeter. It was, he says, the only logical next step.” Young Guns of Wine
Winemaker Matt Large started Praeter nearly a decade ago, indulging a desire to explore Nebbiolo’s potential in various Australian winegrowing regions. No small feat, particularly when you consider that he has established his own brand while also maintaining his day job as senior winemaker at Shaw + Smith. In 2024, Matt made the decision to leave his role at Shaw + Smith. It wasn’t a choice he made lightly, but it has allowed him to return to farming and engage with the vineyards he works with on a much more personal basis. The product of his efforts arrives in the form of Praeter's Single Vineyard range, including the inaugural release of his Truscott Block Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
