Renowned wine label ‘Brokenwood Wines’ wins prestigious 19th Annual President’s Medal Award, proving its business is one of Australia’s best

One of Australia’s most respected wine labels has proven its quality beyond the bottle, winning one of Australia’s most prestigious food and beverage business awards tonight at the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW’s (RAS) 19^th Annual President’s Medal Award Dinner hosted in Sydney.

A one-of-a-kind award in Australia, the RAS President’s Medal champions outstanding food and beverage businesses. Having already proven product excellence at a 2025 Sydney Royal competition, finalists are assessed on their overall business practices, including environmental, financial and social sustainability, industry impact, succession planning and governance, and climate and business resilience. Ultimately proving their commitment to running an exemplary business that is driving innovation in Australia.

Following its champion medal win at the RAS’ 2025 Sydney Royal Wine Show, Brokenwood Wines entered the President’s Medal competition last year and was quickly named one of six finalists in the RAS President’s Medal award in December.

Since then, the business has undergone a rigorous judging process, which included an on-site visit in February, with Brokenwood Wines ultimately beating out finalists Mandolé Orchard, Marionette, Norco Co-Operative Limited, Stockyard Beef, and The Yoghurt Shop to win the top prize.

President’s Medal Judges Simon Marnie and Kate Lorimer-Ward said that in a year where any finalists would have been a worthy winner, Brokenwood Wines came through with clarity around sustainability and their overall business approach.

“Brokenwood Wines’ holistic approach to all criteria considered for the President’s Medal Award gave them the edge over the other finalists,” Simon Marnie said.

“The site visit was done at the busiest time for a wine producer but that didn’t stop the judges receiving a full and comprehensive insight into all areas of production and how Brokenwood exemplifies what it is to be a winner of this award.

“Not just in environmental, financial and social but Brokenwood demonstrated a resilience to risk and a clear succession plan that allowed development within the company but also for the local community and for the wine industry as well.”

Katie Lorimer-Ward mirrored Marnie’s comments, saying Brokenwood business resilience is deeply rooted in the business’s ability to keep up with what consumers want and adapt to market pressures.

“Sustainability is more than a buzzword at Brokenwood – to them it is about looking after people and communities, protecting the land that the wines come from and running a business that can stay strong for the long haul," Lorimer-Ward said.

“Brokenwood has built a strong, flexible way of working – with planning for the long term and the ability to move fast when the market shifts. Its attention to its stakeholders, whether that is shareholders, employees, or customers, underscores its success in building long trusted relationships.

“The brand is all about great product and smart market and selling ideas – and its “paddock to palate” story makes it easy for people to connect with where each bottle comes from, and why it matters.”

From humble beginnings as a hobby operation in the 1970s, Brokenwood Wines has grown into one of Australia’s best known and well-respected wine producers, now producing 90,000 cases a year and employing over 80 people.

As a business, it promotes a circular economy through waste recycling, including the reuse of 100% of its grape waste. Regular soil testing and soil moisture probes, mid-cover cropping, live weather station updates, smoke taint testing and even the application of sunscreen to wine leaves are implemented to improve efficiency and protect crops.

Seventy per cent of Brokenwood’s production is bottled in lightweight glass, while its rainwater tanks supply 30% of its site’s water requirements and solar installation supports 20% of the site’s energy requirements. Brokenwood also recently upgraded its refrigeration to VinWizard, which coordinates chillers, pumps, and valves so that cooling follows the wine in each tank, reducing runtime and power usage.

The business supports locally through its restaurant, sponsorships, suppliers, and staffing, with solid opportunity and employment pathways in place to support business succession. This structure has allowed staff members who started in junior roles to now hold key management positions, driving authority in the business.  

According to the President’s Medal judges, it is this holistic approach that has driven Brokenwood Wines forward over the past 55 years and solidified its name as one of the best in the industry – not only in wine but as one of Australia’s leading food and beverage businesses.

To learn more about the RAS President’s Medal Award, visit www.rasnsw.com.au/presidentsmedal

To learn more about 19^th Annual President’s Medal winner Brokenwood Wines, visit www.brokenwood.com.au

Image gallery available here: 19th Annual President's Medal Award.