2025 Victorian Wine Show
The Victorian Wine Show is an annual event celebrating the finest wines produced across Victoria’s diverse wine regions. It brings together industry leaders, winemakers, and enthusiasts to taste, celebrate, and benchmark Victorian top wines.
This year, all entries will be evaluated by a panel of expert judges and feedback will be provided alongside the show's results. Winners will gain prestigious industry recognition and valuable exposure within the wine community.
Meet the Judges
The Victorian Wine Show prides itself on assembling a panel of esteemed judges who are industry leaders and respected figures in the wine world. Our judges bring extensive expertise, with backgrounds in renowned wineries, wine education, and international wine competitions. Their discerning palates and wealth of experience ensure that each wine is evaluated with precision and integrity, making their feedback invaluable. This year, we are thrilled to introduce a lineup of judges who are ready to discover and celebrate the best wines Victoria has to offer.
Chief Judge
Josh Cooper
Chief Winemaker,
Josh Cooper is a rising star in Australian winemaking. With 14 years of experience in the industry, Josh has judged at several wine shows and was a scholar at the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial in 2019. Elevated to a full judge at the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards in 2019 and 2020, Josh’s expertise is well-recognised.
Winner of Gourmet Traveller Wine’s Young Winemaker of the Year 2020, Josh focuses on single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. His dedication to quality and innovation makes him an influential figure among the next generation of winemakers.
International Judge
Kenn Ching
Kenn is a highly experienced wine educator with over 16 years in the industry, holding certifications from international institutions such as WSET, the Society of Wine Educators, and the Wine Scholar Guild. He is also qualified in training and assessment, making him one of the few in Singapore authorized to assess national wine skills exams. A graduate of the prestigious AWAC 34, Kenn has served as a judge for major wine competitions including the International Wine Challenge and China’s G100 Super Wine Awards. His expertise spans education, consultancy, and fine wine investment, complemented by hands-on experience in viticulture through global harvests. As founder of Wine & Co Academy, he emphasizes practical learning, customization, and professionalism, delivering top-tier wine programs and corporate training across Asia, while also engaging in community outreach and international wine tours.
Panel Chair
Luke Lomax
Winemaker, Yabby Lake
Luke is a winemaker at Yabby Lake / Heathcote Estate based on the Mornington Peninsula where he has worked for the past 18 years. He also runs his family-owned businesses, Devil's Cave Vineyard and barrel racking business, Devil's Racks, based in Heathcote. Luke studied at Charles Sturt University, completing a bachelor's degree in wine science in 2008. He completed the advanced wine assessment course (AWAC) in 2012 as well as completing several vintages overseas in Burgundy, Northern Rhone and New Zealand. He also has been a keen judge at regional and capital city shows over the past 12 years.
Panel Chair
Sarah Fagan
Winemaker, Tarrawarra
Sarah Fagan is the Winemaker at TarraWarra Estate, bringing twenty years of experience and a deep love for the Yarra Valley. She began her career at De Bortoli Yarra Valley in 2003, progressing to Senior Winemaker. Sarah is known for her hands-on vineyard approach and cool-climate winemaking expertise, honed through experiences in Italy, Germany, and the US. An experienced wine judge, Sarah's refined palate and dedication to quality and innovation drive TarraWarra Estate’s wines to new heights
Panel Chair
Emma Wood
Chief Winemaker, Wirra Wirra
Emma is currently chief winemaker at Wirra Wirra winery in McLaren Vale. Growing up, Emma Wood had no intention of becoming a winemaker. In fact, her initial plan was to follow in her father's footsteps and pursue engineering. However, by Year 11, she hit a roadblock: physics. "I hated physics," she says, laughing. Then, during a routine career day, It was her best friend who nudged her towards winemaking, and said, 'There you go, that uses a bit of chemistry, that sounds alright.'
Judge
Michael Downer
Chief Winemaker, Murdoch Hill
Michael formally trained in oenology at Adelaide University before traveling the world to explore top winemaking regions across Italy and France. He cemented his knowledge and unique flair working alongside some of the finest winemakers in Australia and beyond, including Peter Leske and Taras Ochota, and at renowned wineries including Shaw and Smith, Revenir, Cape Mentelle and Best’s Wines Great Western.
In 2012, Michael returned to the family’s Adelaide Hills farm and took over the reins here at Murdoch Hill. As Winemaker, Michael has refocused the family business on producing outstanding Adelaide Hills wines – approachable, adventurous and always of the highest quality.
Judge
Kayleen Reynolds
Prince Wine Store
Kayleen currently works at Prince Wine Store where she's involved in wine sales, marketing/online content and education. She has worked wine harvest seasons around
Australia and New Zealand and is a WSET educator.
Kayleen has been involved with wine shows since 2017. In 2016 she was awarded joint dux
at the Sommeliers Australia Education scholarship. More recently, in 2023, she was a Len
Evans Scholar.
On weekends, she is spending time with her loved ones at home, going to the market and
visiting friends and family.
Judge
Tim Perrin
Winemaker, Kooyong/Port Phillip Estate
Tim is currently the Chief Winemaker for Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate on the Mornington Peninsula. Prior to this role, Tim spent seven years as a senior winemaker for Oakridge in the Yarra Valley. He has been a winemaker since 2007 and has a wide array of both commercial and premium winemaking experience. Tim has been a judge at both regional and capital city wine shows since 2012. He was named dux of AWAC in 2016 and was a scholar at the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial in 2019.
Judge
Alister Timms
Winemaker, Shadowfax Wines
Alister grew up among the vines on his family’s Bellarine Peninsula vineyard, planting his first at age 10. After earning a science degree from Melbourne University, he studied Oenology at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 2001.
He began his career at Shadowfax as Assistant Winemaker before returning home to run Kilgour Estate. In 2008, he rejoined Shadowfax, managing vineyards and developing the Little Hampton site in the Macedon Ranges. Alister was appointed Chief Winemaker in 2017.
Judge
Eden Walpole
Senior Winemaker, Blue Pyrenees Estate
Born and bred in the Hunter Valley, NSW, Eden cut his teeth working for established brands such as Brokenwood and Thomas wines as well as completing vintages abroad in California and New Zealand. After a brief stint in wine retail, Eden joined Blue Pyrenees Estate in the Pyrenees region of Western Victoria as Senior Winemaker in 2023. Eden oversees winemaking for the Blue Pyrenees Estate and Glenlofty Estate brands with a specific focus on red wine making. Completing the AWAC in 2018, Eden is an active wine show judge and is driven by the continued pursuit of crafting wines that allow each vineyard site to express itself, honestly, in the glass.
Associate Judge
Hannah Medlock
Winemaker, De Bortoli Wines – Rutherglen
Hannah is a Winemaker at the De Bortoli Rutherglen Estate Winery. She graduated from The University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology in 2019. Hannah has gained experience working in the Barossa Valley and Rutherglen, along with an overseas harvest in the Rhone Valley. She has been an Associate Judge at the Rutherglen, Inland, and Victorian Wine Shows, and looks forward to developing her skills in this area.