The Hunter Valley wine and tourism industry celebrated its high achievers and contributors at the 2016 Hunter Valley Legends Awards on Friday.
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The prestigious awards were held at Cypress Lakes Resort with 230 people in attendance.
Alain Le Prince, who has contributed over 40 years to the Hunter Valley wine industry, was announced as this year’s Living Legend.
The Living Legend award honours a grape grower or winemaker who has been involved in the Hunter Valley wine industry in excess of 30 years and who has been in a position to influence the industry’s course.
Mr Le Prince’s story is of a successful migrant who arrived in Australia in 1971 with his wife Jeni with a dream of growing grapes and making fine wine.
In the early 1970s he paved his way working in the vineyard at Rothbury Estate, as vineyard manager for Tyrrell’s Wines and planting and managing his own Chardonnay vineyard in Pokolbin.
From 1980 to 2000, Mr Le Prince became a partner at Terrace Vale Wines where his role in the wine industry had expanded from vineyard manager to winemaker and sales manager.
His wines have won numerous accolades and he has remained involved in the wine industry for over 40 years.
The Winemaker of the Year award went to Liz Jackson of First Creek Wines.
The Sebel Kirkton Park Hunter Valley general manager Belinda Paterson was named Rising Star of the Year.
Paul Harvey from Mount Pleasant Wines received the Viticulturist of the Year award.
The Cellar Door of the Year award went to De Iuliis Wines
Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association chairman George Souris gave special recognition to the high calibre of this year’s nominees and that the annual awards are a celebration of, and give recognition to the skill, hard work, dedication and excellence of the region’s winemakers, viticulturists and industry professionals, and reflects on the successes of the year that has passed.
A new initiative was introduced this year was run in conjunction with the University of Newcastle’s design school.
A student competition was held to create the packaging design for the annual Legends wines, which are produced by local Hunter Valley winemakers.
Daniel Smith was announced as the winner at the luncheon and he received $300 for his excellent portrayal of the history, quality and culture of the Hunter Valley wine industry.
The wines will be marketed and sold exclusively through Wine Selectors.
