By Deborah Jackson, editor National Liquor News
Iain Riggs has been named the 2016 NSW Legend of the Vine by Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA).
The award was presented at the WCA's annual KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show Trophy Winners Lunch. Riggs has been involved with the Show for more than 25 years and was chairman of judges for six.
WCA national chair Angus Barnes, said that legend is a frequently overused word these days, but Riggs ticks all of the boxes.
“He is a winemaker, a wine judge, a wine educator and a true believer in our industry and its people. When he talks, others listen.
“The Legend of the Vine award was created in 2014 to acknowledge individuals who have not only made an outstanding contribution to the Australian wine industry but who have also helped chart its course and take its message to the world.”
Riggs has been Brokenwood’s chief winemaker and managing director for more than 30 years and is chairman of trustees of the Len Evans Foundation, which conducts the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial. He also succeeded Evans as chairman of the Hunter Valley Wine Show in 2002 and has since had the Iain Riggs Wine of Provence Trophy named in his honour.
Among other honours Riggs was awarded the Graham Gregory Trophy for outstanding service to the NSW wine industry in 2003, received the Len Evans Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Wine Industry at the 2013 Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year Awards, and was presented with the 2014 Contributors Award for services to the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW.
He is the third person to be awarded Legend of the Vine status in NSW. Previous recipients were David Lowe from Lowe Wines in 2014 and Rob Hirst from Fine Wine Partners last year.