IWSC Wine Judging in Margaret River

This year, the IWSC is bringing to Margaret River a stellar team of international judges who will be joined by Australian wine experts. The judging will be overseen by Co-Chairs Andrew Caillard MW and Freddy Bulmer, combining deep Australian expertise with a strong UK market perspective.

Andrew Caillard MW - Auctioneer, author and film producer
Leading Australian Master of Wine, writer, and wine expert with over four decades of experience across the global wine industry, Andrew Caillard is best known as a co-founder of Langton’s Fine Wine Auctions and a key advocate for Australian fine wine.

Freddy Bulmer - Wine Buyer, The Wine Society
Highly experienced IWSC judge and Wine Buyer at The Wine Society, UK, Freddy focuses on regions such as Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Portugal and Eastern Europe. He is widely recognised in the industry, having appeared in the “100 Most Influential People in Drinks” list.

Joanna Nerantzi - Head Sommelier at Raffles London
Recognised as one of the UK’s rising sommeliers, Joanna has a strong background in top-tier hospitality and private members’ clubs. Her career includes key roles at leading venues such as 67 Pall Mall, as well as Maison Estelle, Estelle Manor and, most recently, Raffles London.

Isa Bal MS - Founder and Director at Trivet
Former Head Sommelier of the Fat Duck Group, Founder and Director of Michelin-starred Trivet restaurant, London, Isa is an influential figure in fine dining and wine judging, known for championing emerging wine regions. He was awarded the Michelin Guide Sommelier Award in 2022. 

Emma Robinson - Wine Buyer, Jeroboams
Emma is a wine buyer at Jeroboams, a London wine merchant with shops across the city and over 40 years of history. Throughout her career, Emma has held roles in sales, export and education, and now specialises in sourcing wines from key regions.

Nick Ryan - Wine Writer, The Australian
Nick is the senior wine writer for The Australian and a columnist for The World of Fine Wine, a contributor to Halliday Magazine and The Robb Report, a highly experienced wine judge and an in-demand presenter at wine events around the world.

Kayleen Reynolds - Wine Sales & Educator, Prince Wine Store
Kayleen currently works at Prince Wine Store, where she's involved in wine sales/customer service, marketing/online content and education. Her working history involves City Wine Shop and wine harvest seasons around Australia and New Zealand.

Entering the IWSC Global Judging in Margaret River offers producers the opportunity to elevate their wines on the international stage, connect with key trade figures and strengthen their presence in important markets:

• Present your wines to leading international experts, including Masters of Wine, top sommeliers, buyers and influential critics
• Benefit from your wines judged within the context of their origin, alongside convenient local shipping
• Gain global recognition through IWSC promotion, Club Oenologique and leading trade and consumer media
• Increase visibility in the UK market via key trade events, tastings and editorial coverage
• Receive globally recognised medals, certificates and marketing toolkits, backed by the IWSC’s rigorous judging process

Find out how we promote our Margaret River winners - view our 2023 - 2025 impact summary here.

The IWSC Western Australian Wine Producer Trophy recognises outstanding producers in the region, celebrating excellence, consistency and craftsmanship across a portfolio of Western Australian wines.

In 2025, the trophy was awarded to Deep Woods Estate, recognised for its exceptional quality and strong medal performance across the judging.

All producers entering the IWSC and judged in Margaret River are automatically considered for this prestigious award. Following the judging, the highest-performing producers are shortlisted based on their results.

The shortlist is then reviewed by members of the IWSC Judging Committee, who select the overall winner.

The winning producer will be announced shortly after the judging, with formal recognition at the IWSC Awards Celebration later in the year.

Entry deadline: 17 July 2026
Judging: 24–28 August 2026
Results announcement: 1 September 2026

Entry fee: £125 + VAT per wine (online entry)

To benefit from the discounted entry price, please select “Wine Judging in Margaret River” as your judging location when submitting your wines.

Delivery information:
Please send 2 bottles* of each entry.
Please deliver your samples between 12 – 19 August 2026 to:

Margaret River Wine Association (For the IWSC) C/o Margaret River Wine Storage /Leeuwin Transport – MR depot 20 Minchin Way Margaret River WA 6285

Delivery opening hours: 7:30am–3pm. 

No plastic or polystyrene packaging to be sent.

*Please note, if your wine is awarded a Gold medal, we will require 4 x additional bottles to be sent to the UK for our Trophy judging and Awards Celebration.

If you have any questions, or require further assistance please contact us.