Dan Sims appointed chair of Melbourne Royal Wine Awards Committee

New leadership for the awards committee

Melbourne Royal has named Wine Victoria chair Dan Sims as chair of the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards Committee. He joins representatives from across Australia’s wine industry in overseeing the competition and developing its program.¹

In the role, Sims is expected to use his industry relationships and experience to support the awards’ continued development. The committee will work with Melbourne Royal to respond to the wine sector’s changing needs and determine the competition’s future direction.¹

Industry experience and priorities

Kirrily Waldhorn, Melbourne Royal’s senior manager for Food and Beverage Awards, said Sims’s experience, industry relationships and commitment to Australian wine would strengthen the committee’s leadership. She said his perspective would help the competition continue to evolve with the industry.¹

Sims described the appointment as a privilege at an important time for Australia’s wine industry. He said he looked forward to working with the committee and Melbourne Royal to ensure the long-established awards continue to provide meaningful value to the wider wine community.¹

Sims has already attended judging, where he met the judging panel and observed the wines, expertise and deliberation involved in the assessment process. He will co-present this year’s Melbourne Royal Wine Awards with Waldhorn.¹

2026 trophy presentation and trade tasting

The 2026 Melbourne Royal Wine Awards Trophy Presentation is scheduled for Friday, 13 November at Melbourne Showgrounds. Before the ceremony, the 2026 Australian Wine Awards Exhibitor & Trade Tasting will assemble more than 2,000 wines entered in this year’s awards program, giving trade participants an opportunity to taste entries and meet winemakers and producers. Admission to the trade tasting is free, but registration is required.¹