12 scholars selected for Sommeliers Australia Education Scholarship 2025
Announcing the twelve successful scholars of Sommeliers Australia’s flagship education initiative, the Education Scholarship.
Sommeliers Australia is proud to reveal the 12 emerging sommeliers and wine professionals selected for the 2025 Education Scholarship. This year’s successful scholars will come together in Melbourne from 11–13 August for a three-day immersive program designed to support the next generation of Australia’s wine and hospitality sector.
Held triennially, the Education Scholarship is a flagship initiative created to build capability, community and confidence among Australia’s wine professionals. Over the three days, scholars will take part in benchmarking tastings, hosted by some of the country’s most respected wine and hospitality professionals.
This year’s recipients represent a diverse cross-section of the industry, hailing from venues across the country and bringing with them varied experience and aspirations. Selected scholar, Sophie Kemp (The Heritage Wine Bar & Restaurant, WA), shared her appreciation:
“I would like to thank Sommeliers Australia for this opportunity - it means so much to be a 2025 scholar. I appreciate the chance to further immerse myself in the world of wine. I'm so excited to absorb as much as possible from seasoned industry professionals.”
Fellow scholar Courtney Keegan (Dan Murphys, VIC) echoed the enthusiasm:
“I'm most excited for the opportunity to build upon my skills and get an in-depth look at benchmark examples from around the world and from Australia. I'm also excited to connect with my partnered sponsor and also to connect with and learn from my fellow scholars!”
Leading member of the Education Scholarship committee, Bridget Raffal (Vice-President), reflected on the strength of this year’s submissions:
“Top responses reflected a sense of generosity: applicants showed they’d contribute meaningfully to the conversation in the room while remaining open to learning from others. They struck a balance between personal and professional, highlighting the importance of community and communication in wine, why opportunities like this matter, and how they help shape better, more connected professionals.”
The program continues to evolve thanks to the support of industry partners. Sarah Andrew (Acting President and Strategy Director) has been instrumental in cultivating these relationships and securing these partnerships, and commented:
“The launch of this tri-annual opportunity comes at a time the industry has never been more engaged with Sommeliers Australia and our members. We have events selling out, waiting lists for highly anticipated opportunities and the Education Scholarship working group has just selected 12 professional, diverse and engaging members from across the country. The support from business and industry alike has been unprecedented, taking considerable focus to match scholars to sponsors. The offers to continue engagement beyond the scholarship from both recipients and sponsors is exciting for all our members.”
Sommeliers Australia is delighted to have welcomed Champagne Pol Roger as its 12-month Champagne sponsor, with many supporters having recently enjoyed Champagne Pol Roger at the recent Warriors of Wine fundraising events. Coming onboard as a Major Partner for the Education Scholarship, Tim Evans (National Business Manager) remarked:
“Being a major sponsor of the Sommeliers Australia Education Scholarship 2025 reflects our deep commitment to nurturing the next generation of wine professionals. This partnership aligns with our long-standing values of excellence, education, and industry support. By investing in the professional growth of Australia’s most promising sommeliers, we not only help strengthen the future of the hospitality and wine industries, but also honour the craftsmanship and heritage that both Pol Roger and Samuel Smith & Son proudly represent.”
Wine Australia have been a key supporter of Sommeliers Australia, and this year support the initiative as a Scholar Sponsor. Paul Turale (General Manager, Marketing) affirmed the association’s support:
“We’re thrilled to once again partner with Sommeliers Australia for the Education Scholarship. The program closely reflects our commitment to building capability and connection across the wine community. As education evolves, this kind of initiative helps strengthen how we communicate, entertain and inspire across an increasingly dynamic on-premise landscape.”
Penfolds joins this year’s Education Scholarship as a Major Sponsor, and further cements its long-standing commitment to support the future of the wine industry in becoming Sommelier’s Australia’s official 12-month Education Partner. Kristy Keyte (Chief Marketing Officer) added:
“We’re excited to partner with Sommeliers Australia as the Major Sponsor for the 2025 Education Scholarship. Supporting the next generation of wine professionals is a natural extension of our commitment to the future of the industry. Through our Evermore program, and specifically our Future Winemaking pillar, this partnership reflects our belief in supporting future generations through education and hands-on learning opportunities as the foundations for long-term industry growth.”
Sommeliers Australia is also pleased to announce the renewal of its longstanding partnership with RIEDEL as official Glassware Partner, and welcomes their expanded support in 2025 as a Scholar Sponsor. Mark Baulderstone (Managing Director) commented:
“At RIEDEL, education is at the heart of our brand, so we are proud to continue our sponsorship to help educate the future of the Australian wine industry.”
Sommeliers Australia extends its sincere thanks to all partners who make the Education Scholarship possible. We look forward to seeing the growth, collaboration and lasting connections that will emerge from this program, as well as continuing our commitment to elevate and support Australia’s wine professionals.
