James Halliday honoured with IMW Lifetime Achievement Award

Our very own James Halliday has been honoured with the 2025 Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) Lifetime Achievement Award for his extraordinary contributions to the Australian wine industry. 

The award was presented at the Vinexposium Business Awards (V d’Or) in Paris on Sunday night by the drinks business editor-in-chief Patrick Schmitt MW, who said: “Such has been the influence of this remarkably prolific and influential wine critic that no mention of Australian wine quality seems complete without his opinion".  

Jancis Robinson OBE MW accepted the award on James' behalf.

“I am deeply honoured that the membership of the Institute has voted I should receive this award in 2025, thus joining a very distinguished list of prior recipients from all corners of the globe,” James said. 

Since its debut in 2005, the award has acknowledged the substantial contribution of an individual to the global wine community, recognising vision, determination and innovation. Nominated and voted on by Masters of Wine, previous recipients have included Robert Mondavi, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Hugh Johnson OBE, and Jancis Robinson OBE MW.

James, who was unable to attend the ceremony in person, nominated Jancis to collect it for him. 

“It was a great honour to be able to accept this award on behalf of someone I have known and admired for decades,” she said.