The owner, winemaker and viticulturist at Swinging Bridge Wines in Orange, Mr Ward took out 2022 Graham Gregory Award at the ICC Sydney Wine Awards last week.

The presentation was made at a lunch at Darling Harbour.

Mr Ward is the youngest person to receive the award. Each winner is someone who has consistently played a leadership role in state and regional organisations and who has grown the profile of NSW wines and provided a platform for others to succeed.

Mr Ward is the former, long-time president of the Orange Region Vignerons Association.

"Tom is a well-deserved Graham Gregory Award winner. His contribution to the NSW wine industry at regional, state and national levels is so impressive and a sign of his commitment to a sustainable future for the first state of wine. We thank him for his significant long-lasting legacies to the NSW wine industry," NSW Wine President Mr Mark Bourne said.

Ward's top gong was one of many dished out at the ICC Sydney Wine Awards earlier in November.

Whilst an Orange wine narrowly missed out on the main trophy, seven out of the 16 wines honoured at the Awards were from Orange wine region fruit.

In total, 20 trophies were presented for the state's best wines, including the 'NSW Governor's Trophy for the 2023 NSW Wine of the Year', presented by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, Governor of New South Wales.

In what was a highly competitive year, the winner was Hunter Valley's First Creek Wines with its 2022 Single Vineyard Wills Hill Road Chardonnay. It was a wine that Chair of Judges Mr Nick Spencer described as "a wonderful and powerful example of Chardonnay with great concentration, length and phenolics".

While the Hunter Valley claimed top honours, the other 15 winning wines on the day shone a light on grape growers and winemakers from across the state including Orange, Canberra District, Hilltops and the Riverina. A full list of all trophy winners is below.

The day was also an opportunity to recognise individuals that have made a significant contribution to the NSW wine industry. Kate Lorimer-Ward, Deputy Director General at NSW Department of Primary Industries, was this year's presenter of the 2022 Graham Gregory Award, won by Mr Ward.

The 2023 ICC Sydney NSW Wine Awards trophy winners are:

NSW Governor's Trophy for 2023 NSW Wine of the Year - First Creek Wines 2022 Single Vineyard Wills Hill Road Chardonnay

Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.