In a stunning development, given the importance of the event, Ian D’Agata was named one of the top five nominees for the “Gerard Bassett Hall of Fame Award” at the Golden Vines gala, held in Miami this past November 8. The event, generally considered to be the “Oscars” of the wine world, saw over 800 of the world’s top wine professionals, including wine producers, viticulturists, winemakers, 41 MWs, 31 MSs and 48 Advanced Sommeliers vote. Besides Ian D’Agata, the nominees included Jean Trimbach (of the famous Trimbach firm in Alsace), Veronique Drouhin (of the esteemed Joseph Drouhin winery in Burgundy and Oregon), Jean-Claude Berrouet (for forty-three years the technical director of JP Moueix and hence the winemaker responsible for world-famous iconic wines such as Petrus, Trotanoy, LaFleur-Petrus, and Dominus), and Ann Colgin who fashioned during her ownership one of California’s true cult Cabernet collectibles. The award went to Jean Trimbach, whose family has been involved with wine since 1645 and produces the world-famous Clos Ste.Hune, generally regarded as the world’s greatest classically dry Riesling wine.
“I cannot even begin to tell you how surprised I was upon receiving news of the nomination, it’s an incredible honour that left me speechless and proud beyond belief” said Ian D’Agata, who added that “… I have been fortunate to have my life’s work recognized in other occasions, but the stature of Gerard Basset and of this Golden Vines award are something unique and unlike anythin else out there. I am truly honoured to be considered worthy of winning anything associated to Gerard’s name, one of the nicest people I ever met in wine and a fountain of absolute wine knowledge. The only individual to have held simultaneously the MS, MW, MBA wine business, and OBE titles, not to mention the ASI World Champion Sommelier title, it’s an incredible honour for me to be named in the same sentence as he. Likewise, to be nominated along people who really are some of my greatest wine heroes is something I will cherish forever: Jean Trimbach whose wines and family I love dearly and have been visiting at the winery every year for the past twenty years; Jean-Claude Berrouet, one of the five most influential wine people in my life and from whom I have learned the most from in my life as a wine expert, a person I consider not just a mentor but a friend; Anne Colgin whose Napa Cabernets have been the stuff of legends and hold pride of place in my cellar; and Veronique Drouhin whom I also know and admire greatly for being the lovely person that she is as well as for excelling not just in Burgundy but in Oregon too… honestly, it’s almost too much to process. Like I have said before, I only wish my mother were still alive to see this”. Of note, Ian D’Agata was the only wine writer among the five nominees for the Hall of Fame award; all the other nominees were some of the world’s most famous wine producers and winemakers.
The fifth edition of the Golden Vines was organized for the first time in North America and took place in Miami at the beautiful Faena Forum on November 8, 2025. The evening celebrated wine and wine excellence by bringing together industry leaders, celebrities, key opinion leaders, and wine lovers and was hosted by British actor David Ajala. The evening saw the launch of the Golden Vines Academy, made up of 830 qualified wine professionals who can vote on the awards, thereby guaranteeing a competent and credible voting process by which to identify eventual winners in each category. The evening opened with a prestigious Champagne reception featuring the official pre-presentation of the Dom Perignon 2008 Plénitude P2, well in advance of its global launch and release. In keeping with the note of luxury and prestige, dinner was prepared by a team headed by three-Michelin-starred chef Kyle Connaughton of SingleThread Farm. Some of the night’s dishes included kanpachi zushi, citrus rice, and kohlrabi; flounder with habanada sanbaizu and myoga; and lightly smoked black cod with roasted caraflex cabbage, grilled bone glaze, and black cod mousseline stuffed savoy. The food was paired with some truly exceptional wines, such as Château d’Yquem, Château Lafite-Rothschild 1989 (served from a six liter Imperial), Colgin IX Estate (served from magnum), II Marroneto Madonna delle Grazie Riserva 2013 (also served from magnum), and Egon Müller Auslese. Further entertainement was provided by the live performance of emerging British-American artist Aiyana-Lee.
Other award winners revealed during the evening included the Mosel’s Weingut Egon Müller (winner of The Golden Vines Grant Macdonald Best Fine Wine Producer in Europe Award); California’s Harlan Estate (named Best Fine Wine Producer in the Americas); Australia’s Henschke (Best Fine Wine Producer in the Rest of the World); Spain’s Vega Sicilia (World’s Best Fine Wine Producer); South Africa’s Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines (The Golden Vines Slate Aviation World’s Best Rising Star); Rosa Kruger of The Old Vine Project (The Golden Vines Amorim Cork Innovation Award for her pioneering work in sustainability and vineyard preservation); California’s Corison Winery (The Golden Vines Frédéric Panaïotis Sustainability Award, honouring its commitment to responsible winemaking); and The Macallan of Scotland (The Golden Vines Bacchus World’s Best Rare Spirit Brand Award). The weekend-long celebration of excellence also saw a charity gala hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Lisa Petrillo and the announcement of the two Barca-Velha Golden Vines Scholarship awardees, Sera Svitlana Karamshuk (London) and Leila Tehrani-Killoran (France). Carmelo Anthony, former NBA champion and wine entrepreneur (co-founder of VII(N) The Seventh Estate), received The Golden Vines Entrepreneur Award, in recognition of his impact on blending sportsmanship, fine wine culture and business.
