Rootlings momentum grows with new State Champions

Momentum for Australia’s network of young grape and wine professionals, Rootlings, continues to grow as its latest state champions are announced.

Rootlings, which is funded by Wine Australia and administered by the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology (ASVO), was launched in 2024 as a peer-to-peer support network for professionals aged under 35. Since then, the program has grown to 723 members.

Each Rootlings State Champion volunteers their time to promote awareness of the network and its objectives, engage individuals across their state, and facilitate opportunities for young wine professionals to meet and connect.

The two new State Champions are Dan Sowinski, a sales representative at The Wine Tradition based in Brisbane, and Peter Macauley, a winemaker at the House of Arras and Handpicked Wines. Sowinksi is Queensland’s first Rootlings State Champion while Macauley is the new Rootlings State Champion for Tasmania.

The other State Champions who will continue the great work they have been doing over the past twelve months are:

• Sarah Lavelle, DTC Manager at Sevenhill Cellars in Clare Valley for South Australia;
• Lucy Austen-Paine, Assistant Winemaker at Blue Pyrenees, in Victoria;
• Allanna Wells, DTC Manager at De Iuliis Wines in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley.
• Sam Palmer, Winemaker at Castle Rock Estate based in Great Southern, Western Australia.

Jenna Vaughan, National Project Officer for Rootlings, underlines the importance of the State Champions, saying:

“As a Network, Rootlings is fundamentally about people and their connection with each other. Therefore, the selection of the right State Champions is critical to engaging young wine professionals across Australia, region by region, state by state.

In 2026/27 we have focused local leadership by appointing one State Champion in each state. That individual will harness their own committee of State Chapter volunteers to help them reach and recruit a growing network of Rootling members in their state.

Each State Champion was chosen because they are passionate about the future of the wine sector and the role younger people can play in shaping that future. Also, for their outgoing and approachable personalities which will help them establish connections and activate in-person opportunities for young people to connect with each other in their region.” 

Rootlings is dedicated to fostering relationships, facilitating professional development, and promoting collaboration among young professionals.

The vision of the program is to provide a forum for younger people – particularly those up to 35 years of age – to discuss issues and opportunities relevant to them.

“Rootlings was fortunate to have the early support of a wide cohort of enthusiastic State Chapter members, and I’d like to thank them for their efforts,” said Vaughan.

A list of the outgoing Champions can be found on the Rootlings website here.

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Photo: Five of the six Rootlings State Champions at their two-day training session in Adelaide on 12-13 August. L-R: Dan Sowinski, Sarah Lavelle, Allana Wells, Lucy   Austen-Paine, Peter Macauley, Jenna Vaughan. (Absent: Sam Palmer)