Our Judges

Chair of Show - Mr Andrew Corrigan MW   

Andrew Corrigan, Master of Wine and our Panel Chair, was the instigator of the Cairns Show Wine Awards with the view of promoting wines suitable or adaptable to the tropical palate and lifestyle. He is based in Queensland where he teaches wine courses. Andrew is one of fifteen Masters of Wine in Australia, of which there are only about 400 in the world. He is a regular contributor to Winestate Magazine, The Wine Spectator (U.S) The Courier Mail, The Sydney Morning Herald and Gourmet Traveller.

In 2012, accompanying Mr Corrigan as Panel Judges will be Mr Tony Hooper, Winemaker for Orlando Wines, Mr Andrew Spinaze, Chief Winemaker for Tyrrell's Wines, Mrs Marie Clay Team Winemaker for Wolf Blass and Mr Adam Clay, Red Winemaker for Penfolds.

Panel Judge - Mr Tony Hooper

Tony Hooper is a Winemaker for Orlando Wines and judge with experience in several shows, including the Brisbane Wine Show.

Tony is the classic laconic Australian winemaker. He might have talent by the bucket load, but his style is not to blow his own trumpet, rather get on with the job and let his wines do the talking.

Tony's wealth of winemaking experience has been built over 20 vintages in both Australia and New Zealand providing him with an excellent insight into both cool and warm climate viticulture and winemaking.

Panel Judge - Mrs Marie Clay        

Growing up in Adelaide, a city surrounded by wine regions, winemaking was a natural decision for Marie, indulging in her love of science, agriculture, the outdoors and travel.

Upon completion of the Graduate program at the University of Adelaide, Marie worked with Lindemans for 4 years, firstly as the Winemaker at the Yenda winery near Griffith in NSW and then as Senior White Winemaker at the Karadoc winery in Sunraysia. In December 2006 she joined the red winemaking team at Wolf Blass and now calls the Barossa home. She has completed international vintages in Chianti in 2003 and more recently Burgundy in 2009. Marie enjoys judging at regional shows and has done so over the last 6 years.

This will be her 3rd year judging at Cairns.

Panel Judge - Mr Andrew Spinaze

Mr Spinaze, is Chief Winemaker for one of Australia's flagship wineries, Tyrrells. Andrew is fortunate to count the late Murray Tyrrell as his boss and mentor since joining in 1980. In 2004 Andrew won The Australian Gourmet Traveller and Wine Estate magazines Wine Maker of the year, the same year VAT 1 wins best wine of the Adelaide Show for the second year running.

In 1987, Andrew travelled to France to fine tune his winemaking skills. He became Chief Winemaker in 1989 overseeing all winemaking operations at both Tyrrell's lower and upper Hunter wineries with an overall crush of 4,000 tonnes. In 2004, Andrew was named Winemaker of the Year by the two most important wine magazines in Australia: Winestate and Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Andrew has been associated with the Cairns Show Wine Awards for several years and for the last three years as Panel Judge.

Panel Judge - Mr Adam Clay

Adam Clay grew up in South Australia and commenced at Penfolds' Nuriootpa winery as a vintage winemaker in 2007, working on the Rawson's Retreat range. In 2009 he began assisting with fortified wines, which led to his current role with the Koonunga Hill and Thomas Hyland range of reds.

Married to a fellow winemaker, food and wine are a significant and valued part of Adam's life and he enjoys visiting wine regions both domestically and internationally. "I think it's important to have a global perspective of the wine industry. I am a big fan of the wine show system. I have judged at four regional wine shows and am working towards getting involved in the capital city wine shows."

Adam is joining our Panel Judges for the first time in 2012. Previously he has been a Senior Judge.

Panel Chairs will be supported by Interstate and local judges who have a broad range of wine knowledge.