Adam Wadewitz: The Iconic Winemaker on Passion, Precision and the Pursuit of World-Class Wine

What separates a good wine from a truly world-class one? According to Adam Wadewitz, it comes down to balance, finesse… and a relentless commitment to the vineyard. Adam is the Chief Winemaker and Joint CEO at Shaw + Smith, one of Australia's most iconic cool-climate wineries, and one of the most decorated winemakers of his generation. In this episode, he takes us from the footy fields of Willunga in South Australia to the vineyards of Europe… sharing what drove him to the top of his craft, how great teams are built, and why he believes Australian Grenache is on the cusp of a new world chapter! He also generously shares with you the list of his five wines to drink before you die, the legendary story behind Wendouree and how he came to hold cuttings from one of Australia's most coveted vineyards, and what he's learned from a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conductor about leadership and energy. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. We are privileged to have Adam as part of our Aleda Connect community. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here .

You can listen to Adam Wadewitz: The Iconic Winemaker on Passion, Precision and the Pursuit of World-Class Wine online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Adam Wadewitz: The Iconic Winemaker on Passion, Precision and the Pursuit of World-Class Wine is an episode from Empowering Leaders by Lauren Exton.

This episode is 54:13 long.

This episode was published on Apr 7, 2026.

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