Andrew Jefford has been named the recipient of the 2026 Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) Lifetime Achievement Award in association with the drinks business. The award was presented at Vinexposium’s V d’Or awards ceremony by Kylie Minogue, Sarah Harrison, IMW executive director, and Patrick Schmitt MW, the drinks business editor-in-chief.
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Andrew Jefford, 2026 Institute of Masters of Wine Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Photo by Jon Wyand.
The award acknowledges the substantial contribution of an individual to the global wine community, recognising vision, determination and innovation.
Andrew Jefford is an award-winning journalist, poet and wine writer renowned for his insightful exploration of terroir and wine culture. On receiving the award, Jefford said: "The IMW is a unique academic institution, independently guarding an 8,000-year cultural tradition and ensuring its relevance in increasingly chaotic and abrasive times. Many of those I respect most deeply in the wine world are members; as a journalist, I've often admired and cited the research papers written by its successful candidates. In another life, I'd have a go—and almost certainly fail. The idea that I'd be nominated for its Lifetime Achievement Award seems surreal; winning it doubly so. I'm thrilled.”
Harrison said: "For over 30 years Andrew’s writings have contributed to the canon of the wine industry. To this day, his writing continues to educate, inform and inspire. Andrew is a very deserving recipient of this honour.”
Schmitt MW said: “The world of alcoholic drinks is fortunate to have a talent like Andrew Jefford to articulate its many qualities with such originality and expressive power. He is one who responds, in a uniquely sensitive way, to the deeper glories of fine drinks—the landscapes that shape them and the people who bring them into being.”
Rod Smith MW, IMW chair, added: “Through his rich body of work, Andrew has deepened global understanding of wine and its cultural importance. His beautiful haikus are also a delight. It is with great pride and pleasure we recognise his outstanding and lasting contribution.”
About the Institute of Masters of Wine
The IMW is a membership organisation whose mission is to foster excellence, interaction and learning across the global wine community. Home to the renowned Master of Wine study programme, the IMW advances wine knowledge through education, events and the work of its members—the Masters of Wine.
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Contact details:
Media enquiries: Adam Jones, IMW: +44 207 383 9139 | ajones@mastersofwine.org
