“Shaped by Water. Formed by Stone.” — Limestone Coast Wine Show Marks 25 Years with a Night Dedicated to the Region’s Most Vital Resource
Mount Gambier, South Australia — The Mount Gambier Regional Winegrowers Association will host the 2026 Limestone Coast Wine Show Awards Dinner on Thursday 22 October at the Mount Gambier City Hall, marking the 25th year of a show that has become one of the most celebrated fixtures on the region’s wine calendar.
This year’s theme, “Shaped by Water. Formed by Stone,” turns the evening’s focus toward the geology and hydrology that define the Limestone Coast as a wine-growing region — and the growing urgency of protecting that resource as the climate changes.
The region’s vineyards sit on marine limestone laid down over millions of years, and are cooled through the growing season by the Bonney Upwelling, a seasonal surge of cold water off the Southern Ocean that reaches over 100 kilometres inland. Beneath the surface, the same limestone holds the aquifers that growers depend on for irrigation. Organisers say the theme is a deliberate reminder that the qualities the region is prized for — cool nights, distinctive soils, reliable water — are not guaranteed.
“Reliable, high-quality groundwater sustains vineyards, farms and communities across Mount Gambier and the Limestone Coast. It is one of our region’s greatest natural assets—something to celebrate, never take for granted and protect for future generations,” said Paul Chiesa, President of the Mount Gambier Wine Growers Association.
Now in its 25th year, the Wine Show will again be chaired by Chief Judge Gwyn Olsen, Senior Winemaker at Henschke, who returns to lead the judging panel through what has grown into one of the most respected regional shows in the country.
“The wines celebrated at this year’s Limestone Coast Wine Show reflect an extraordinary environment and are respected locally, nationally and internationally,” said Anita Goode, Chair of the Limestone Coast Wine Show Committee.
The evening will be hosted by Dr Erika La Vella, who takes on MC duties for the Awards Dinner, presenting the results of judging alongside the region’s major trophies and medals in front of growers, producers and guests from across the Limestone Coast.
Food for the evening will be prepared by Kirby Shearing of Elementary, bringing a menu designed to complement the region’s award-winning wines.
The menus will feature a hand-coloured lithograph (1847), created by George French Angas and lithographed by J. W. Giles, evoking the character of South Australia’s early landscapes.