Winning the 2024 Wine Media Cadetship
4 June, 2025 - Teri van Aalst, Wine Media Cadet
Winning the 2024 Wine Media Cadetship has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my professional life. For those unfamiliar, the cadetship, run by Wine Communicators of Australia in partnership with Great Wine Capitals Adelaide, South Australia aims to support emerging wine media professionals by offering mentorship, writing opportunities, and valuable industry exposure.
As this year’s recipient, I’ve had the privilege of immersing myself in the heart of wine storytelling locally, nationally, and globally.
The highlight of the cadetship was undoubtedly attending the Great Wine Capitals Global Network’s Conference in Verona, Italy. Representing WCA on a global stage was an honour. I met wine professionals from all over the world, shared insights, and absorbed lessons from industry professionals. The trip reinforced how deeply interconnected the global wine industry is, and how powerful storytelling can be in bridging those connections. I also contributed to The Drinks Guide, a leading trade publication, and brought home insights to share with our local industry.
Back on home soil, I spent time travelling through South Australia’s most iconic wine regions - Coonawarra, Langhorne Creek, and the Barossa Valley - connecting with producers, tourism operators, and community leaders. These visits were more than just tours; they were storytelling missions. I developed a feature blog series for the Adelaide, South Australia – Great Wine Capitals website, showcasing the unique identities, challenges, and triumphs of each region. Every visit gave me a deeper appreciation of our wine community and a clearer voice to tell its stories.
Through the cadetship, I received mentoring from leading wine writers and participated in workshops on multimedia content and digital storytelling. I also had the opportunity to interview some of the industry’s best and participants in the Great Wine Capitals Outbound Knowledge Exchange bursary program. These conversations were turned into compelling content pieces for publication and further broadened my understanding of communication in wine.
Today, I continue to freelance wine communications and have recently stepped into a Brand Manager role at a growing South Australian winery, a move I firmly believe was made possible through the connections and visibility the cadetship provided.
This program isn’t just about being a “wine writer”; it’s about stepping into the industry with purpose, passion, and curiosity. You get out of it what you put in. For anyone considering applying, I can’t recommend it enough.
This blog is written by Teri van Aalst, the Wine Communicators of Australia Wine Media Cadet.
The cadetship is supported by the Great Wine Capitals Adelaide, South Australia chapter, which is a partnership between the Government of South Australia (South Australian Tourism Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regions), the South Australian Wine Industry Association, and the University of Adelaide.
Photos: Teri van Aalst