Business
15 September, 2026
Grampians Vinegar wins gold
GRAMPIANS Vinegar has brought home an impressive haul from two of Australia’s leading food competitions, winning seven gold medals and three silver medals across the Melbourne and Sydney Fine Food Awards.The Great Western producer was recognised for its artisan vinegars, verjus, vincotto and non-alcoholic Tart Tonic shrub, with several products earning gold at both competitions.
For Grampians Vinegar owners Amanda and Anthony Kumnick, the results are a strong endorsement of the flavour, quality and care that goes into every batch.
“We’re a small regional producer, so to receive medals across such a broad range of products is incredibly rewarding and validates that we’re on the right track,” Anthony said.
“To see our products recognised across both Melbourne and Sydney tells us the judges are recognising exactly what we’re trying to achieve, bold flavour, quality ingredients and products with real character.”
Grampians Vinegar began with a simple idea: to give surplus local wine another purpose.
The business makes its vinegar using the Orléans fermentation process, a traditional French method that has been used for several hundred years. It is a slow, natural fermentation process that allows flavour and complexity to develop over time, rather than rushing production.
Using this centuries-old method, Grampians Vinegar creates small-batch artisan vinegars with depth, acidity and character far removed from mass-produced supermarket vinegar.
That approach has since expanded to include verjus, vincotto and Tart Tonic, a non-alcoholic Shiraz shrub made from rescued Grampians Shiraz grapes and Grampians Vinegar’s own Shiraz vinegar.
Tart Tonic’s gold medal wins in both Melbourne and Sydney are particularly pleasing as more Australians look for grown-up alternatives to alcohol that still deliver flavour and complexity.
“We wanted Tart Tonic to feel like a proper drink, not like you were missing out because you weren’t drinking alcohol,” Anthony said.
“It has that sweet, sharp, fruity character that makes your tastebuds sit up and pay attention. It was awarded Gold in Melbourne last year, and to see it win Gold twice this year is a pretty satisfying result.”
The medal haul reflects the strength of food and drink being produced in regional Victoria, and particularly the Grampians, as well as the possibilities that come from treating surplus produce as an opportunity rather than waste.
“We hate seeing good local produce go unused,” Anthony said.
“If we can take a beautiful local ingredient and turn it into something people love to cook with, pour over food or enjoy in a glass, that feels like a pretty good outcome.
“The medals are a lovely bonus.”
2026 Medal Results
Melbourne
Gold
Shiraz Vinegar
Malt Vinegar
Nebbiolo Verjus
Tart Tonic - Shiraz Shrub
Silver
Rosé Vinegar
Shiraz Vincotto
Sydney
Gold
Malt Vinegar
Shiraz Vincotto
Tart Tonic - Shiraz Shrub
Silver
Shiraz Vinegar
Read More: Great Western