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Irina Santiago-Brown and Dudley Brown Inkwell, McLaren Vale

Next Crop

The Next Crop program is an opportunity for regions to design and deliver their own bespoke leadership development offering at minimal cost for participants. It is a three-way partnership between Wine Australia, regional partners and a provider organisation.

Grow local leaders. Strengthen regional communities. Build the future of wine.

Next Crop gives wine regions the opportunity to create a leadership development program that reflects their people, priorities and future.

Delivered as a partnership between Wine Australia, regional associations and specialist providers, each program is designed locally. Regions choose the structure, focus and provider that best meet the personal and professional development needs of their community, with Wine Australia providing funding support to keep participation affordable.

Through practical leadership, business and management development, Next Crop helps emerging leaders build their skills, confidence and networks, while strengthening capability within their region. Importantly, it helps keep the next generation connected to their communities and the grape and wine sector.

Since 2021, Next Crop has reached almost 300 participants across the following regions.

YearRegion(s)
2026Hunter Valley
Riverland
McLaren Vale
2025Barossa
Coonawarra
Queensland
Victoria (Yarra Valley, Mornington and Gippsland)
2024McLaren Vale
Margaret River
2023Tasmania
Riverina
2022Clare Valley
Victoria (central regions of Macedon, Murray Valley, Heathcote, Geelong, Grampians, Pyrenees, Bendigo)
2021Barossa
Langhorne Creek

Wine Australia acknowledges the original concept for Next Crop came from Barossa Grape & Wine Association (now Barossa Australia) through Wine Australia Regional Program funding.

Other State/Regional funded leadership programs

State/Regional funded leadership programs broadly aligned with the values of Next Crop to strengthen emerging leadership capability across Australia’s grape and wine sector:

  • 2026: Next Crop | Cultivating Leadership funded by Wines of Western Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the Margaret River Wine Association
  • 2025: Cultivate Leadership 2025 (Great Southern) funded by Wines of Western Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Great Southern Wine Producers Association

Watch: Barossa Valley's Next Crop journey

What began in South Australia's Barossa Valley as a regional initiative to develop the next generation of wine sector leaders has since grown into a national program. When it was launched by Barossa Australia in 2011, the Next Crop program was the first of its kind, designed to build leadership capability and strengthen regional collaboration. Wine Australia has since taken the program Australia wide, offering wine regions the opportunity to cultivate their own 'next crop' of industry leaders. Hear from Barossa Australia about what inspired the program and the impact it has since had on the region, as well as from former participants about how it has influenced their careers.

  • Barossa Valley's Next Crop journey

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