A total of 714 new diploma graduates from 2024/25 were honoured at the ceremony representing 45 countries across six continents as they join a global community of more than 14,500 WSET Diploma alumni.
Among this year's top students, Australian graduates claimed two of the most prestigious prizes.
Sebastian Iannuzzi of Sydney Wine Academy took the Vintners' Cup, awarded to the highest overall performer, and Anthony Justice, also of Sydney Wine Academy, claimed the Penfolds Asia Pacific Scholarship, awarded to the top performing graduate in Asia-Pacific.
Michelle Brampton, WSET chief executive, said: “The WSET Diploma asks a great deal of students, and this year's graduates have risen to the challenge. Our diploma alumni are a vibrant global community, shaping the future of the drinks industry in so many ways.
“I’d also like to personally congratulate our scholarship and prize winners, whose exceptional results, together with the stories they've shared about the impact WSET has had on their lives and careers, continue to inspire us all,” Brampton added.
The Vintners' Cup was awarded to the graduate achieving the highest aggregate mark across all units of the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines.
Iannuzzi, production manager at Mount Eyre Vineyards in Australia, who took home the award, said: “Winning the Vintners' Cup is an immense honour. My disbelief led me to reread the email several times. The further I progressed through the diploma, the more acutely aware I became of how much I still had to learn. Surrounded by industry professionals, knowledgeable educators and exceptionally capable classmates, it’s easy to feel unlearned. The Vintners' Cup served as a powerful reminder of how much I had achieved.”
A number of graduate scholarships were also awarded to WSET Diploma students who achieved the highest overall mark in their respective regions.
The Outstanding Alumni Award was presented to Cathy Marston DipWSET, co-owner of the International Wine Education Centre (IWEC) in South Africa.
Marston said: “In Africa, a WSET qualification can literally change your life. Getting a WSET qualification opens up a world of opportunity, enabling students to get jobs on cruise ships, in restaurants and hotels around the world as well as meaningful employment in the South African wine and tourism industries.”
The full list of this year's prize winners, scholars, graduates and prize sponsors is detailed in the WSET Graduation Yearbook 2026 on WSET's website.
