Church Road Winery’s winemaker Chris Scott has been named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year 2016 by Winestate Magazine for the second time in four years.
Chris has been crafting award-winning wines for 16 years at Church Road Winery in Hawke’s Bay and has a passion for Chardonnay and red blend winemaking.
“We have a fantastic tight-knit team in Hawke’s Bay in both our vineyards and the winery, all of whom contribute greatly to the success of Church Road,” says Chris. “This award is very much a reflection of our collective skills, passion, knowledge and experience, and I very happily accept this on behalf of them all.”
Chris began working during his summer holidays in the vineyards and cellar door, before joining Church Road Winery as a cellar hand in 1998 and working his way to Senior Winemaker in 2005.
Since then, Chris has been the driving force behind Church Road TOM Chardonnay and Church Road TOM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, which are widely regarded as two of New Zealand’s most iconic wines.
The Winestate New Zealand Winemaker of the Year Award is given to the individual who achieves the highest score from the top 10 different wines judged throughout the year.
