Ben McNab from Palliser, representing Wairarapa. Image courtesy New Zealand Winegrowers

The 2021 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year National Final is set to go ahead on Thursday 3 February 2022, following postponement last year.

This programme supports emerging Young Winemakers helping them upskill, widen their network and giving them a platform to share their ideas for the future.

For the very first time the National Final will be held in Central Otago with the competition taking place at Amisfield Winery in the Pisa Ranges near Cromwell.

The Awards Dinner will be held the same evening at the stunning venue – The Canyon at Tarras Vineyard in Bendigo.  The 2021 national champion will be announced that evening.

Having already won their regional competitions, the finalists will be stretched even further and will be tested on all aspects of wine production including laboratory skills, wine market knowledge and wine tasting and judging.

They are already researching and preparing their presentation which they will give to a panel of wine industry leaders. This year they have to tackle the important issue of “What can the wine industry do to reach carbon zero by 2050?”

The national finalists are Jordan Moores from Valli, representing Central Otago; Peter Russell from Matua, representing Marlborough and Ben McNab from Palliser, representing Wairarapa.

Apart from being crowned the 2021 Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year, the national winner will take home an amazing prize package which includes a travel grant to visit the Tonnellerie de Mercurey (cooperage) in Burgundy, be an associate judge in the New World Wine Awards and review wines in DrinksBiz magazine.

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