An excellent day for New Zealand wine and Women in wine

A press release today acknowledging one of our own - go Natalie!

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Yealands Wines is celebrating the remarkable achievement of its Chief Winemaker, Natalie Christensen, who was awarded the coveted White Winemaker of the Year trophy at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) awards ceremony held in London overnight.

The IWC is one of the world's most respected and influential wine competitions, showcasing outstanding wines and talented winemakers from all over the globe. As a testament to Christensen's expertise, creativity and passion for producing exceptional wine, not only did she win the individual winemaker trophy, Yealands also won 12 medals (one for every wine entered by the producer) and the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Trophy for the Yealands Estate Single Block S1 Sauvignon Blanc 2022 at the awards.

Christensen said the win, the first for a New Zealander since 2008, was humbling. "The IWC is hugely competitive, and I was up against some incredible winemakers from wineries that are hundreds of years old. Yealands is so young in comparison! Marlborough is well known for its Sauvignon Blanc, but to have a range of varietals performing so well in shows is really meaningful as it shows the breadth of our winemaking ability outside of our flagship Sauv."

IWC Co-Chair Oz Clarke was full of compliments for Christensen's talent. "It's great to see Natalie's excellent winemaking being recognised with this prestigious award as she expands Yealands' range. She has an incredible technical ability and is totally in tune with how to produce wines that give an intense sense of place. It's also wonderful to see the White Winemaker of the Year award go to a female winemaker. This noteworthy accomplishment not only celebrates Natalie's exceptional talent and expertise but also lays the foundation for increased recognition and expanded opportunities for female winemakers around the world," he said.

Christensen remains committed to producing high quality wines that showcase the unique beauty and diversity of Yealands vineyards. "We have an incredible team at Yealands and the most stunning 'office' you could ask for. We can't wait to share our vintage 2023 wines with the world, as we think they'll be even better!

Find out more about IWC and see the full trophy and medal results at www.internationalwinechallenge.com

Natalie is a gifted winemaker with 17 years of experience working in France, Spain, USA and Aotearoa, including stints at notable New Zealand wineries Saint Clair Family Estate and Matahiwi Estate. Prior to joining Yealands, Natalie was Winemaker at La Cana in Rias Baixas, Spain making albaririo for the Jorge Ordonez group. Far from being your average winemaker, Natalie is a classically trained double bass player with a Bachelor of Music from Canterbury University, in addition to a Master of Science and Graduate Diploma in Oenology. In 2018, Natalie was named one of the most influential women in wine in the world by the Drinks Business Magazine, UK. Natalie joined Yealands in 2014 and became Yealands' Chief Winemaker in 2019.