Thalia Osborne Wins 2025 North Island Young Winemaker Of The Year
She is thrilled her hard work has paid off and earned her a place at the national finals.
Congratulations also goes to Toby Priestley from Linden Estate in Esk Valley who came second.
There were four contestants in total, the others being Mikaela Salmon from Ash Ridge and Caitlyn Moeller from EIT.
All the contestants took out a section, highlighting their strong winemaking skills and knowledge.
Amongst other sections, Thalia won the Indevin Wine Judging Section and the Fruitfed Supplies Best Speech. Caitlyn won the Constellation Brands Laboratory Section; Toby took out the Judges Choice and In Market sections where the contestants had to create a Bordeaux blend suitable for the US market and pitch it to a panel of judges; and Mikaela won the Vin Olympics which took place in front of a crowd at lunchtime. This was followed by a gourmet BBQ prepared by Fruitfed Supplies.
As the overall winner, Thalia, won a Fruitfed Supplies Field Trip, wine storage with a Personal Cellar for a year and $1,000 cash. Toby won $750 cash, as well as other wine related prizes.
Thalia will compete in the National Final at Lincoln University on 26 August. The national finalists will then deliver their speeches at the New Zealand Wine 2025 Celebration Dinner at Te Pae on 28 August, when the overall winner will also be announced.
The finalists will compete not only for the prestigious title of the 2025 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year, but also an amazing prize package which includes a visit to the Tonnellerie de Mercurey (cooperage) in Burgundy, be an associate judge in the New World Wine Awards and review wines in DrinksBiz magazine. There is also the opportunity for the finalists to win prizes for the Constellation Laboratory Section, the Indevin Wine Judging Section and the best Fruitfed Supplies Speech.
The competition is made possible thanks to all the generous national sponsors: Tonnellerie de Mercurey, Fruitfed Supplies, Constellation Brands, Indevin, FMG, Lab Supply, Laffort, Tira Crown, Visy, Winejobsonline, New Zealand Winegrowers, New World, NZSVO and Pacific Rim Oenology.
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