Whitehaven’s Jess Wilson has been named the Corteva Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year 2021. Jess is the first female to win the Marlborough Young Viticulturist title in the competition’s sixteen-year history. “Being the first woman to win the Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year is amazing, words can’t describe how I feel right now.” Says Jess.
The competition was held at Giesen’s Stump Creek Road Vineyard in Renwick on 1 July, followed by an evening awards dinner held at Marlborough’s Convention Centre, where contestants each presented a speech and participated in a quiz.
Jess says she is grateful to Whitehaven for its support, and for the opportunities the company has provided her with. Sue White, Whitehaven’s co-founder and Managing Director, is understandably thrilled for Jess “it is lovely to see Jess’s hard work and dedication rewarded, and it’s exciting to see Jess become Marlborough’s first female Young Vit winner. We should all continue to develop the potential of our young people and support them as much as possible to become future leaders.”
Jess’s win is testament to the calibre of the talented and committed team at Whitehaven, and the technical knowledge and skill that Whitehaven growers have direct access to. Jess is currently inviting potential growers to contact her about joining Whitehaven’s grower family.
