The extraordinary talent in today’s UK wine industry and the stars of its future were celebrated at Vintners’ Hall last night as the winners in WineGB’s Rising Star Awards together with the 2024 Vintners’ UK Wine Apprentice were announced.
In this inaugural year of the WineGB Rising Stars Awards, individuals aged 30 and under working in the different sectors of the UK wine industry were applauded for their commitment, hard work and contribution to its ongoing success.
A winner from each category was chosen by a panel of industry experts from nominations submitted by peers and employers from across the industry and wider wine trade. In some categories, the judges also awarded special merit to other of the nominees, to acknowledge their contribution to the industry.
The categories covered viticulture, winemaking, business/marketing and tourism. Sustainability was also highlighted, with additional awards given to individuals in the viticulture and winemaking categories that had shown particular commitment to sustainable practices.
The winners were presented an award by a member of the judging panel and are as follows:
SALES AND MARKETING
Winner:
Oscar Willis – Sales, Marketing & Communications Manager, Yotes Court Vineyard
Merit:
Phoebe French – Membership Engagement Manager, Wines of Great Britain