Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year
Alun Kilby has been "inundated with opportunities" since he won Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year last year.
Ten years on, she’s Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker of the Year 2025, Production Winemaker at Yealands Wines, has her own vineyard at Blind River, and is adding to her winemaking degree and WSET Level 3 with a master’s in business administration.
It’s been a stellar journey, which she puts down to the “incredible” people in the industry, and a career she loves. “I like the excitement of it, and having to be on your toes, 10 steps ahead. You have to be very organised with an efficient mindset as well.”
The 28-year-old grew up in Marlborough, but hadn’t considered working in the wine industry surrounding her, instead thinking she’d put years of college rowing to good use as a teacher. After opting for a gap year instead, she “fell into” a cadet role at Constellation Brands, getting a taste of the winery and vineyard, while meeting “industry legends” in the field.
When she finished the year-long cadetship in 2016, Ruby became a cellar hand with the company as she considered her next steps. Then, sitting in the smoko room in the midst of vintage 2017, she realised her ‘gap’ was done. “I thought, ‘I actually love this. I love what I’m doing, I should probably consider making a career out of it.” Before smoko was over she had enrolled at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology for a bachelor’s degree in winemaking and viticulture. “I think it was a little bit sleep deprived,” she says with a laugh. “But I’m so glad I did it.”
She worked fulltime and studied part time for the first three years, then fulltime in both to get the degree completed. In 2019 she joined Yealands as a cellar hand, to grow her experience in the industry, and within a year had been promoted to Assistant Winemaker, then Production Winemaker in 2022. In 2023, she worked vintage at Maison M. Chapoutier in Hermitage, Northern Rhône. One of her biggest learnings, working alongside a team of Australians and Kiwis who only spoke English, is that “you can communicate without speaking”. She also learned “some very cool techniques” with Syrah, some of which she has been able to implement in Yealands’ Pinot and Merlot programmes.
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Her work at Yealands is closely wound up with Pinot Gris and Rosé programme, as well as Tempranillo and Merlot, “with input and help and support from the team”. Ruby, who also does some brand work with Yealands and Babydoll brands, says winemaking at Yealands is “very much a collaborative team effort”, especially when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc.
The support of her team came in handy in preparing for the Young Winemaker Marlborough and national competitions. “I’ve said to them multiple times that this is a reflection of them and the work that we achieve together, because without incredible mentors and support, I can’t go out and achieve something like this.” She’s also been overwhelmed by the “massive camaraderie” in the regional and final events. “There was so much support for each other. Everyone wanted everyone to do really well, and that is such a nice environment to be in.”
Ruby won the Constellation Brands Laboratory Section, the Indevin Wine Judging section, and the Fruitfed Supplies speeches at the Celebration Dinner, but was dazzled by the talents of the two other regional finalists, Dingying Jiang from Kahiwi in Central Otago, and Thalia Osborne from Ash Ridge in Hawke’s Bay. She says the competitions revealed “how truly supportive your young winemaker cohort is around you."
Ruby is putting her money where her mouth is when it comes to her passion for the wine industry, and for Marlborough’s flagship variety. In late winter 2024, she and her partner Jordan Thomas bought a vineyard at Blind River Loop, with 3.6 hectares of the 6ha block planted in Sauvignon Blanc. The couple do all the manual work themselves, along with the mowing, and call on “amazing contractor” Paul McIntyre for spraying, trimming and plucking. “At the moment we sell the fruit and feel very fortunate to have a contract,” she says. “One day we’d love to release our own label, focused on expressing the unique character of our site. It’s a beautiful block, and Jordan and I feel so lucky to own it and to be able to work much of the vineyard ourselves. As a winemaker, having your own label would be a dream come true.”
