Liz Riley, Viticulturist of the Year 2017, has a prestigious list of credentials that began as a teenager and spans global territory.

Liz won the coveted Australian Nuffield Scholarship after completing a Bachelor of Wine Science and travelled to Europe and North America to focus on global agriculture and sustainable viticulture. She has also worked on vintages in the Naper Valley, California.

Liz and her local winemaker husband have lived and worked in the Hunter Valley since 1996.

“You get to know the vines over time,” she said. “You learn to work alongside Mother Nature. No two seasons are the same. I’m always learning and using my knowledge to make good decisions. Timing is everything.”

Liz and Vineyard Manager Dave Grosser have been entrusted to reinvigorate this iconic vineyard because of their reputations, passionate attention to detail and experience.