Lincoln University alumna and winemaker, Kelly Stuart, visited campus recently to host a wine-tasting activity and give third-year viticulture and oenology students an idea of what life is like in the industry.
Kelly, who completed Lincoln’s renowned Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology degree in 2011, now works as an Assistant Winemaker at Cloudy Bay.
“During Kelly’s visit, the students experienced a vertical tasting, which is a term used to describe wines that come from the same place but are differentiated by time,” says Lincoln University Vineyard Manager Bernard Newman.
“Amongst the seven wines tasted were vintages from 2006 through to 2019. It was a great learning experience for the students.”
Since graduating, Kelly has worked 13 vintages in New Zealand, Australia and the US. More recently, she spent time in the Hawke’s Bay at Delegat’s new winery, before taking the role at Cloudy Bay, which Bernard says is “arguably New Zealand’s most renowned producer of Sauvignon Blanc”.
“It’s always so satisfying to meet ex-graduates and hear about how they have used their Lincoln experience to progress within the industry. Kelly was no exception and proved to be an aspirational role model for our graduating class.”
As part of their studies, viticulture and oenology students regularly hear from industry presenters who give them a wider perspective on the profession.
