New winemaker at Black Hills

Kiwi Ross Wise is the new winemaker at Black Hills Winery in Oliver.

Wise has some big shoes to fill after former Black Hills winemaker Graham Pierce put the winery on the map with its flagship Nota Bene red Bordeaux blend and equally good other reds, whites and a rose.

Pierce has since moved on to be winemaker at Time Winery in Penticton.

But Wise is more than up to the task.

He was most recently winemaker and general manager at Phantom Creek Estate, also in Oliver.

Wise is originally from New Zealand, but he has a Bachelor of Viticulture and an advanced diploma in wine science from Charles Sturt University in Australia.

He worked at wineries Down Under and in Ontario before making the move west.

“This is a great opportunity to be part of the next chapter of one of the Okanagan’s most recognized and respected wineries,” said Wise.

“The ability to focus on making premium red wines such as Nota Bene is a big draw for me.”

Black Hills was part of $95-million dollar deal last year that saw Ontario-based Andrew Peller Limited buy Black Hills, Tinhorn Creek, also in Oliver, and Gray Monk in Lake Country to add to its Okanagan line up, which also includes Sandhill, Peller Estates, Wayne Gretzky, Red Rooster and Conviction (formerly Calona).

“We are extremely confident that Ross Wise is the perfect person to carry the winemaking torch at Black Hills and help us continue our journey to the next level,” said Peller’s chief wine evangelist Glenn Fawcett.

Fawcett was the president of Black Hills before the Peller purchase.