June 2006: Christopher Keys says his job as the new winemaker at Gibbston Valley Wines is a fantastic opportunity and an honour. "Anyone seriously wanting to craft the best Pinot they can wants to work in the best areas - be it Oregon, Burgundy or Otago, and this is the most thrilling area of them all. Gibbston has an incredibly proud history, and I'm relishing the opportunity to be part of it."

Christopher was raised in Hawkes Bay in the North Island; he moved south to study English Literature and the Russian language at Otago University - not the ideal pre-requisite for winemaking, he says, but he got a job in a Dunedin fine wine shop (Munslows) and from there he interest took off.

Christopher went off to Lincoln to do a post-graduate diploma in Viticulture/Enology, returning to the Bay in 1997 and working his first vintage in the legendary '98 harvest at Brookfield Vineyards for Peter Robertson.
He stayed as Peter's assistant winemaker until 2002, when he joined Sileni Estates where he was the Pinot Noir winemaker there for the past 3 years.
He also spent three vintages in Oregon during this time.

Christopher comes to Otago with his Californian winemaker wife, Elizabeth, whom he met in Oregon. The pair had been planning a move back to California when the job came up at Gibbston Valley Wines. "The legacy of this winery is pretty great. Grant (Taylor) over 27 years has created an incredible pedigree, and to take over (from him) is an honour."

There are really good vineyards coming to fruition in the Bendigo region, and I can only see its getting better."
"My other option was making Cabernet in the Napa Valley - this is poles apart from that."

        

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