Inniskillin seeks new winemaker

Inniskillin, one of Canada’s most respected estates, is looking for ‘the new Helen Turley’ to take it into the major league of world wineries.

The winery’s current winemaker Philip Dowell is leaving to work with ex-Southcorp winemaker Philip Shaw in the Orange region of New South Wales.

And multi-award winning Inniskillin on the Niagara Peninsula, whose icewines are amongst the most sought-after in the world, is trawling the New and Old Worlds to find a suitable replacement.

‘We’ve got the money to attract someone like Helen Turley,’ president Donald Ziraldo told decanter.com, referring to the woman responsible for the stratospheric success of Napa’s Screaming Eagle, Bryant Family and her own Marcassin label.

Dowell is credited with turning Inniskillin – and Canadian wine – into a highly-respected brand, and Ziraldo wants to build on that reputation.

‘This is a good opportunity to take the leading edge,’ he said. ‘We will go for a name – and talent.’

He has no preference for either Old Or New World skills. ‘I used to think we should go New World, but now the two are so intertwined in style and reputation, I think a good, young, Old World winemaker would be perfect.’

Written by Adam Lechmere