Wolf Blass





	Wolf Blass Chief Winemaker, Chris Hatcher came to the ultimate winemaking position at one of the world's great winemakers in 1996 with impeccable credentials. He is generally considered to be one of Australia's premium white wine makers and one of the country's most respected wine show judges. At Wolf Blass between 1988 and 1995 Chris made 39 trophy winning wines and 218 gold medallists. "Hatch" has the rare distinction of having been a senior judge at all capital city wine shows where exhibitors are permitted to judge. He has been a senior judge at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show, Perth, Canberra, Brisbane and Sydney Royal Shows. As of 2001 Chris remains on the senior panel at Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney. After stints at Orlando and Kaiser Stuhl in the Barossa Valley and the Simi Winery in California, Chris joined Wolf Blass in December 1987. For almost 10 years prior to becoming Chief Winemaker, Chris was the Senior Winemaker responsible for white wine and sparkling wine production at Wolf Blass in the Barossa Valley. Since his appointment to the top job in 1996 the wines made at every outpost of the Wolf Blass operations have improved in quality. Chris is a fastidious man with an obsessive, almost pathological attention to detail, which has filtered to every winemaker working for him today or indeed in the past. Chris Hatcher's legacy to Australian winemaking will be great.

	Born: 1952 Adelaide, SA

	Tertiary education: 1970 to 1974 - Bachelor of Science, University of Adelaide 1976 to 1978 - Applied Science (Oenology), Riverina College (now Charles Sturt University)

	Winemaking Employment History - chronology 1974 - 1979 Research and development officer, White and Sparkling Winemaker, Kaiser Stuhl, Barossa Valley 1979 - 1987 - Senior Winemaker, Orlando Wines, Barossa Valley 1986 - Vintage exchange, Simi Winery, California 1987 - 1996 - Senior Winemaker (white wine and sparkling) Wolf Blass Winery, Barossa Valley 1996 - Present - Chief Winemaker Wolf Blass

	Wine judging experience Brisbane: Judge 1997-2001; Associate Judge 1996 Adelaide: Judge 1990-94, 1997-2001; Associate Judge 1987-89 Perth: Judge 1992-96, 2001; Panel Chairman 1992-96, 01 Canberra: Judge 1993; Associate Judge 1984-87 Sydney: Judge 1997-2001 Hunter Valley: Panel Chairman 1998 Barossa Valley: Judge 1998-2001 Griffith: Judge 1992, 1994 Winestate Wine of the Year Awards Judge: 1997, 1998 Aust. Wine & Brandy Corp. Export approval inspector - selected 1990

	Major awards for Wolf Blass under Chris as Chief Winemaker For the last 3 years "Most successful table wine exhibitor at National Wine Shows" 1999 Show Year 86 golds and 16 Trophies including the Jimmy Watson, Max Schubert, Len Evans and Best Wine of Show, Canberra 2000 Show Year 76 golds and 15 Trophies Strike rate (medals per entry) 66% with 8% golds Best white of the vintage - Brisbane & Perth Best red of show - Adelaide & Hunter Stodardt Trophy Sydney "Top 100" - 2 Trophies and 11 golds Judges and Consumers Hyatt "SA Wine of Year 2000" London IWC "White Wine of Year" and "Red Wine of Year" 2000 Great Shiraz Challenge - Wine of Year plus 11 of 50 awards 2001 Show Year London IW&SC Australian Producer of the year Most successful Exhibitor in Consumer Classes, Adelaide Show WineState Winery of the Year

	Goals: To make Wolf Blass the most successful and highly regarded winemakers in Australia, producing wines of distinction and class.

John Glaetzer


		John Glaetzer is a legend of winemaking in Australia. He has won a remarkable four Jimmy Watson trophies with the Wolf Blass Black Label and has been the Wolf Blass senior red winemaker since 1974.
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Caroline Dunn


		While at the University of Adelaide Caroline Dunn won more individual winemaking prizes than any student had ever collected and in 1999 became the first female name to adorn the Jimmy Watson Trophy.
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Kirsten Glaetzer


		As a Senior White Winemaker at Wolf Blass since 1999, Kirsten has been largely responsible for the consistently high quality rieslings, chardonnays and blends coming from the Wolf Blass stable.
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Wendy Stuckey


		Wendy Stuckey is one of Australia's most awarded winemakers. With responsibility for white wines at the Wolf Blass winery in the Barossa Valley, Wendy has set a benchmark in terms of high quality whites.
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