Col McBryde

The Climb

The early work was in the cellar, where competence comes from repetition and from learning the trade at ground level. Col McBryde began as a full-time winery worker at Selaks in Muriwai Beach, north of Auckland, New Zealand, then moved on as a cellar worker at Pask Winery in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Those roles build the sort of practical knowledge that does not announce itself; they teach how the work behaves day to day. Since 2002, Col has been co-founder and winemaker of Adelina Wines, carrying that background into a long-running partnership with the estate.

Today

The present-day work at Adelina Wines is tied to clarity in both method and language. Col McBryde’s stated preference for honesty extends beyond explanation and into the cellar, where precision matters but ornament does not. The point is not to smooth over the evidence of making. It is to leave the wine carrying the marks of its own process, with the maker’s voice grounded in what was actually done.

Signature

Col's signature wines include The Society’s Exhibition Clare Valley Riesling. The wine fits a practice defined by restraint and transparency, with identity expressed plainly rather than pushed into display.

In Their Words “Not everything’s pretty; things look ugly at times or not groomed or not precise, and I would rather have a story of truth and sometimes be a little less than picturesque, as opposed to these glamourised or beautified images or stories.” “Ultimately, Jen’s and my plan is that we are honest in our approach of what we do, and the way that I talk about it on my personal account on social media is probably a little sanctimonious at times.”

Recognition

Col's honors include Young Gun of Wine Vineyard of the Year. Read alongside his background in cellar work, microbiology, and long-term estate winemaking, the recognition lands as a fit with the same values that have shaped the work throughout.