September 16th – Santa Maria, CA – Miller Family Wine Company is honored to announce Nicholas Miller’s nomination for ‘Wine Executive of the Year’ in Wine Enthusiast’s 2022 Wine Star Awards.
Each year, the editors of Wine Enthusiast honor the people, companies and regions that are making outstanding achievements in the wine and beverage world. Nominees in 15 distinct categories are chosen from around the world, recognized for their vision, ingenuity and remarkable contributions to the industry. As part of the 2022 Wine Star Awards, Miller Family Wine Company’s own Nicholas Miller has been nominated in the award category of ‘Wine Executive of the Year.’
As Chief Sales & Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President for Miller Family Wine Co., Miller has brought innovation, growth and strategic planning to his family’s multigenerational business, collaboratively guiding the company with his family through recent acquisitions, exclusive partnerships and new brand launches, while actively championing the Central Coast as a world-class wine region.
Miller has overseen the development of new brands under the Miller Family Wine Co. umbrella, including optik, a collection of wines made in partnership with esteemed winemaker Joey Tensley and the Miller family’s estate vineyards; Hand on Heart, featuring high quality non-alcoholic wines developed in collaboration with Iron Chef Cat Cora, which is elevating the zero-ABV wine space; and Reciprocity, a new label launching October 1st featuring wines exclusively sourced from the organic and sustainably-farmed French Camp Vineyard in Paso Robles. In addition, he and his brother, Marshall Miller, Chief Operating Officer, spearheaded Miller Family Wine Co.’s acquisition of BNA Wine Group’s collection of wines, including the popular Butternut brand, thereby expanding the company’s portfolio and widened its market presence. Most recently, Nicholas was also instrumental in ushering in a go-to-market partnership with the DTC-focused Scout & Cellar to launch their first wholesale offering, Scout Wild.
Miller has also been deeply involved in the ideation and development of a brand-new hospitality center on the grounds of Bien Nacido Vineyard, recognized as one of the most renowned vineyards in California and the source of Bien Nacido Estate wines. Set to debut in Spring 2023 – coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Bien Nacido Vineyard – The Gatehouse at Bien Nacido will open Bien Nacido to the public for the first time, allowing guests to experience this historic estate and its renowned wines like never before.
Besides his leadership within the Miller Family Wine Co. organization, Miller is also recognized for his ongoing leadership in the Central Coast and broader California wine communities, where he currently serves as a board member for the Santa Barbara Vintners Association and for The Wine Institute. Miller is also part of the California Agricultural Leadership Program, served as Director of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), a position he held for eight years, and was named a Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker during its inaugural year in 2013.
“It is an incredible honor to even be considered for a Wine Star Award,” says Miller. “Generations of my family have paved the way in the agricultural space on the Central Coast, and it is a privilege to be part of the next generations leading the family business. From a young age, my family instilled in me a sense of pride for what you do, and I have carried that mindset into all facets of my professional and personal life, always leading with integrity and never being afraid to evolve in order to thrive. It’s a pleasure to devote my time and energy to a business I believe in, and in a place I believe in. I firmly consider Santa Barbara County to be among the foremost regions for growing and producing quality wine, and I am honored to represent this region through this nomination.”
Winners of the Wine Star Awards will be announced on November 3, 2022.
Miller Family Wine Company
Miller Family Wine Company is a division of the Thornhill Companies – the industry-leading umbrella brand of one of California’s premier winegrowing families, the Miller Family, who have been farming California’s Central Coast for five generations. Miller Family Wine Company includes the prestigious Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills Estates and acclaimed national branded wine labels such as Butternut, J. Wilkes, optik, Ballard Lane, Smashberry, Barrel Burner, Volunteer, Hand on Heart and Reciprocity wines, in addition to control label brands for prominent retailers across the U.S. and the French Camp vineyard in Paso Robles. For more information on Miller Family Wine Company, please visit www.millerfamilywinecompany.com.
