October 12th – Santa Maria, CA – Miller Family Wine Company is pleased to announce that Nicholas Miller has been named the 2022 ‘Wine Executive of the Year’ in Wine Enthusiast’s annual Wine Star Awards.
Now in its 23rd year, Wine Enthusiast’s premier award is one of the most prestigious global wine industry recognitions, honoring those people, companies and regions making outstanding contributions to the wine and beverage world. With nominations made across 15 different categories, Miller Family Wine Company’s Nicholas Miller was one of six individuals from around the world to be in the running for Wine Executive of the Year. Today, Wine Enthusiast announced that Nicholas Miller has been named the 2022 Wine Executive of the Year, recognized for his leadership, vision and involvement in both his family’s business and the Central Coast wine community.
As Chief Sales & Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President for Miller Family Wine Company, Miller has brought innovation, growth and strategic planning to his family’s multigenerational business, guiding the company through recent acquisitions, exclusive partnerships and exciting new brand launches. These significant contributions include co-supervising the acquisition of BNA Wine Group’s collection of wines, including the popular Butternut brand, which helped the organization gain a stronger foothold in the chain grocery channel, as well his efforts cementing the partnership with DTC-focused Scout & Cellar to launch their first wholesale offering, Scout Wild. Miller has also been instrumental to the launches of such new brands as optik, established with esteemed winemaker Joey Tensley; Hand on Heart, a non-alcoholic wine collaboration with Iron Chef Cat Cora innovating the zero-ABV wine space; and Reciprocity, a recently launched label featuring wines exclusively sourced from the organic and sustainably-farmed French Camp Vineyard in Paso Robles, which represents the company’s key expansion into the organic wine space. In addition, Miller has been co-developing a brand-new hospitality center at the renowned Bien Nacido Vineyards, set to debut in Spring 2023, which will coincide with the vineyard’s 50th anniversary.
Miller has also maintained an active role in the Central Coast wine community, serving as a current board member for the Santa Barbara Vintners Association and for The Wine Institute, while continuing to be an advocate for both Santa Barbara County and Paso Robles as world-class wine regions.
“What a tremendous honor to be chosen by Wine Enthusiast for this globally recognized award,” says Miller. “It has been a privilege to be among the next generation leading my family business, and I am humbled to have been singled out for my contributions. This incredible award may be associated with my name, but it represents much more than me, as it is ultimately a recognition for our entire company and for the Central Coast wine region. Everyday I am inspired both professionally and personally by the people I get to work alongside and the wine community I get to be a part of, and I am forever indebted to them.”
“I have known Nick since I started my career in the wine industry,” says Daniel J. Daou, Winemaker & Proprietor of DAOU Vineyards. “He has struck me as a visionary who had the passion, the drive, the know how and the leadership skills to drive his company to the top. His track record speaks for itself and I am happy to call him a friend.”
“I have known Nicholas for 20 years now, and it feels like yesterday that he was just a kid,” shares Jon Newlon, V.P. of Southern Glazer’s Wines & Spirits, GM Signature Wines & Spirits California. “What he has accomplished in his personal life is astonishing, and what he has built and created in his business is even more astonishing. Being recognized for Wine Executive of the Year is such a huge honor and accomplishment, and I could not be more proud of him.”
“I was delighted to hear Nicholas won the Wine Star award for Wine Executive of the Year,” says Alison Laslett, CEO of Santa Barbara Vintners Association. “He has been on my board for several years now, and I see other members of our wine industry look to him for his leadership and his opinion. With such a long-standing legacy family, he brings a perspective from which we can all learn. Nicholas deserves every accolade coming his way and we are so lucky to have him in our region.”
Winners of the 2022 Wine Star Awards will appear in the December issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine, and will be honored at the annual black-tie gala, taking place Monday, January 30, 2023 at The Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, CA.
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 Estate and Solomon Hills Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley AVA, 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.
