NEW YORK – The American winery 00 Wines has been named Winery of the Year at VinePair’s 2026 Next Wave Awards, held in New York City.
VinePair announced the winners on Thursday 15 October.
Launched in 2021, the Next Wave Awards recognise professionals in the wine, beer and spirits industries who are helping shape a more creative and sustainable future for the drinks industry.
Chris and Kathryn Hermann founded 00 Wines in 2015 with the ambition of producing Chardonnay in Oregon that could compete with the world’s finest white wines.
Since its first vintage in 2015, the winery has used an oxidative approach to Chardonnay, a traditional winemaking method practised by some of Burgundy’s most established domaines before the introduction of modern winemaking techniques.
Chris coined the term “Black Chardonnay” in 2015 to describe the approach.
The winery’s wines have received high ratings from international wine publications and critics, including The Wine Advocate, Vinous, Decanter, James Suckling and Jeb Dunnuck. Its 2021 Richard Hermann Cuvée Pinot Noir received a perfect score of 100 points.
Charles Curtis, a Master of Wine and contributor to Decanter, has compared the wines to those of Coche-Dury, while James Suckling named the 00 Freya Hermann Cuvée the only Oregon Chardonnay on his Top 100 USA Wines list for 2019.
Today, 00 Wines produces primarily Chardonnay, along with small quantities of Pinot Noir, across three renowned wine regions: Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Burgundy and Champagne.
Its wines feature on the lists of Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, including The French Laundry in Yountville, Black Swan in Beijing, and Forum and The Chairman in Hong Kong.
“Our mission is to craft wines with zero shortcuts and zero compromises, and to push the future of Chardonnay forward,” said Chris.
Kathryn, the company’s general director, said the winery focuses primarily on digital platforms and exporting its wines to international markets.
The family-owned business operates without outside investors.
Its winemaking approach includes low-sulphite production and handmade French oak barrels, with the aim of creating wines with complexity and ageing potential.
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