Jon Wyand has been crowned Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year after impressing the judges with his beautiful shot of a Burgundian vineyard worker gathering prunings.
The photograph was taken on a crisp winter’s day at Montagne de Corton Hill in the Côte de Beaune.
‘The winning image evokes with stark beauty the reality of wine growing – you are always at the mercy of nature,’ said wine writer Joanna Simon, one of the judges. ‘But there’s an extra element here: is he scrutinising the weather? Or might he now be just a little lost in thought?’
The Burgundy Interprofessional Wine Bureau revealed that yields in the Côte de Beaune were down by more than 70% last year due to late spring frosts, which underscores Simon’s point.
The Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year award is one of the most eagerly anticipated categories at the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year ceremony.
Celebrity chef Monica Galetti, famed for presenting popular TV show Masterchef in the UK, handed out the awards at a ceremony on Tuesday night.
The Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year award is divided into three sub-categories – People, Places and Produce. Wyand won the People award for his shot, which is called “Gathering Prunings on Corton Hill”.
The award for Places went to Italian photographer Marina Spironetti for her “Architecture and Wine” image, which was taken at the winery of esteemed Chianti Classico producer Antinori.
Architecture And Wine. Credit: Marina Spironetti / Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2022
Suzanne Becker Bronk of the United States won the Produce sub-category with “On Ice”, an arresting image of dry ice being used to inhibit the beginning of fermentation at Caldwell Vineyard in Napa Valley.
On Ice. Credit: Suzanne Becker Bronk / Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2022
The judges then assessed the three sub-category winners again and determined that Wyand’s photograph should reign supreme.
Famous food photographer David Loftus chaired the global judging panel. It also featured Decanter’s art editor Patrick Grabham, Joanna Simon, fellow wine experts Charlotte Kristensen and Lyndey Milan, and Magui Chadwick, the family ambassador for Viňa Errazuriz and Viňa Seňa.
The exhibition of the 2022 Finalists will premiere at The Royal Photographic Society, one of the world’s oldest photographic societies, in Bristol. The exhibition will run from 20 November to 12 December 2022. Entry is free.
Wyand is a professional photographer based near London. He specialises in shooting wine regions for corporate clients travel and lifestyle publications. His work often takes him to Champagne, Tuscany, Bordeaux, California, Rioja and Germany, but his main focus has always been on Burgundy.