Winemaker: Scott McGregor

Scott McGregor was always intrigued by the Niagara wine region. As a native to the area, he’s always had the desire to learn more. After completion of the Business Administration - Marketing program at Niagara College, Scott discovered the Business Education Council was unveiling a Winery and Vineyard management program. He immediately applied and was accepted. Originally, his intention was to move into the Marketing field of the wine industry and he felt that understanding the product from the ground up, literally, would be a great benefit.

While participating in the Winery and Vineyard Management program in 1996, Scott had the opportunity to learn hands on at the ever-popular Hillebrand Estates winery. After completion of the co-op program, Scott was offered a job in Viticulture and Oenology quality control at Hillebrand where he continued to gain a great deal of practical experience in winemaking. It was here he realized that he was destined to remain in the production end of the business, not marketing as he had intended. He worked in grape maturity control monitoring during the busy harvest season and working with the winemaking team in the Q.C. lab during the balance of the year. A few years later Scott moved to Hillebrand’s parent company, Andrés Wines, where he continued to work in Quality Control in their central winemaking lab.

In September of 2003, there was an opening for Production Manager at Beamsville’s EastDell Estates winery. “I wanted to work in a winery where I could assume different roles and be involved with many aspects of the business.” says McGregor.

Scott has since been promoted to Winemaker for EastDell Estates and its sister winery, Thomas & Vaughan (also in Beamsville), which produces premium, hand-crafted wines. Since his arrival in 2003, EastDell Estates has consistently received compliments from Ontario wine writers on the great improvement in the wines.

“Everyday I look out my lab window to rolling vineyards and Lake Ontario in the distance and think how fortunate I am to be doing what I’m doing”.

Annual Production: 20,000 cases

Grape Varieties Planted

• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Chardonnay
• Merlot
• Pinot Gris / Grigio
• Pinot Noir
• Riesling
• Vidal Blanc