Christian Butler comes to Lyre's with 20 years of experience in the wine and spirit industry. His early experimentations with concentrating grape flavours earned him a Commonwealth Government grant and European scholarship. After graduation he ventured into the commercial world of wine and spirits, serving on the tasting panel and buying team for the Wine Society, and then at Fosters Group in their Wine Club business.
But the production side loomed large in his imagination and he struck out first into the spirits industry with Van Diemen Distillery and then back into the wine sector with Cloud No.9 Estate, New Zealand.
From there his drinks journey took him to the far corners of the globe.
A 6-year foray into Shanghai, China where his true entrepreneurial spirit was honed resulted in Christian running a wine importation business, winebar in the french concession and consultancy business to wineries in Yantai.
He currently is the CEO and Founder of Cloud No.9 Estate Marlborough, New Zealand a global member of EO [Entrepreneurs Organisation] and Lyre's advocate.
As Vice President of Lyre's Non Alcoholic Spirit Co - North America, Christian and his team are pathing the way for the brand stateside.