Viewing entries by
Jessie Creedmore
Written by Victoria Clark
Savouring a 2002 Neudorf sauvignon blanc on a wine-tasting outing fifteen years ago, Jane Docherty made an instant decision to pack up her life in London and come home to New Zealand.
“I’m going to be a wine-maker,” she decided, without saying a word to her friends, and left Neudorf Vineyards that day with a case of the career-changing vintage.
Written by Victoria Clark
As a 20-year-old, determined to learn all she could about wine-making, Emmanuelle David knocked on numerous winery doors, before finally meeting a vintner who didn’t turn her away.
In her home-country of France, the wine industry is steeped in tradition, she says, and very much a man’s world.
Written by Victoria Clark
June Hamilton is co-owner and founder of the 21-year-old Kaimira Wines business, but you’re unlikely to ever find her among the grapevines, let alone in the winery.
“The vineyard is not my area, though it’s very beautiful through the seasons and I do like looking at it through the office window,” she laughs. “I would be the world’s worst pruner, and the slowest, too.”
Written by Victoria Clark
Fondly acknowledging the three women who create the wines at Kina Cliffs, owner Julie Ashcroft recently decided on a name for the vineyard’s 2018 rosé. She has called it ‘Three Girls’ Blush.’
“The name recognises our viticulturist, Rhiannon Jones, and our wine-maker, Emmanuelle David – and I’m the third ‘girl’ because I planted the vines,” Julie explains.
New Zealand Winegrowers and Women in Wine NZ are hosting an evening of networking, celebration and inspiration on the eve of Bragato 2018.
Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh, the current New Zealand Poet Laureate, is the guest speaker. She is a Pasifika poet-scholar and has three highly acclaimed collections of poetry. Selina has performed for the Queen at Westminster Abbey and recently poetically MC-ed ‘An Evening with Barack Obama’. It will be a privilege to hear what inspires her to write such powerful poems and perhaps learn how we can all tap into our inner strengths and creativity.
Written by Victoria Clark
As a child, one of Anna Seifried’s regular evening chores involved a bottle of wine and a sock.
Setting the dinner table was a favourite task for the Seifried children; Anna and her older siblings, Heidi and Chris. They’d take turns to choose a wine, slip the bottle into a sock and set it on the table.
Congratulations to Brightwater Vineyards for last night taking out the annual Colin Harrison Memorial Trophy for their 2016 Lord Rutherford Barrique Chardonnay.
The panel of Judges, made up of Neil Hodgson, Juliane Cormier of Casa del Vino and Jane Docherty of Nelson Winegrowers Association (and former Winemaker of Carrick Wines) said that the Brightwater Vineyards Chardonnay was "the best reflection of what you'd expect from a Nelson Chardonnay".
Written by Victoria Clark
Grapevines are not unlike weeds, in that they grow vigorously and need controlling, says Tranja Fry, but unlike weeds, they bring her immense pleasure and she has spent more than 20 years getting to know every vine in her vineyard, Fossil Ridge.
“I enjoy learning about each plant, getting to know it and training it,” says Tranja. “Every plant is different. I like the challenge of pruning them to ensure they’ll perform every season.
Written by Victoria Clark
Twenty-eight vintages on since Jenny Wheeler and her partner Andrew Greenhough established Greenhough Wines, Jenny still marvels at the influence the weather – Mother-Nature - has on the wines we eventually pour and savour.
Written by Victoria Clark
As a child, Beth Eggers planned on “buying a bit of land and raising sheep” once she was old enough.
She grew up and trained in nursing - “something I said I would never do,” she laughs. But, her determination to fulfil her childhood dream never wavered – although, when she visited the centuries-old vineyards of Germany, she happily adjusted that dream to include a little vineyard.
Make sure you clear your diary for Tuesday 18th September 2018, when our annual New Release Tasting is scheduled to be held from 5-7pm at Saxton Oval.
Written by Victoria Clark
Winemaker Trudy Sheild will never forget her first harvest job in the Hunter Valley when her workmate - an Australian named Nigel - assured her: “You don’t need to be a big, burly bloke to be good at this, you just need to know a few tricks.”
We're excited to have Blake Tahapehi from Spencer Hill Estate competing in the Bayer South Island Regional Young Viticulturist competition, which is brand new in 2018 and open to contestants from Nelson, Canterbury and Waitaki. The winner will go on to represent their own region at the National Final.
Now in its third year, the Sommit™ has developed into a coveted wine experience within international sommelier communities. Attended exclusively by sommeliers, and targeted exclusively to their interests, it is a celebration of the lesser known aspects of New Zealand wine, with particular emphasis on the facets that resonate with the sommelier community. Each Sommit™ is restricted to 20 attendees, including hosts Cameron Douglas MS and Stephen Wong MW, and involves sommeliers from all over the world.
Written by Victoria Clark
There was a time when Valley Neale was so chuffed when she sold an entire case of wine, she’d buy herself a celebratory cappuccino.
Author - Steve Gill, Winemaker Te Mania Wines
The growing season started with dry summer type conditions and then ended with wet spring conditions, a real topsy-turvy season.
Great article on our own Sweet Agnes from Women In Wine NZ:
Agnes Seifried from Sefried Estate in Nelson is another of our great pioneers of the New Zealand wine industry. Enjoy reading her story below and how hard work and passion have led to such well earned success.
Great article from Women In Wine NZ on one of our own Pioneers, Judy Finn:
There are many amazing women working in the New Zealand wine industry and we will be sharing stories from women working in all roles and from regions around the country.
One of our original pioneers and very highly respected is Judy Finn from Neudorf in Nelson. She has contributed much to the industry over the years,
Making the ordinary extraordinary.
Day One of Sommit™ 2018 arrived with the full force of Cyclone Fehi hammering our region; destroying a much-loved local iconic restaurant, evacuating families from their homes and burying our hired tables, chairs and wine boxes in half a metre of sand. But despite these obstacles Wine Nelson won the battle. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of a large group of volunteers we were still able to showcase our region not only for our excellence in wine-making but also as a region who care for each other and for the continued success of our wine regions future.
