100 Vineyard Stories: Regrets of a Winery CEO

"Yeeah, I do regret getting out of wine making.

Michael completed his Master of Wine examines in 2009. Only 3-5% of those who try, pass the examines, according to Michael. But he still needs to write a 10,000 word dissertation to complete the degree. "There isn't a day that goes by when I don't think about that dissertation, just to finish the thing." Trinity Hill, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

"I was making wine in Spain and had a long distance relationship with a lady in London. We did that long distance thing for three years. It wasn't easy.

"Then I had a wine making job lined up in Argentina. But she didn't want to move there. So I had a decision to make.

"I took a job with Christie's, you know the wine auction company, in London.

"Now I'm CEO here at Trinity Hill in New Zealand, running a winery business. I work on a computer looking at spread sheets and travel a lot. At this stage in my life I can't just drop everything. I'm 43 with two kids. 

"Yeeah, we're divorced now. So I share kid time with my ex.

"Maybe when I'm 50, it'll be time to re-examine things."






Just to be sure that I didn't jeopardize Michael's career, I emailed him parts of the text. He made the following changes:

“Now I'm CEO here at Trinity Hill in New Zealand, running a winery business. At this stage in my life I can't just drop everything. I have 2 two kids who I want to spend quality time with.
 
"Maybe when the kids are older, it'll be time to re-examine things.”




Michael Henley
CEO 
Trinity Hill Winery
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

100 Vineyard Stories: Cellar worker hated Father's winemaking

"When I was growing up, my father made wine. He used anything that would ferment, grass, any kind of fruit, vegetables, squash, anything he could think of. 

"It was awful. I hated the stuff. Completely turned me off to wine.

Nosing Chardonnay juice just squeezed from the press.  Craggy Range Winery, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

"Then I happened to go to a big wine festival down in Wellington. That was my first real wine. I loved it.

Dave Whittington watches Chardonnay juice pouring from the press. Craggy Range Winery, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

"Yeeah, now I've been here Craggy Range through a couple of winemakers. Taught them everything I know."

Dave Whittington  adjusts one of the fermenting tank nozzles during harvest. Craggy Range Winery, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

 

Dave Whittington
Cellar Worker
Craggy Range Winery, Gimblett Gravels Vineyard facility
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Rene Magritte visits a New Zealand vineyard

On the ferry from Auckland (seen in the distant background), to Waiheke Island (not seen),  I saw the strangest thing. 
 

Rene Magritte visits Man O War vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Fortunately, years of transcendental training with remote tribes in Africa gave me the rapid reflexes to capture the vision with my trusty Nikon D810.
 
Later, over the third glass of Pinot gris-Sémillon-blend wine, I wondered if what I saw was Rene Magritte wanting me to experience New Zealand's Waiheke Island wine and vineyards differently?

100 Vineyard Stories: Man O War vineyard manager

Matt Allen, got his job as manager of the Man O War vineyards, Waiheke Island, New Zealand, by replying to a newspaper ad 24 years ago.

Janis: "Which vineyards remind you of your daughters?

Matt: "That's a question I've ever been asked before."

Vineyard Manager, Matt Allen, holds pruning shears while answering unusual questions. Bird- netted vineyards sit in the valley below him. Man O War Winery, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Hesitantly, Matt starts listing vineyards: "Madman, Asylum way out on the east side, Lunatic. And there's the one on a very steep slope." 

(I forgot to clarify if he was referring to himself as parent or his daughters.)

Matt: "Just when you think you have it right, then something happens; you get some excessive rain resulting in excessive vegetation growth. My oldest can get an A one day, and I think everything is going well. Then she gets detention the next day."

Janis: "Whose in charge in your family, you or your wife?"

Matt: "I like to think that I am in charge. But really I'm on the lowest, the 4th rung of the ladder."

Janis: "It's kind of like the vineyard. Whose really in charge?"

Netting keeps the birds from eating all the sweet ripe grapes. Vineyard manager, Matt Allen explained that it takes 6 men to put on the netting and 3 to take it off. But no grapes, no wine. Man O War winery, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Janis: "So how is the vineyard like your family?"

Matt: "Do you have kids?"

Janis: "Yes. Two boys, four grand kids."

Matt: "Well, tending vines is like having a baby every single year. After harvest you are pleased it's all over. You think you can rest. But then you start all over again. Pruning. Tending the weeds. It's crazy."

Matt: "But this is my 24th year of doing it here. Before that in Gisborne."

Janis: "That's a lot of babies."

Man O War Vineyards

One of the most amazing viticultural efforts I've visited in New Zealand, actually the world, are the Man O’ War vineyards.

You can see three blocks of vines not far from one of the little bays found at the east end of Waiheke Island. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Not just one vineyard, the vines are actually planted in 76 individual blocks scattered on 4500 acres on the eastern side of Waiheke Island. Most of the 150 acres of vines are planted on very steep hillsides.

Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Sauvignon blanc harvest. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

When asked about the difficult logistics of moving men and machine over often washed out roads to the scattered vineyards, vineyard manager Matt Allen says: "I wouldn't have it any other way. Doing in the flat would be boring."

Matt as been Man O War vineyard manager for 24 years.

Matt Allen, vineyard manager. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Bird netting. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Besides the vines on Waiheke Island, Man O War Winery has vineyards on adjacent Ponui Island. At harvest, the grapes are barged from Ponui at high tide to the winery on Waiheke Island.

Ponui Island seen from Waiheke.  Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Bird net-covered vineyard and sheep seen from a hill covered with volcanic strewn boulders. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.