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