Vintage Stories

Vintage Stories - Episode 45 - Jannine Rickards

Jannine Rickards is a winemaker who has helped produce some of New Zealand's most storied wines at places such as Ata Rangi and Pegusus Bay.  After a vintage at Ulicher Winery back at her home in Martinborough, she now finds herself as the Chief Winemaker at the biodynamic winery, Urlar based just north of Martinborough in Gladstone.  She is an avid adventurer, hunter, forager and hiker shown by her alias 'The Huntress'.  Follow her adventures on social media @JannineRickards

Vintage Stories - Episode 44 - Xan Harding

Xan Harding is a viticulturist based in the Bridge Pa Triangle region of Hawkes Bay.  He grows for some of Hawkes Bay's top producers such as Trinity Hill, Pernod Ricard, Ashe Ridge as well as having grown trophy award winning wines for Mission Estate and Decibel Wines.  He is on the board of the Hawkes Bay Winegrowers and is entrenched in the proceedings with the tribunal assigned to the controversial WCO in the Hastings region.

Vintage Stories - Episode 43 - Matt Kirby

Winemaker Matt Kirby has been making interesting and progressive wines since his days as a young winemaker in Australia.  Clearview Estate in Hawkes Bay has always been a revered brand.  And since Matt's move to become winemaker at Clearview Estate in TeAwanga they have been on a string of award winning wines and critical praise.  While keeping with some of their traditional success he is also pushing the boundries there with new styles and varietal expressions.

Daniel with Dr. Mark Krasnow on Bridge Pa Triangle

Mark Krasnow is a doctor of viticulture from the United States.  He came to New Zealand in 2010 to lecture at the Eastern Institute of Technology.  He returned in 2015 to begin his consulting firm, Thoughtful Viticulture, for vineyard management and more specifically water stressing vines, aiming to get his clients' vineyards as close to dry farming as possible.  With water usage such a hot topic these days in New Zealand, Mark finds himself in the center of a very heated debate.  Mark is a former associate proffesor at Univerity of California at Davis and the Culinary Institute of America.  He is also co-owner of the Crazy Bay Beer company whose brews can be found around Hawkes Bay and beyond.  

Vintage Stories - Episode 41 - Hayden Penny

Hayden Penny is a talented NZ winemaker who has made wine all over the world.  His passion for organic farming and winegrowing has found him at the forefront of progressive winemaking.  He is the winemaker and viticulturist for 'The Supernatural' and a range of wines that push the envelope in style and innovation while also giving a shout back to classic techniques.  He is also involved in the winemaking for many of Ant McKenzie's wines as well as Askerne Winery.  

With all that was going on in Texas these days and my recent trip through the USA, I thought it was time to release this 'lost episode'.  This one is from the archives.  The never released, elusive Episode 32!!! Kim McPherson makes wine in Lubbock, TX, the home of Buddy Holly.  His wines have gained international recognition as not only some of the best come out of Texas, but the entire US.  His focus is on Rhone Varietals and what he feels works best for viticulture in that part of the country.  He is a unique character and Daniel tracked him down at his tasting room in Texas for a long chat.   Special thanks to Mike Verratti for helping produce this episode.

Jenny Dobson

Our Gimblett Gravels series wraps up with none other than 'The Queen or Reds' Jenny Dobson. If you take a look at some of the best Gimblett Gravels wines ever released, a significant percentage have had Jenny's hand involved. Her work at Sacred Hill, and with Squawking Magpie, Unison Vineyard and William Murdoch have her entrenched in this special appellation. Jenny is also a mentor and educator at heart having started in the late 70s with Steven Spourier in Paris until now, where she continues to educate, from consumers to young winemakers.

This episode is sponsored by the Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing Region. Please visit www.gimblettgravels.com and check out their Annual Vintage Selection.
We're also sponsored by www.decibelwines.com Use the promocode 'DBPODCAST' and receive 10% off your first order.

Richard Painter is the cheif winemaker at TeAwa Estate Winery, whose vineyards stretch over the Gimblett Gravels and the Bridge Pa Triangle appellations.  As the parent company Villa Maria is building their brand new Hawkes Bay Winery on the same site, Richard has found himself in the centre of the Hawkes Bay Wine scene.
This episode is sponsored by the Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing Region.  Please visit www.gimblettgravels.com and check out their Annual Vintage Selection.
We're also sponsored by www.decibelwines.com Use the promocode 'DBPODCAST' and receive 10% off your first order.  

Vintage Stories - Episode 38 - Gordon Russell

It's no surprise Gordon Russell is my first guest to appear on the podcast twice.  Not only is he one of NZ's most respected and unique winemakers, he's also a unique person.  His wines reflect his interest in music, travel and culture.  We had a great conversation about the latest moves within Villa Maria and Esk Valley wineries and his history working with the Gimblett Gravels fruit.  
This episode is sponsored by the Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District.  Please visit www.gimblettgravels.com and check out their Annual Vintage Selection.
We're also sponsored by www.decibelwines.com  use the promo code 'DBPODCAST' to receive 10% off your first order

Vintage Stories - Episode 37 - Warren Gibson (pictured with wife and partner in wine, Lorraine Leheny)

Warren Gibson has established himself in a unique class of winemakers throughout the world.  His work in the last 20 years at Trinity Hill and with his own brands, Bilancia and La Colina, has been exceptional to say the least.  His knowledge of and experience in Hawkes Bay, the Gimblett Gravels and the wine producing world at large is a unique story that we only scratched the surface of in this interview.  

Today's episode is sponsored by the Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District™.  Visit www.gimblettgravels.com to check out the 2015 AVS, a collection of the appellation's best wines from another great vintage in Hawkes Bay.

We're also sponsored by Decibel Wines.  Please visit www.decibelwines.com and use the promo code 'DBPODCAST' to receive 10% off your first order where we ship to places like the USA, the UK, Europe, Australia and of course NZ.