When Steve and Beverley Nathan purchased their vineyard in Ngatarawa Road, Hawke’s Bay it was certainly a jump into the deep end, for neither of them knew much about the process of growing grapes, let alone the process of turning them into a finished wine. They’ve had to learn fast and Steve says the key has been to do a lot of listening. “And then filtering the wealth of neighbourly advice that was at times quite conflicting.”
But it’s a process and a lifestyle that they are both relishing.
“In Auckland we had both been involved in a highly successful software company.” Says Steve. “For some time we had looked seriously at moving to the ‘Bay and carrying on our business with a bit of commuting where necessary since we liked the rural environment and especially the opportunities to give our children a more relaxed upbringing. We already had relatives living in the area, we loved the region and the country atmosphere and knew what we were getting into in terms of the rural lifestyle. One weekend I went down to visit and came back owning a house at Maraekakaho! But we had no intentions of getting into the wine business!”
But just at this point Steve and Beverley were made an offer for their business that they could not refuse. The decision to sell was made and within a few weeks they were permanently settled in in their new home at Maraekakaho, about 15 minutes drive from Hastings. Things seemed to have just fallen into place. The children were soon enrolled in the local school where all the teachers were well acquainted with all of 135 pupils (a far cry from the impersonal hustle and bustle if their 750 pupil city school) and they began to embrace their new country outlook. Quite a fortunate chain of events.
Their move into the wine and grape growing business was almost as serendipitous. Steve spent about several months at Maraekakaho settling into the area but one day happened on the vineyard in Ngatarawa Road. He liked what he saw. “I thought the block had potential and that with some attention it could be made to work quite well.” A handshake sealed the deal with a deer farmer from Dannevirke and the property changed hands. “Quite a bit different to the 130 page deed of sale that my business had entailed!” he says.
Steve had realised that the 6 ha plot of Chardonnay, while a little neglected was already profitably supplying grapes on a contract basis. But he wanted to be a little more ‘hands on’ than the previous owner. “I didn’t want to just grow the fruit and sell it. I consulted friend and respected winemaker Elise Montgomery for advice.
Thinking that I was looking to buy a property she recommended that I think again, but when she found that I had already bought the site and the 13,500 vines, agreed to make the wines. We decided that I would like to keep about 10% of the crop for our own wines, sell the rest on contract while at the same time buying in other fruit to make a realistic portfolio of our own. All this just a few weeks before the 07 vintage, one of the best Hawke’s Bay has seen for a while.”
“The first thing was to make an un-oaked Chardonnay for Bev who had not really liked Chardonnay in her previous Auckland life but who was wooed to the grape with the un-oaked version. She now enjoys our fuller style as well. Then we bought in fruit from the Gimblett Road area to make a Syrah, a Merlot and a Rosé.”
“We also decided to diversify the business by building a tasting room and reception area and begin selling olive oils and other local produce as well as establishing a small art gallery for the likes of artist Lisa Matthys whose design features on our label.”
Salvare now produce two Chardonnays from their own fruit as well as the Rose,Syrah and Merlot from Gimblett Road fruit. “But in the very near future we’re looking to make a Viognier from fruit grown at Puketapu.”
Steve and Beverley are hands on in terms of the vineyard management. They make most of the decisions themselves and get contract help with such things as pruning and leaf plucking. “We get lots of help and advice and that’s one of the things we find so refreshing. In our previous life it would have been unthinkable to give advice or help to someone who was basically a competitor. Now it happens all the time!”
Steve says that he wants their brand and their wines to reflect a relaxed and comfortable lifestyle. “We want to make good wine, have fun doing it and enjoy the family opportunities that the area provides. Already the process of taking something from the ground and guiding both the processing and marketing of it is immensely satisfying.”
“ Perhaps the hardest thing for someone like me to come to terms with is the finite nature of the seasons and the vintages. You only have one shot per year at doing things right. A vintage stuffed is a vintage stuffed, no ‘u turns’ are possible. There’s a lot to learn, from bird control to disease prevention and it’s certainly a new experience to be married to weather reports for two months of the year!!”
But Steve and Beverley would not have it any other way and are looking forward to the opening of their new cellar door and reception area in June this year. They’d love to welcome you there. MG
Tags: New Zealand Wine, Salvare
