Spring 2026, an update from Jane

Winter at Hunter’s

It has been an extremely cold and wet winter, but thankfully there are signs that warmer weather is finally on its way. The days are getting longer and brighter, and I love seeing the first little buds appearing in the garden. It’s a lovely reminder that spring isn’t too far away.

There’s plenty happening in the vineyards too. Pruning is well underway, we have a few small areas being replanted, and we’re busy getting the irrigation lines and frost machines ready for the season ahead. There is always plenty to do at this time of year!

We’ve also been very fortunate to lease some mature vineyards adjoining our own. Jim and his crew are now gearing up to take on this extra area, which is an exciting addition for us and will keep everyone busy over the coming season.

We’re also in the middle of planning some very special events here in New Zealand and in the UK to celebrate the 40th anniversary of what was a pretty amazing moment for us — our spectacular win at the 1986 Sunday Times Vintage Festival in London.

I can still remember the phone call I received very early one morning from a very excited Ernie. He was absolutely ecstatic and so proud that one of our wines had cleaned up across all three days of the show. We won the Judges’ Gold, as well as the popular vote from the wine enthusiasts who attended.

It was the first time a New Zealand wine had won these awards, so it was a huge moment for us and for New Zealand wine. When Ernie arrived home, he was interviewed on television and radio, journalists were writing stories for newspapers around the country, and we even received telegrams from Parliamentarians.

Looking back, it really was one of those moments when you realised that something special was happening for New Zealand wine.

That win really opened the door for us. It was the beginning of our export journey, and suddenly we found ourselves needing to increase production to keep up with the growing demand. But one thing we were determined not to lose along the way was our old catch cry — Quality Before Quantity. That has stayed with us ever since.

As we’ve grown, James has overseen some great improvements to our bottling line. It has made a big difference to our capacity, but what I particularly like is the incredible number of checks and balances built into the process. It gives us real confidence that every bottle leaving the winery is bottled exactly to specification.

It’s been a busy few months getting our wines out and about and meeting wine lovers at all sorts of events.

James has been heading north regularly, doing some lovely small, intimate tastings with different groups, as well as a bigger tasting for one of our major customers, Moore Wilson’s in Wellington. It’s always great to get out and meet people, talk about the wines and hear what they think. These smaller tastings are particularly nice as there is plenty of time for conversation and sharing a few stories along the way.

James and Adam have also just been to Winetopia in Auckland, where they poured our wines over two busy days. It’s a pretty full-on event, but a great opportunity to meet lots of wine enthusiasts and introduce them to Hunter’s and the story behind our wines.

I also had the pleasure of hosting a dinner at one of my favourite places, the beautiful Otahuna Lodge. Our wines were matched with Chef Jimmy’s delicious food, and it was a really lovely evening. There’s something pretty special about sitting around a table with good food, good wine and good company!

Our sponsorships have kept us busy too. Although the Nelson Giants didn’t quite make the finals this year, we had a fantastic time at the games. They’re always a great opportunity for us to get together, have some fun and support the team. We also get such lovely feedback about our involvement, which makes it all worthwhile.

We were also very happy to support Sweet Louise with wines for one of their major fundraising events. It was lovely to contribute to an evening raising money to support people living with incurable breast cancer.

The year is certainly whizzing by, but we’re all enjoying getting out there and presenting our wines, both near and far. And, of course, if you’re travelling through Marlborough, do come and see us. We’d love to welcome you and show you around.

Ciao,

Jane