Wine Maker Snapshot
Simon Waghorn – Astrolabe
In your opinion, what’s your best vintage vintage to date?
1994 in Gisborne – 3 Gold medal Chardonnays, including the trophy for overall Champion Wine, and a gold medal Merlot – previously unheard of in that region. Sublime weather, plump, sumptuous wines with great balance.
What’s the most rewarding thing about making wine ?
Having full creative input in the process from the way the vines are pruned to how the wine smells and tastes, and how the bottle looks, on the restaurant table. It is great fun to create a house style and craft wines that bring pleasure to our supporters.
What has been your biggest winery/vintage disaster ?
Harvesting too much Sauvignon Blanc in the bumper 2008 vintage – even though the wine was voted world's best at the IWSC. Oh, and I sucked in a fermenter that year, too...
What would you be if you weren’t a winemaker ?
Unemployed – I'm no good at anything else! I may have given marine biology a bit of a crack...
What’s your favourite white wine ?
That is a moving target – currently I'm pretty keen on Riesling from the Mosel.
What’s your favourite red wine ?
Can't decide between Pinot Noir and Cote Rotie. I haven't had many wines that exceeded the 'wow' factor of Guigal La Mouline Cote Rotie.
What’s your favourite food ?
The Bluff oyster, freshly dredged from the icy depths of Foveaux Strait off the south coast of New Zealand - nothing comes even close...
What’s your favourite food and wine match ?
The above with our Kekerengu Sauvignon Blanc.
What has been your best restaurant experience ?
For sheer memorable impact an authentic Shanghai restaurant – zero westerners, too much whisky, noodle dancers, duck's blood, pig's brains, more whisky followed by a foot massage.
Where will you be in ten years from now ?
Still here, doing exactly the same - God and banker willing...