Across the Ditch

26 : NEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND : 27 ACROSS THE DITCH t’s just over a year since the first earthquake tourism group and other individual food and hit Christchurch but that September shake tourism operators. The group’s objective being to was just an aperitif as another was served on raise the region’s profile and develop a strategic the city nearly six months later, causing major marketing program to position the unique Waipara devastation. In cocktail terms the second quake Valley cocktail with plenty of fizz. Misha Wilkinson Iwas a Harvey Wallbanger and then if that wasn’t Clifford is experienced in the food and wine enough a chaser followed in June, causing even sector as well as driving local initiatives. Originally further mayhem and mudslide in the city. from Christchurch, she was educated at Roseworthy After all of these earth shattering events you College and then stayed on in Australia and worked would think that Waipara, one of New Zealand’s for Rockford Wines. Clifford was instrumental in the up-and-coming wine regions, located just 50 establishment of the Barossa Farmers’ Market which minutes’ drive north of Christchurch’s main quake started out in 2001 as a small community event and zone, would be, well, on the rocks? But it seems has become a famous tourist attraction. Moving although the Waipara region has been shaken back to NZ Clifford was elected as the vice chair of they’ve not been stirred from their resolve to put the Farmers’ Market New Zealand Association and Waipara on the map, specifically the tourist map. was responsible for getting the Waipara Farmers’ There’s obvious strain for many in the region, Market off the ground in late 2006. As well as her however it seems there’s also a strong commitment new ambassador role, she runs her own ‘food farm’ in working together as a community to become ‘the at home in Waipara with her husband Nick Gill, most exciting wine and food region in New who’s also the viticulturist for one of the region’s Zealand’ – their newly adopted mantra. hot wineries, Greystone Wines. Angela Clifford, who describes herself as the “We’re not the biggest region or the most well- Waipara Valley ambassador (aka marketing known, in fact we’ve not even been discovered by executive of newly formed promotional group many as yet,” says Clifford. “But we do have an Waipara Valley NZ) has long believed that the amazing range of raw ingredients that makes this a region has all the right ingredients to create very exciting region. And we’re close to the sea so something really special but until now none of we can legitimately talk about limestone – an those elements had been blended together. Prior to important and differentiating factor about our the earthquakes, Clifford had started working with wines. In fact the limestone in the Waipara Valley is a small group in developing a model whereby wine studded with marine fossils and we’re even digging producers could team up with the region’s local up Moas now and again,” adds the ebullient 28 : DESIGNNEW ZEALAND CLINIC WBM October 2011 WBM October 2011 NEW ZEALAND : 29 Gisborne, actually has bigger plantings of one wine retailer, The Village Grape, who is now And the short term is dire but people can see the Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris than operating a pop-up shop out of a couple of shipping opportunity,” says Clifford. “It’s usually hard to get it does Riesling but the Riesling is world class and containers in a carpark just behind their original consensus and get people on the same page but attracts the media attention as does Pinot Noir, store in Sumner, one of the suburbs devastated in this regional initiative has been really easy to put which is certainly the largest area under vine. the quake. Naish says some of the restaurateurs are together. I think people are seeking community – Apart from some great wines, what are the doing catering and private functions since they don’t it’s one of the few things that makes sense.” region’s other key ingredients? A quick glance at the have premises out of which to operate. “But the Both Donaldson and Naish think social media, menu at the Pegasus Bay restaurant will unveil many restaurants in the suburbs are going gangbusters as especially Twitter, is playing a big part in not only of the local goodies including venison, organic free people are still going out but they’re doing it in helping the region get a sense of community but Hemmingway Fine Wines in range eggs, a wide range of local fish and seafood, different places now,” explains Naish. also with helping with the brand message and Christchurch after Clifford. (Note: Moas are a now-extinct flightless black truffles, olives, cheeses and a large range of Paul Donaldson, general manager of Pegasus Bay getting people talking about the region. Although the earthquake. (Photo: Hemminway bird resembling a giant ostrich.) organic vegetables and fruit. The ingredients must Winery, and the youngest of the three Donaldson Donaldson believes a lot of attention has been Fine Wines.) Perhaps it is this blend of the right ingredients that be good because Pegasus Bay has been awarded sons working in the business, said with their main “earthquake sympathy” he’s a big advocate for has given the region some balance and kept them NZ’s best winery restaurant for three years in a row. Pegasus Bay brand there was a big presence in the social media and thinks it’s building a very from tipping over the edge in spite of the bedlam that It was upsetting when the restaurant’s head chef left Christchurch on-premise market before the quake, contemporary brand for Waipara. has surrounded them. Clifford talks about the tipping NZ two weeks after the main earthquake – along but now he estimates 80% of their accounts still “In the past four years there’s been quite a lot point but in a positive way, believing the region is with many others in the region who opted for haven’t reopened. Their second brand, Main Divide, of young new blood in the valley and I think we poised on the very edge of achieving big things. Just something smoother. But fortunately the sous chef which is sold through supermarkets, hasn’t seen would have started this community initiative a few years back Bob Campbell MW said Waipara’s Shawn McGowan stepped up and delivered his such a dramatic decline in volumes but he anyway but after the earthquakes there’s a greater rather dubious claim to fame was its potential. culinary concoctions at such a level it took the considers they’re luckier than many brands since enthusiasm to work together,” says Naish. So has Waipara Valley now found that critical mass restaurant to its fourth consecutive win, which was they don’t totally rely on the on-premise market It’s comes as no surprise that one of the first to be more than just a kiss and a promise? announced just last month. and also export a large percentage of wine. But activities on the agenda for the new Waipara Valley On the winery side, there are certainly those cult So apart from the wine producers, the wine, the there are many smaller wineries who are feeling NZ initiative is a Lamb and Pinot Dinner. And the wineries like Pyramid Valley and Bell Hill that have venison, the truffles, the seafood, the limestone and the impact to a far greater extent and just clutching setting – an old limestone quarry. It may not be all the media and wine cognoscenti abuzz. the fossilised Moa bones, what else does the onto their business and hoping the rebuilding and cosmopolitan, but let’s hope this works as a good Then there are wineries like relative newcomer Waipara region have on offer? “Sheep. We’ve got new regional initiatives will bring positive results. pick-me-up for the region and gives them the shot Greystone Wines whose name has been splashed in sheep. And they’ve been grown here for 150 years,” “As a community we’ve been shaken out of in the arm they need. the headlines and named in Decanter’s Top 20 says Clifford. In fact Canterbury lamb is world complacency and our priorities have been changed. www.waiparavalleynz.com Producers in NZ along with Bell Hill. Pegasus Bay famous (at least in NZ) but Clifford argues the is also in that Top 20 list and not only sheep from the Waipara Valley are a cut above your “The limestone in the Waipara Valley is studded with marine fossils and we’re even digging up Moas now and again.” acknowledged as the region’s top producer but average sheep and there’s also some talk of very much on the top shelf of NZ wineries. And specifically branding Waipara lamb. recently another boutique producer, Black Estate, Unfortunately though, since the quakes there stepped into the limelight taking the Pinot Noir have been many fewer people around to enjoy the Trophy at last year’s International Wine and Spirit local delights with cellar door traffic seriously Competition in the UK. impacted since tourism is down. And business has In addition to these boutique wineries, and a decreased for those local wineries relying on the dash more, some of NZ’s largest wine producers Christchurch market. Penelope Naish, from Black also have substantial investments in the region. Estate, a family owned boutique producer who left Mud House is the largest Waipara wine company her job as a corporate lawyer when the family with wines under the Mud House and Waipara Hills bought the estate in 2007, initially developed a brand, Pernod Ricard was also an early investor in marketing plan focused on being successful in their the Waipara region with the Camshorn vineyard, home market (Christchurch) first.

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