Book review: A Vintner’s Tale by Peter Hubscher
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Winemaker and author Peter Hubscher. Tironui Music Trust
This is the most engaging book I have read in a long time. It is a biography written by a remarkable man. I cannot think of anyone who has had a greater impact on the New Zealand wine industry.
The book is threaded with Hubscher’s dry humour that makes it a good read.Hubscher started as a winemaker for Montana Wines in 1973 (now Brancott Estate, owned by the French group, Pernod Ricard), was promoted to managing director in 1991 and retired in 2001.
“The wine years have been something of a worry as I feel no adequate record exists of the transition the industry made from its foundation built on New Zealand fortified plonk to the time that Montana flourished and led the industry in so many areas. My response has been to write a book to record both the hellish times that occurred in New Zealand’s wine making infancy, and the pride in the shared achievements of so many people in creating a great local company that was internationally recognised but unfortunately no longer exists,” he writes.
Front cover of A Vintner’s Tale. Hartill PR
A Vintner’s Tale* takes the reader back to the dark days of Cold Duck, sherry made by adding sugar to grape skins and the dreaded Poulet Poulet, an orange-flavoured sparkling wine that probably still ranks as the company’s greatest product failure.
It’s a wine marketer’s manual that should be read by everyone who makes, markets and drinks wine. The book is threaded with Hubscher’s dry humour that makes it a good read. I read it over two evenings not once but twice.
Marlborough has just celebrated its 50th anniversary since vines were first planted there. A less celebrated fact is that most of the vines died after a severe drought the following year. The re-planted vines thrived once irrigation was established, leading to the world’s most successful new wine brand in the past 50 years.
Despite its current success Hubscher believes that the days of Marlborough sauvignon blanc are numbered. I cannot disagree, but given the present healthy state of the international market it may be quite some time before ‘savvy’ turns up its tendrils.
*A Vintner’s Tale, by Peter Hubscher. Nationwide Book Distributors (NZD $50)