Vineyard owners say New Zealand's products might not have reached foreign tables without Sir George Fistonich's influence
He might have a lengthy legal battle ahead of him, but to some fellow winemakers, Sir George Fistonich still stands as the 'Godfather' of New Zealand winemaking.
The renowned New Zealand winemaker had his first day in court this week, after launching a number of legal claims against Calibre Partners' Brendon Gibson and Neale Jackson, the appointed receivers of Villa Maria’s former parent company and sole shareholder, FFWL.
Last May, FFWL was put into receivership. A receivers' report later revealed the company owed Rabobank and ANZ about $212 million and Indevin New Zealand purchased the Villa Maria Estate business for $190m.
The winery’s treasured Māngere site, which doubled as a concert venue, ended up in the hands of Goodman Property Trust for $75m, but Fistonich believed the land was valued at a much higher price than that.
He established Villa Maria in 1961 and has gone on to be an influential figure in this country’s industry.
Among those who hold him in high esteem is Judy Finn. She’s the co-founder of Neudorf Vineyards, a Nelson-based business that has grown since she and her husband Tim planted the first vines in 1978.
“George is an exemplar, he is a perfectionist. We call him the Godfather of the modern wine industry in New Zealand,” she says.
“I remember when our daughter Rosie went to university and I said, ‘You haven’t got any money for wine, but just buy Villa Maria because you can get the white label at nine bucks a bottle and you still won’t get a headache," – Judy Finn, Neudorf Vineyards
Finn says he was the vision behind Family of Twelve, an industry group made up of top-shelf winemakers, and a big advocate for collaborating to crack into overseas markets, according to Finn.
“We did a lot of trips together to make sure that there [were] great New Zealand wines to be seen up there among great wine producers throughout the world.”
Fistonich’s range spanned a range of tastes when it came to both budget and flavours, she says.
“I remember when our daughter Rosie went to university and I said, ‘You haven’t got any money for wine, but just buy Villa Maria because you can get the white label at nine bucks a bottle and you still won’t get a headache.”
Helen Masters, who has held the winemaker post at Ata Rangi’s for nearly two decades, says New Zealand wine wouldn’t be the same without Fistonich’s input and leadership.
“We’ve all benefited from the work he’s done, and we will continue to benefit." Helen Masters, Ata Rangi winemaker
“We have a huge admiration for the work George has done in terms of building the brand of New Zealand wine, not only Villa Maria, and his ability to take that wine to the world.”
Masters has worked with Fistonich through the Family of Twelve, collaborating on marketing initiatives to see New Zealand wines put on foreign tables.
“We feel sad that’s how it's finished for him, but we have huge admiration and respect … He opened up export markets that didn’t previously exist for New Zealand wine, purely through determination and hard work,” she says.
“We’ve all benefited from the work he’s done, and we will continue to benefit.”
