Neudorf Vineyards founded by Tim in Judy Finn in Upper Moutere, near Nelson at the top of the South Island celebrates a major milestone this year as they release their 40th Vintage. A significant history when you consider the New Zealand wine industry isn’t that much older - making the Finns a founding family of NZ Wine.
Massive congratulations Neudorf!
This from the team at Neudorf Vineyards:
Tim & Judy Finn
In October, Neudorf Vineyards released their 40th vintage – a testament to hard work, high hopes, common-sense and good humour.
The aims of the family winery near Nelson haven’t waivered in the last four decades – in 1981 as Tim and Judy Finn picked the first grapes from their small Upper Moutere vineyard, they were striving for the best out of their land.
At that stage there were only a handful of vineyards in New Zealand, and Neudorf was just Nelson’s second to go into production. Talking to Judy Finn, what astounds is their sheer bravery, mixed with hopeful naivety.
“We have come a long way since the long drop, the home-made grafting machine and the armchair tied to the back of the tractor where I held two water guns to ensure young vines survived,” Judy says. “Today’s Health and Safety would have had a fit.”
Thankfully a few things have changed at Neudorf, flushing loos for one – but the aim of making great wine and seeing it on the world’s best wine lists remains the same.
Sustainability has always been at the heart of Neudorf. Tim was inspired by the “back to the land” movement of the late 60s, so it’s only fitting that today Neudorf is not only run organically (certified BIO GRO 5438) but runs on solar power from panels installed on the north side of the red winery roof. Their three blocks are dry farmed, everything is composted and the forklift is electric.
Winemaker Todd Stevens & Marketing & Sales Director Rosie Finn
However, sustainability is more than environmental standards alone, and after over four decades of global recognition for their portfolio, Neudorf has cemented itself in the best of New Zealand wine.
There have been some significant highlights over the years – Neudorf Home Block Moutere Chardonnay scoring Bob Campbell’s first ever 100 points, Home Vineyard Moutere Pinot Noir making the cover of Decanter magazine and an abundance of world class reviews.
But, as Judy says, it is an industry that keeps you humble: “There is always another wine, another weather event, a new style. It’s ever changing and that’s what keeps it interesting and why we love the challenge.”
Today, Tim and Judy’s daughter Rosie along with GM and Winemaker Todd Stevens are at the helm of Neudorf.
“Todd is very forward thinking and a strategist at heart, we know that Neudorf is in a very safe pair of hands as we attempt to retire and step back from the day-to-day running of the company.”
Rosie joined the company six years ago and is now a director, but she prefers to style herself as ‘International Cheerleader’.
“Rosie promised to ‘never work in the family business’ as a teenager,” Judy recalls, “so it is a joy to have her home and witness as she works with Todd to move the company into a new era.”
“I guess after 40 years, there are some people I would like to thank, because we absolutely wouldn’t be here without them - the familiar and loyal names that have been buying our wine all this time, the distributors who place our wine in great restaurants – impossible to do from Upper Moutere, fellow winemakers who have been on the end of the phone for advice, dropped in for a glass and shared triumphs and losses. But mostly - the people who have worked with us over the years – there was a time we thought we could do it ourselves, how wrong we were. Picking, pruning, accounting, it takes a small but dedicated team. Tim and I are forever grateful.”
Cheers to the next 40.