ROGUES GALLERY

How did you end up (held captive) in Central Otago?

I came here for 1 vintage... never left ( apart from doing overseas harvests) The people and the pinot.

Best kept secret of Bannockburn?

The peace and quiet.....apart from, of course, when there's 20 frost fans and 10 helicopters frost fighting at 4am!

Once convicted, what is your last meal?

Wow, can I have a year or two to think about this one??

Crimes against wine?

I once saw someone put ice in Pinot Noir - that's just wrong!

What made you love wine?

Nothing "made" me love wine, wine is just so lovable!

Fantasy hideout when on the run (other than Bannockburn)?

Golden Bay, with a well stocked cellar, a fishing rod and lots of sunscreen!

Favourite Terra Sancta Wine?

Shingle beach PN today, tomorrow could be Slapjack PN or Riverblock Chardonnay or.....

Best kept secret of Bannockburn?

Certainly not the baby doll sheep!! although that would technically be rustling?

What made you love wine?

A romantic, unexpected meeting with an Alsatian Riesling in 2002. Blew my mind, and changed my life.

How did you end up (held captive) in Central Otago?

I blame it on the Riesling.

Best kept secret of Bannockburn?

The prolific medicinal herbs and wild flowers that surround us. Excitement abounds for an aspiring florist and herbalist.

Once convicted, what is your last meal?

Terra Sancta Rosé with a side of fresh West Coast whitebait fritters made with Terra Sancta eggs, new season asparagus, Terra Sancta Extra Virgin Olive Oil and salt - lots of salt, always.

Crimes against wine?

Adding ice to Terra Sancta Rosé.

Favourite Terra Sancta Wine?

Terra Sancta Aperitivo Botanical. It took over two years to create - it was touch and go as to whether it would ever actually come to fruition. It's also delicious. One sip is all it takes and the whole bottle is in danger.

Stuff to steal in Central Otago?

Wild thyme to dry and then add to cooking year-round.

How did you end up (held captive) in Central Otago?

Following the words, of a great wine sage, "find the best vineyard you can because you can't out perform your vineyard", led to the far end of Felton Road, Bannockburn..

What made you love wine?

Back in the heady days of the 1990s in Manhattan, the law firm I was working for inexplicably and serendipitously gave me control of the wine buying budget which basically opened up an entire world of ridiculous wine.

Once convicted, what is your last meal?

A black truffle cheese burger from Bix in San Francisco washed down with a bottle of Terra Sancta Estate Jackson's Block 2016. Perfection.

Favourite Terra Sancta Wine?

Lola's Block Pinot Gris - named after my mother Lola. Pinot Gris was her favourite varietal, and the first wine we loved sharing together. She also introduced me to Pinot Noir - with a bottle of Calera Reed Pinot Noir at Union Square Cafe in 1993. She can be blamed for a lot!

Crimes against wine?

Adding a laundry list of additives during the winemaking process. Winemakers who talk the vineyard, and add enzyme to manage the colour of their Pinot Noir, for example. Hocus.

Fantasy hideout when on the run (other than Bannockburn)?

Tribeca, NYC.

Best kept secret of Bannockburn?

What a great pleasure it is to have Robin Dicey as our next door neighbour...we love seeing Robin coming down the drive and wondering what tidings he shall bring...

How did you end up (held captive) in Central Otago?

I'm on the run from my homeland of South Africa with my family - don't tell anyone.

Best kept secret of Bannockburn?

The incredible starry skies that I see when I'm called out in the middle of the night due to the call of a frost alarm - the silver lining.

Once convicted, what is your last meal?

Oxtail 'poitjiekos' (stew made in a round, 3-legged black cast iron pot) cooked for at least 3 hours on an open fire followed with 'malva' pudding and custard... yum! 

Crimes against wine?

Desecrating a good wine by cooking with it.

What made you love wine?

Whilst studying viticulture, I worked part time for a top South African wine estate conducting wine tastings and cellar tours. I was exposed to many different wines and was fascinated.

Fantasy hideout when on the run (other than Bannockburn)?

In my Tiny House on my plot in Germany.

Stuff to steal in Central Otago?

The Beatle bug spider at the entrance to Highlands Motorpark - our girls love it!!

How did you end up (held captive) in Central Otago?

After spending 8 years drowning in the rain that came from every direction in Scotland, Central Otago became my home in 2010.

Best kept secret of Bannockburn?

There is a beautiful stone cottage Cellar Door near the end of Felton Road...

Once convicted, what is your last meal?

Grilled West Coast Crayfish.... With Terra Sancta Riverblock Chardonnay of course.

Crimes against wine?

People who claim to be ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) - they clearly haven't tried a good one!

What made you love wine?

1997, a visit to Blackridge, Gibbston Valley and Chard Farm and tasting Riesling and Pinot Noir ignited my taste buds and I have been infatuated with Central Otago Wines since.

Fantasy hideout when on the run (other than Bannockburn)?

Haast, holed up with a few bottles of Terra Sancta Wines.

Favourite Terra Sancta Wine?

Terra Sancta is lucky to have such an amazing Winemaker. Austin expertly makes his wines to have the most amazing mouthfeel. My favourite wine depends on the time of day, season and who I am with. At the moment it is the Terra Sancta Chardonnay 2019, a beautifully made Central Otago Chardonnay to change all those ABC people's minds. In winter definitely the Jacksons Block Pinot, a beautiful example of a Bannockburn Pinot Noir.

Stuff to steal in Bannockburn?

The Bannockburn Fingerboard sign.

How did you end up (held captive) in Central Otago?

After seven seasons in Marlborough I happily followed my partner to Wanaka. We had visited Central Otago the previous year, so when she told me she got a job offer down here I was pretty excited about the new beginning in front of me. And I absolutely don’t regret it.

Best kept secret in Bannockburn?

Terra Sancta Aperitivo, mystical and delicious!!

Once convicted, what is your last meal?

True Chilean charcoal “asado” (BBQ) with a big beef steak, chorizo and traditional empanadas accompanied by a SlapJack Terra Sancta Pinot Noir, it’s a perfect match, is too much to ask?

Crimes against wine?

Make the wine Industry look more and more like a big factory, less art more recipes

What made you love wine?

“The Connection” Wine connects your sensorial perception having an experience with every bottle of wine that you open, that always blows my mind!!. Also wine connects family, friends, colleagues and people from all over the globe in an atmosphere of good vibes and energy

Fantasy hideout when on the run (other than Bannockburn)?

Bottle beach on Koh Phangan Thailand, paradise on Earth

Favourite Terra Sancta wine?

There is a Terra Sancta wine for any occasion but i’m a really huge fan of Slapjack Terra Sancta Pinot Noir, it’s a wine with great personality and a great one to drink in front of the fire during a cold winter in Central Otago

Stuff to steal in Central Otago?

Remarkable Wines, tasty fruit, landscape and amazing life

How did you end up (held captive) in Central Otago?

I came down for a ski holiday with my husband and fell in love with Queenstown. Before I knew it we had bought a house in Queenstown on a whim, we had no jobs and no real plan but it was the best rash decision we ever made!

Best kept secret of Bannockburn?

Terra Sancta Cellar Door at the end of Felton Road. It has to be one of the most picturesque spots in Bannockburn.

Crimes against wine?

Goon bags!

Once convicted, what is your last meal?

An Indian banquet with a side of KFC Wicked Wings!

What made you love wine?

Learning about it as my tastes changed and evolved. The wine tasted better the more I learned about the history of the vineyard and how it was cultivated.

Fantasy hideout when on the run (other than Bannockburn)?

A small ski resort anywhere in Japan.

Favourite Terra Sancta Wine?

Rosé - hands down the best in New Zealand and the best thing to enjoy overlooking the lake in Queenstown.

How did you end up (held captive) in Central Otago?

It has been a love affair with Central Otago going back 20 years. We finally made the leap after Covid lockdowns made us look at our life and lifestyle and moved from the big smoke of windy Wellington.

Best kept secret of Bannockburn?

Slapjack 2018...we can't tell you the secret, but it is phenomenal.

Once convicted, what is your last meal?

Red duck curry from Dragonfly restaurant in Wellington, or anything from their menu. Just devine.

Crimes against wine?

When the Rosé is pinker than my lipstick...you know it is fake.

What made you love wine?

It brings joy to the world. What more can I say!

Fantasy hideout when on the run (other than Bannockburn)?

Waimarama Beach...I am a Hawkes Bay girl after all.

Favourite Terra Sancta Wine?

I have to say I love the Special Release First Vines Rosé. Summer in a bottle!

Stuff to steal in Central Otago?

Peaches and make my world famous (well NZ Family famous) peach chutney.

As free as free can be, the Ladies are valued members of the Terra Sancta team. Brought on board to spread their good soil enriching qualities throughout the Terra Sancta Estate, they make a valuable contribution to our soil health programme. And when they feel like a good lay, they return to their luxury accomodation on wheels, their caravan, to lay their eggs - a delicious by-product of their work in the vineyard. These ladies rarely stop working and seem to love their lines of business being named employees of the year for three straight years. If you ever find an egg included with your wine package, you now know why - their enthusiasm for their work knows no bounds!

The Harry Hudinis of the animal world, Terra Sancta has spent an irrational amount of time and money trying to contain these rascals. Living proof that the grass is always greener on the other side, they are constantly trying to escape their homeland in search of delectable treats like our neighbour’s prized Elm tree. Resulting in nearly turf warfare in upper Felton Road, these two are perhaps the greatest rogues of all. Regardless, they have made friends in influential places and their position on the team, despite negligible tangible value add, remains secure.