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Meet the Brits who have taken the
plunge into New Zealand wine ….
Christine Kernohan
Managing Director and Chief Winemaker,
Gladstone Vineyard, Carterton, New Zealand
www.gladstonevineyard.co.nz
When Christine Kernohan, a Glaswegian
working in IT, decided to start her own
business, she wanted something that would
give her that elusive combination – quality of
life, opportunities for travel, and the challenge
of taking on and growing an international
business. She explains: “Wine gave me a
mixture of indoor, outdoor, hands on and
strategic, in an attractive and growing industry
which suited my science background.”
Since acquiring Gladstone Vineyard in the
heart of the Wairarapa in 1996, Christine and
her husband have grown the business to
become a high quality boutique winery with
an international reputation for distinctive, high
quality wines of finesse and complexity.
Gladstone Vineyard has 13 hectares of
vineyards and winemaking facilities, exporting
their award-winning wines around the world.
Like many owners, they have diversified
to include a busy café and self-catering
accommodation.
After many years living her dream, Christine is
looking for investors to take the business into
its next phase of development: “We are looking
for another passionate wine lover who wishes
to invest in a beautiful place making beautiful
wine.”
Sam and Mandy Weaver
Churton Wines, Blenheim, New Zealand
www.churtonwines.co.nz
Having worked in the London Wine Trade
for many years and with a number of family
members in New Zealand, Sam and Mandy
took a ‘working holiday’ in 1988 to experience
the New Zealand wine business and have
never looked back! Wanting to return to
his winemaking grassroots (with a degree
in Microbiology), Sam started working in
wineries in Marlborough. In 1997, the couple
established Churton Wines to make their own
mark in the industry. Sam explains: “Choosing
to establish our own wine company in New
Zealand fulfilled our love of the land, wine
and the freedom to try something of our
own celebrating our new home with a link to
markets in our previous home.”
For Mandy, moving to New Zealand has
provided the perfect opportunity to try
something they would never have been able
to do in Europe: “We have been able to carve a
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