Anchorage Wines

About Anchorage...

Now one of the Nelson region's longer established wine companies, Anchorage Wines has taken a step forward, investing in its own winery and further cementing exports to a variety of markets.

Founding family, the Drummonds, hold firm to their belief that the rich fertile soils surrounding the Motueka township, coupled with balmy sea breezes and some of New Zealand's consistently highest sunshine readings are the ideal climate in which to craft their aromatic wines. Grapes from their vineyards in the nearby Moutere add a further dimension to their range of classic aromatic varieties.

Next door to the scenic adventure playground of the Abel Tasman National Park, their vineyards produce high quality Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Viognier, both for the Anchorage label and the company's export label Torrent Bay.

The first of the vines were planted by the Drummond family in the spring of 2000 in rich river loam beside the mouth of the Motueka River, with expansion since then to take advantage of terroir in surrounding fertile horticultural areas, already renowned for hops, black currants, raspberries and a variety of pip and stone fruit.

Vibrant, fertile river flats with loamy, sandy soils ensure vigourous growth with careful vineyard management in the Motueka and Riwaka vineyards while the heavier but no less fertile soils in the Moutere are coupled with incredibly hot temperatures, combine to produce a mouth-filling array of aromas and flavours in the resultant wines.

Pioneers in horticulture and agriculture in the region since the 1800s, the Drummonds now use their land-savvy and more than a century of local knowledge passed down from generation to generation to produce their own wine savvy.

The Anchorage label was initiated in 2003 and is growing every year. Along with New Zealand's sought-after Sauvignon Blanc, the Anchorage label now includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Viognier.

Harvest volumes in 2007 made Nelson New Zealand's fourth most productive vineyard region; home to 28 listed wine producers and 58 registered grape growers who between them have 752ha. Vintage 2007 produced more than 5190 tonnes of grapes harvested from Nelson vineyards, many of them aromatic varieties that the region is becoming better known for.

Viticulture occupies scattered pockets with a range of horticultural activities on the alluvial loam soils of the Waimea Plains and in the folds and valleys of the beautiful hills throughout the district. Soil structure here changes to clay loams over hard clay subsoil. Nelson winemakers specialise and excel in grape varieties that respond to cooler growing conditions. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir varieties account for more than 80% of the region's vineyard area.

Anchorage Wines has been exported to Australia since 2005, and more recently to the United States, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, Ukraine and England.

The Name...

The Anchorage label pays tribute to one of the most beautiful bays in the Abel Tasman National Park. Traditionally called Brown's Bay, it is colloquially known as Anchorage because of the safe haven it provides for yachts and launches.

Anchorage Bay is at the heart of the region's thriving eco-tourism business, offering kayaking, bush walks, water skiing, swimming and an assortment of beach-associated sports and relaxation activities.

The Team...

Anchorage winemaker Justin Papesch relocated to the region in 2007, to work full-time for the Drummond family. Busy since then establishing the Anchorage winery.
For him, winemaking is a team effort and starts in the vineyard.

Justin started his winemaking career almost 20 years ago as a winery cellar hand with Montana in Auckland, before working his way up the ladder to be head winemaker at Lincoln Wines. Marlborough then beckoned and after a vintage with Wither Hills in Marlborough, Justin took over as head winemaker for a Marlborough-based contract winemaking company which co-incidentally signed Anchorage up as a client the following year.

He has been making wines for Anchorage since its first vintage in 2003; helping improve the company's vineyard regime at the same time and helping put into place sustainable winegrowing practices.

Anchorage Sales Manager Chris Drummond is the driving force behind his family's winemaking business. In 2002, the Drummond family planted a few hectares of grapes and the rest is history. What started out as adding another string to their horticultural bow has now firmly taken over, with row upon row of aromatic vines replacing the family's apples, pears and kiwifruit.

Chris set up Anchorage Wines NZ Ltd, producing the first small vintage of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in 2003, selling it under the label of the same name. Rapid sales convinced him it was the way of the future so the following vintage Anchorage produced Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

In December 2005 Chris gave up his accountancy job to concentrate on Anchorage full-time and now runs the financial side of the business as well as undertaking its sales and marketing. From 400 cases in the first year, production has increased to 40,000 cases and is still growing. Most of the growth comes from export orders, although Anchorage is just as keen to maintain its focus on New Zealand markets too, with Chris predicting volumes of up to 70,000 cases in the future.

For Chris it is about keeping existing customers happy and building up new customers slowly, while making the best possible wines. Part of that strategy includes the company focusing on different clones and parts of the various vineyards that are producing fruit with high flavour concentrations. Aromatics, says Chris, have a huge future ahead of them.

Head Viticulturist Gavin Drummond opted to join the tobacco growing industry when he left school then moved to processing the product for Rothmans in Motueka. When the family bought an apple orchard, he joined his father Ray in forming Riwaka Fruit and Vegetables, working mainly in pip fruit orcharding until 2000 when they decided to grow grapes.
Gavin and Ray considered grapes in 1992 but decided not to proceed then after a Ministry of Agriculture report deemed grapes "too risky'. Married to Jo, whose parents live in nearby Marlborough, Gavin was over there regularly, watching its burgeoning wine industry and decided it was time to "give it a go". The family company became Riwaka Viticulture and vineyards of chardonnay, sauvignon, pinot gris and pinot noir were planted on leased land. Gavin is now managing director of Riwaka Viticulture which looks after the leased vineyards and 40 hectares of the family's own vineyards, in addition to providing a full range of viticultural services - from planting to picking - for clients. Work aside, Gavin enjoys boating, fishing and spend ding time with wife Jo and daughters Gabrielle, 8, and Paige, 10. Jo is also a part of the family business, having worked in the vineyards for the last five years before signing on as office admin and PA for Torrent Bay Vintners.

Family patriarch Ray Drummond traces his roots back to 1842 when his ancestors first arrived to till the soil. Born and bred in Motueka, Ray is a man of the land, a Kiwi farmer who's seldom happier than when he's driving his bulldozer or pacing out a paddock. First he farmed tobacco, then kiwifruit and apples and now he's moved on to grapes; keenly supporting his sons' moves to be in charge of their own destinies.
"The thing with grapes is we've gone right through the process, from preparing the land to growing them, looking after them, and now that we have the winery, making the wine and selling it."
Along the way he's become "pretty attached" to riesling and also enjoys a glass of pinot noir with a meal. And when he's not at one of the various vineyards, Ray enjoys boating and heading away with wife Alison in their motorhome.