Back from the brink

A couple whose award-winning vineyard came within a "hair's breadth" of bankruptcy after a double whammy of health problems have toasted the Kiwis who saved their business.

Martyn Nicholls, owner and chief executive of Marlborough's Gravitas winery and his partner Debbie Argus, the general manager, were driving their three-wheel motorbike one January Sunday afternoon when it malfunctioned and hit a concrete post at 80km/h. They were thrown from the bike and sustained serious injuries, including broken legs.

"We had a horrific time," says Nicholls, 52. "My veins had collapsed so they couldn't get morphine into me. I was sent to the plastic surgery ward in Wellington and had a nine-hour operation to fix my legs."

Argus was transferred to Christchurch Hospital with a clot in a lung. During one of six operations, Argus, 49, was found to have lung cancer which had spread to her brain.

The couple were at home briefly before going to Christchurch where Argus had two weeks of radiation therapy. They are home now, largely confined to bed. Argus started chemotherapy last week.

Like many small wineries, Gravitas was already experiencing financial problems because of the recession and an over-supply of wine. With the couple out of action for more than two months, the vineyard was on the brink of ruin.

"We had about $50 left in the account," said Nicholls. "We didn't go bankrupt but we got within a hair's breadth of it."

But the industry rallied around Gravitas. The Fine Wine Delivery Company, the biggest non-supermarket wine retailer in the country, organised a sale of their wines, selling about 6000 cases of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir in 11 days, at 50 to 65 per cent below cost.

Fine Wine Delivery's Jeff Poole said he wanted to do whatever he could to help. Poole's Auckland-based company went into voluntary administration late last year when it hit financial trouble after expanding into Christchurch.

"They were struggling a bit financially and we went through that ourselves last year as a business so we know what it's like. We're taking a modest commission and helping them out."

Poole said the response had been fantastic. "I think a lot of people just want to help a Kiwi business in trouble through no fault of their own.

"It's a feel good thing, but the wines are truly outstanding.

"We've got people saying, 'I feel a bit guilty taking advantage', and I say, 'You're not taking advantage, you're just helping them out and you're going to enjoy the fruits of helping them out'."

Nicholls, a New Zealander who worked overseas for many years, and Argus, an Australian, said there was no truth to the rumours Gravitas had been sold to an American firm. They were blown away by the "Kiwi spirit" of kindness.

"I think it's a real validation of the Kiwi spirit," said Nicholls. "I don't think this would have happened in any other countries that I've worked in."