Turning water into wine

It may not be holy water but it is created by a Christ. Sharu Delilkan talks with a Papatoetoe winemaker.
Al Christ's passion for winemaking began when his family couldn't eat the feijoas from their tree quickly enough.
The Manukau Winemakers & Apiarists Club's new president says he decided to give winemaking a go when he found a barrel among the stuff he'd shipped over from the US.
The former New Yorker, who moved to live in his wife Helen's native New Zealand, says his first batch was not one he's particularly proud of. It was rather murky and full of floaty bits.
Since joining the amateur wine club about three years ago, Al says he's not only perfected clarifying wine but has turned most of the produce from his fruit trees into wine.
In keeping with the fun-loving spirit of the pursuit, Al has created a tongue-in-cheek, non-commercial label bearing a cross that reads ``Christ Wine - it starts with water''.
The 42-year-old Papatoetoe resident says he was a little apprehensive about doing that at first but thought, why not, it's just a bit of fun.
Al says winemaking is great relaxation, a counter to his hectic schedule as Hauraki Gulf island's roading manager which covers the Great Barrier, Waiheke and Rakino islands.
He admits Helen thought he was crazy when he said he was going to make wine. ``It was only when it started coming right that she joined in.''
To date they've made most of their wine from their garden's feijoas, peaches, plums, rhubarb and tamarillos. ``It costs me about $1.50 to make a bottle of wine, and that's a high estimate,'' Al says.
Helen, who won a silver medal at the 2006 Northern Regional Amateur Winemaking Competition for her rhubarb wine, helps keep the logs.
Even though they have rarely had a bad brew, they admit that it's been a learning process.
``I'm still barred from making sparkling red wine since the explosive disaster in the kitchen a year ago,'' says Al. ``We had stuff leaking through the cabinet doors a week after.''
Helen, who is primarily in charge of picking and cutting up the fruit for freezing, says she enjoys their homemade wine more than commercial wines. ``For some reason our wine doesn't give me a headache like commercial wines.''
She also swears their ginger and honey wine has medicinal qualities.
``If any of our friends are coughing or have a sore throat, I give them a bottle of our ginger wine to set them right.''
Although Al and Helen currently make wine as a hobby, he says he can't help wishing to emulate the success story of vodka maker 42 Below someday.
``I know it's never going to happen to me, but there's no harm dreaming.''
The Manukau Winemakers & Apiarists Club meets every second Monday, Acacia Hall, Papatoetoe. Next meeting April 9. Ph Al, 279 9443.