At last year's Hawke's Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards Junction Vineyard won the Hawke's Bay Cellar Door of the Year Award - and that is not a light honour as it is all about approachability, wine knowledge, friendliness and yep, country comfort.
I liked what Jo Ashworth said in the wake of winning the award.
She said the wine sold itself, so essentially they just enjoyed meeting people and "having a yarn".
It was not a job, she added.
"It's farm in the morning and cellar door in the afternoon."
Part of the yarning is almost certainly likely to stray toward rugby, given that John played 24 tests for the All Blacks from 1977 through to his final tour to South Africa in 1986.
It was during John's illustrious career that the cork came off a great plan.
The ABs were touring France and he was handed a glass of pinot noir, which he fell for completely. It was probably even more memorable than scoring under the posts.
And amid the award-winning line-up of Junction wines there is (of course) a pinot noir.
The Ashworths sold their farm in Canterbury in 1985 and headed north, settling on the spread at Takapau where they run their farm and winery.
Part of the scouting mission for a Bay spread involved somewhere they could also grow grapes to make wine, and they were encouraged by their new neighbour Sir Richard Harrison who had a small plot of vines on his property.
He was full of praise for the region's ability to produce good wines, and took John and Jo under his wing and got them started.
It was a modest beginning but they now work about 10ha of vines, and what John may have initially figured was something of an enjoyable hobby did morph into a lot of hard work, determination and true passion to make very good wines.
The medals picked up over the past decade from the Royal Easter Show, Air New Zealand and Bragato awards are testimony to that.
Their son Leith is the winemaker, and he has certainly honed his craft.
As has the whole family in making folk feel welcome at the cellar door which is rich in fine wines as well as fine rugby history in the form of John's caps and jerseys and photos.
They'll host groups by appointment or simply welcome people there in the afternoons . - the farm needs the attention in the mornings.
And yep, John does not tire of sharing some colourful and entertaining tales from those glory days when the silver fern was worn.
The rugby touch is evident when you wander the wine list - 2011 Corner Post Chardonnay, 2010 Runaway Riesling, 2011 Possession Pinot Noir and the 2013 Late Charge.
Ahh, it's like the refreshing slice of orange at half-time.
Sheer country comfort.
CHECK OUT
Junction Vineyard, Junction of SH2 and SH50 Takapau.
Try: The 2011 Sidestep Gewurztraminer, the 2010 Pastime Pinot Gris and the 2011 Corner Post Chardonnay.
Cellar Door: Open during the afternoon or by appointment.
Contact: (06) 855 8321 or 0274455245; joandjohn@junctionwines.co.nz
