Radburnd Cellars: Hawke’s Bay winemaker Kate Radburnd finds new home after cyclone

Prominent Hawke’s Bay winemaker Kate Radburnd says finding a new home for her winery feels like a “shining light” after a dreadful year impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Radburnd has been making wine in the region since the 1980s and had not missed a vintage in over 40 years until the cyclone struck in February.

Radburnd Cellars was badly flooded in Bay View and the winery was unable to make a vintage this year.

After months of looking for a new home and being displaced, including using the old Te Mata Mushrooms site in Havelock North as a temporary storage facility, the winery has now found a new home in Bridge Pa.

Winemaker Kate Radburnd (right), her daughter Penelope (left) with her son Corban, and colleague Jess Fargher at their new home for the winery. Photo / Paul Taylor

Radburnd Cellars has moved into the old Ngatarawa Winery site on Ngatarawa Rd for at least three years, which it is leasing from owner Bostock Wines.

Its wine-making operation, offices and cellar door will all be located on-site and the cellar door will be open from December 27.

“After a dreadful year with the cyclone this has been the shining light to come out of it, because it is a wonderful place for us to be in,” Radburnd said.

“It is just the perfect home for the winery. The grounds are beautiful and there is a lovely peacefulness to the site and we are just delighted to be here.”

Radburnd said she was looking forward to making wine again, and 2024 would be doubly special.

“Vintage 2024 will be the first time my daughter Penelope and I will make wine together.

“It was going to be [this] year but that was obviously knocked on the head with the cyclone, because we did not do a vintage. So it will be an extra special 2024.”

Radburnd Cellars includes a staff team of four women, and Radburnd said potentially closing down the business had never been part of her thinking.

“I think wine is something that we love.

“Probably a sensible person might have thought that, but we are looking to the future and have a great team of women here that is very keen to make this business thrive.”

Fortunately, much of their wine was stored off-site when the floods hit in February, and are still available for sale.

The 2024 vintage, which Radburnd will begin making in March, will not be available for sale for another couple of years.

“Everything we make is aged and barreled.

“The reds are aged for a year and a half or nearly two years and then we bottle them and hold them before we release - so it is a long haul. It is a point of difference for us.”

Radburnd Cellars specialises in Chardonnay, Syrah, and Merlot Cabernet. The company was established in 2018 and wine tastings are by appointment.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.