Toast to winemaking's past

The Hawke's Bay wine vintages of 2013 and 2014 were exceptional and 2015 has already made a mark on the industry throughout the region - through the release of this equally exceptional book.

It is so extensively researched, detailed and entertainingly written that I think it would be fair to say that many of the well-versed and experienced hands across the Bay's winemaking landscape will come to parts of it and sit back and say "that's interesting ... I didn't know that".

And while it is a valuable piece of winemaking history which will be toasted by those who work within it, it is equally valuable as a slice of the region's overall history - especially the very early days when the very first vines were put down across a region which was unrecognisable back then.

Although the soils within this region by coast were recognised as fine ones to encourage good grape growth.

A gentleman by the name of Romeo Bragato, a prophet of the wine world, spotted that in the late 19th century during a visit here.

He wrote: "It possesses thousands of acres which, by reason of the nature of the soil, natural drainage and sufficient heat, will produce grapes of both table and wine-making varieties in rich abundance."

He was indeed, spot on.

There are so many great stories from those fledgling years, including that of Tom McDonald whose name continues to live on through the Church Road Winery's McDonald Series wines.

He started out washing bottles and was a teenager when he began running a vineyard ... he would go on to see 53 vintages.

And Henry Tiffen, one of the first to plant vines, and in later times well-known names like Vidal (the brothers Cecil, Frank and Leslie) and Corban, with Alwyn steering the Ngatarawa ship today.

The book moves through the ages and eras in an easy and comfortable to read way - it's like sipping a very fine wine.

You take your time, enjoy, and take in the flavours.

All the leading lights of the industry are colourfully profiled - there are too many to list and there are too many remarkable stories to roll out.

The 200 pages are split into five parts.

In The Beginning (1836-1920), The Dark Ages (1920-1975), The Renaissance (1975-1995) and The Flourishing (1995-to the present).

And in the middle there is a great feature piece by Peter Cowley detailing the unique soil and growing features across the region.

The statistics are staggering - 5000ha of vineyards shared by 72 wineries and 123 independent grape growers.

The way wine is made and the way varieties are created - and hey, they still use the old bare feet on some special occasions just to prove that fine winemaking is "a labour of love".

It is a concise and colourful explanation as to just what it is out there across the fields and paddocks which make this region so remarkable for making a fine drop.

The creation of the Gimblett Gravels is an intriguing read, and testimony to the determination of people like Alan Limmer, Chris Pask, John Buck and the Babich family who fought, and funded that fight, to keep the region from becoming a shingle extraction site.

Again, the research is thorough and the whole saga of the gravels development is a great and enlightening read.

Throughout the book the historical photographs are absolute gems.

There is the head of the local Mission brothers standing amidst the vine in his robes and white collar ... and cigarillo in hand.

And the two nattily attired chaps who promoted Taradale Wines (later McDonald Wines) at the Stratford A&P Show in 1917.

Great shots through all the eras - even from the bad hair days of the '70s and '80s which brought several memories back for me.

As did a couple of labels.

Mission's Sparkling Pink Fontanella and McWilliams' Cresta Dore.

And of course Glenvale's Sparkling White Seibel.

Just delightful.

As are photographer Tim Whittaker's shots of the unique landscape of wineries today and the people who have made it an industry which is internationally recognised and lauded.

The 'Flourishing' chapter shows the rapid and remarkable advances as the vintages excelled and the skills grew.

So many people with so much passion.

A passion sparked back in 1851 when French missionaries from the Order of St Mary planted vines at Pakowhai.

-Wine: Stories From Hawke's Bay

By Mark Sweet

BayBuzz, $69