TOP STORY: Bay's elephantine winery

LAWRENCE GULLERY
A $40 million winery estate development will be among the biggest investments in Hawke's Bay's wine industry.
Construction work on Elephant Hill Estate and Winery, Te Awanga, will be completed at the end of this year, marking a sizeable investment by German couple Roger and Reydan Weiss, who are the principals of the estate.
Vines at the 25ha seaside property were planted in 2003 and will produce a 50-tonne harvest this year, producing sauvignon blanc and chardonnay wines.
When the estate is operational it is likely to produce 200 tonnes of grapes but will be capable of handling 400 to 600 tonnes.
The estate's main building will include a restaurant with views towards Cape Kidnappers. The dining area will be surrounded by a lake and there will be a lounge area and a cellar.
The building was designed by architect John Blair, who also designed Craggy Range Vineyard near Havelock North.
The estate's managing director, Gunter Thies, also from Germany, said Hawke's Bay's burgeoning winery industry was enough incentive to leave Europe in exchange for a new life here.
The experienced wine exporter had worked in Germany's wine industry for 20 years but is now looking forward to being part of Elephant Hill's inception.
"In Germany everything has been around for centuries. A lot of the methods used have not changed much over the years because families have been in the business for a long time and they have established their reputation," Mr Thies said.
"This was an opportunity to be part of a programme starting from the beginning. We have a chance to build our own reputation," he said.
Mr Thies, who arrived in Hawke's Bay in August last year, said Elephant Hill had an excellent team, from winemaker Steve Skinner to the builders constructing the estate's main buildings.
"We are always talking about how we can do things better," he said.
Mr Thies said the Weiss family decided to name the estate after an Elephant because in some cultures, such as India, the animal is considered a lucky charm.
"The Elephant gives luck and this is a hillside vineyard," he said.
The Weiss family have built a home in Hawke's Bay and will split their time between New Zealand and Germany.
Elephant Hill had established ties with other vineyards and hoped to be part of the Hawke's Bay wine marketing push overseas.
"Most of our wine will be for the export market, about 80 percent, and 20 percent will go to the domestic market, Mr Thies said. "I've travelled to the US selling our wine and at the moment all the talk is about Marlborough.
"I think it is important that people come together to promote the Hawke's Bay brand." he said.
Mr Thies said Hawke's Bay would do well to establish a market for its sauvignon blanc and chardonnay brands. For the red wine market, a focus on syrah would do well.
"For the New Zealand market, chardonnay is the one Hawke's Bay is doing really well in," he said.
Mr Thies, his wife and teenage son have settled into Hawke's Bay life but there's just one goal left for the family.
"That's to make new friends. I've been so busy here, that would be our next task," Mr Thies said.