For someone with a swag of prestigious awards to shout about, Nick Picone is a very modest man. The real heroes, says Villa Maria Estate's group chief winemaker, are the people he works with. All are on a constant quest to produce wines that people love to drink.
Nick has worked in every one of the wineries that make up Villa Maria's family of wines; his role now means he is responsible for winemaking with all of them. He has also completed several harvests in Italy and the United States.
Having this role is a bit like being a chef, he says. "Any great chef knows making a great dish is dependent on the produce and having great people around you who are passionate." And passionate is a word he loves. "It summarises a lot of winemakers. The skill involved is part science, part craft and part intuition in the bid to create something magic."
Hawkes Bay-raised Nick has been with Villa Maria Estate his entire working life, starting as a cellar hand and becoming the youngest assistant winemaker at the age of 23. Throughout his career, the family-owned company has grown with him, meaning there is never any room for a 'stale' factor to develop, says Nick. "I've been exceptionally lucky in my career to have enjoyed great success. First and foremost, that's being involved with a great company where you have great people and great talent at your disposal."
That allows for the emergence of new and exciting developments - one of which is the growth of organic wines. Some 35 per cent of the company's vineyards are currently being managed organically. Villa Maria wants to see that percentage increased. An organic rosé is also included, and new labels which clearly differentiate organic wines from others are on the horizon.
Along with new pursuits are tried and truly tested favourites. Nick - who has judged a number of competitions - believes the company's chardonnays are exceptional. As a judge, he's a very hard taskmaster on himself, saying there is a holy grail to constantly strive for, which helps motivate and not rest on your laurels.
Villa Maria founder Sir George Fistonich says of Nick: "He is without a doubt one of the New Zealand wine industry's shining stars." Nick says his boss is a real visionary. "[Sir] George has been very good at allowing winemakers to go about doing what they are so good at doing. That autonomy has kept me enthused."
Nick's awards include being named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year or Winemaker of Show on seven occasions. It's always nice to get such recognition, he says, adding: "I'm always quick to point out the efforts of people that surround me. I couldn't do it alone."
Nick's Top Pick
As far as his personal recommendation goes, Nick's pick is Villa Maria's Cellar Selection Organic Merlot 2016. Produced from organic certified grapes from the company's Joseph Soler vineyard in Hawkes Bay, the wine is literally a big winner. It won the trophy for best Merlot at the prestigious Air New Zealand Wine Awards last November. Dark crimson in colour, with fragrant violet, red berry and plum aromas, it has a full soft palate. It's an ideal wine for the cooler autumn evenings that lie ahead, says Nick. "It's absolutely delicious with lamb, prepared any way you like it."