NZ Winemaker Jane Hunter’s Legacy Continues At Marlborough’s Hunter’s Wines

From putting Marlborough sauvignon blanc on the map to leading Hunter’s Wines to global acclaim, Jane Hunter has defined a generation of winemaking. Now, nephews James and Edward Macdonald are set to take the winery into the future.

On the famously gravelly soils of Rapaura Rd, in the heart of Marlborough wine country, Hunter’s Wines is both a landmark and a family story. For decades, Jane Hunter has been its quiet force, helping put Marlborough sauvignon blanc on the map and earning international acclaim along the way. Now, she’s stepping back, with nephews James and Edward Macdonald ready to continue the story in their own way.

One of Aotearoa’s most influential winemakers, Jane is set to “take the foot off the pedal a little bit”, having led the business since 1987. She’s looking forward to spending more time on special projects, like the half-hectare native garden that greets visitors at the Blenheim winery and the restoration of its wetland, but also learning Italian and, she laughs, finally having time to get her hair done.

Day-to-day management will now rest with James, Hunter’s senior winemaker, and general manager Ed, sons of former director Peter Macdonald (Jane’s brother-in-law). Having been immersed in the business all their lives, the boys have gradually stepped into their roles “via osmosis”, says Jane. “They understand the integrity of the business and the desire to keep it family-oriented.”

Growing up on a vineyard in Adelaide, South Australia, Jane says she originally resisted getting into the wine industry. After studying agricultural science at the University of Adelaide, she moved to Wellington for an office job before returning to her vinous roots in 1983, taking a role as national viticulturalist at Montana Wines in Blenheim.

Back then, there were “very few vineyards and just 30 acres of sauvignon blanc – it was very different to how it is now”, with land mostly planted in lucerne, barley, or used for sheep grazing. Meanwhile, Jane’s future husband, Irishman Ernie Hunter, had bought a plot in Blenheim in 1979 and set about growing grapes, including a fortuitous seven acres of sauvignon blanc. Jane and Ernie met and married in 1984, two years after six of his wines took home awards at the National Wine Show.

Jane recalls their early breakthrough with sauvignon blanc. In 1986, Hunter’s oak-aged 1985 Fumé Blanc won Wine of the Show at The Sunday Times Vintage Festival in the UK, cementing Marlborough sauvignon’s reputation after Ernie famously paired it with oysters beneath a banner proclaiming “New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and oysters”.

“They weren’t New Zealand oysters, of course,” laughs Jane, but the pairing proved unforgettable – so much so that in subsequent years, festivalgoers would ask: “Where’s the guy with the oysters?”

“They got the magic started,” he said.

After Ernie’s tragic death in a car accident, Jane took the helm of Hunter’s in 1987. “I was 33 – a young, widowed female – and suddenly I got a lot of attention. I wasn’t really comfortable with that.” She travelled regularly, won awards and featured in the press, but along the way, she took the opportunity to promote New Zealand wine alongside her own. For Jane, her role in the country’s wine story has been about championing the bigger picture, which was Marlborough, sauvignon blanc and New Zealand’s growing reputation. “I always felt that the story was actually about New Zealand and Marlborough and sauvignon blanc, and Hunter’s came last,” she says.

With countless wine accolades to her name, Jane is most proud of the business milestones. In 1993, Hunter’s won the NZTE Regional Exporter of the Year Award, helping secure distributors in Hong Kong – a relationship still in place three decades later. “For the first time, I thought ‘we’ve won something that I have had a big part of’. It was the first time I thought ‘I can do this’.” That same year she received an OBE for services to the wine industry. She’s been appointed a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit, awarded an Honorary Doctorate, and gained a place in the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame, recognition that her legacy is as much about perseverance and business acumen as it is about wine.

Marlborough sauvignon might be one of New Zealand’s greatest success stories, but Jane says they didn’t have an understanding of its trajectory back in the 80s. “We’ve had a lot of luck along the way, but luck is only good if you know what to do with it.” Under Jane’s leadership, Hunter’s grew to 80 hectares as Marlborough rapidly transformed, with sauvignon now dominating more than 80% of vineyard land and corporate consolidation reshaping the region. “It’s just monoculture, it’s very different to other parts of the world,” says Jane.

“The wine industry in Marlborough grew so quickly,” agrees senior winemaker James. “All of a sudden, you had these vast wineries that were nothing like ours. For a while, I thought we were doing something wrong and it took me a long time to understand that our small size is one of our biggest strengths.” It’s one of the reasons Hunter’s has remained proudly family-owned, and today is Marlborough’s oldest single-family-owned winery. “Consumers are so connected these days and can tell very quickly when a product lacks authenticity,” says James. “We can say with conviction that we grow the grapes, make the wine and bottle it onsite.”

Hunter’s philosophy has always been quality over quantity. Jane’s strategy has been to grow in step with demand, planting across varied Marlborough sites to capture different soil expressions and build the complexity that sets their sauvignon blanc apart. “Our wines are more expensive, so we have to be different,” she says. General manager Ed agrees: “We have never played in the cheap and cheerful end of the market. Every decision we make is taken with a long-term view towards ensuring great wine quality. Jane has been our mentor as we have come up through the business. As a result, we are hardwired to carry on this vision.”

For James and Ed, there’s “no pressure” about the future of Hunter’s, just excitement. “It is a privilege to take over a business that is part of the fabric of the New Zealand wine industry. We have so much history to work with,” says James. But trends in wine can be fickle, and the pair is cognisant that what worked 10 years ago might not fly today.

James and Ed aim to be leaders in regenerative viticulture, combining the best of organic and conventional methods to boost soil health and biodiversity. They plan to continue Hunter’s sustainability efforts, including lightweight bottles, estate vineyards and winery operations that are 100% Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand certified, and a focus on wellbeing. “These days, sustainability takes into account not only environmental but also social issues,” says James. “Running a sustainable business is just as much about looking after all of the people and the wider community.”

The winery has a great base for success, concludes Jane. “The boys are very capable. They are imbued with what Hunter’s is about. I have the greatest confidence they’re going to move it forward while retaining that heritage that is so important to the brand.” For Hunter’s, it’s not just about making wine – it’s about carrying a legacy forward, with the same pioneering spirit that first put Marlborough on the map.

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