Wine expert Brendon Nottage opens his own shop in Paraparaumu Beach

Brendon Nottage inside his new shop WineCraft, in Paraparaumu Beach. Photo / David Haxton

With 33 years experience in the wine industry, Brendon Nottage knows a thing or two about the subject.

"I've been in pretty much every facet you can think of."

His wealth of knowledge was set to be exported to Australia when a senior wine management job was came up in New South Wales but the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop that.

At the beginning of this year Brendon saw a premise in Maclean St, Paraparaumu Beach, for lease.

After a chat to his wife Michelle, who has always encouraged him to set up his own business, Brendon took over the lease.

The shop was gutted and within about 10 weeks it has been impressively transformed into WineCraft which only specialises in boutique wines, premium spirits and craft beer.

"My whole modus operandi is not to be like anyone else because that would be a pointless exercise.

"There are wines you will recognise, because I didn't want to scare people too much, but they're not the vineyards' standard entry level range.

"And there are a lot of wines that people would have never seen on the coast."

Some of the wine at WineCraft. Photo / David Haxton

The shop also comprises a red wine tasting machine, and with the press of a button, a hidden bench lift is activated, revealing a white wine tasting station.

"I need to manage the process [tasting] really well because I don't want people treating it like a bar."

He has craft beer only, in the fridge and two taps, from around the country but no mainstream stuff.

The spirits area is set up like a showroom but again he's kept away from stuff that has saturated the market.

Various imagery abounds including a special photo of a champagne cellar from Champagne de Castellane in France.

"In 1994 my wife and I walked down the corridor in that champagne house.

"Champagne is my favourite subject and I've been to the region four times."

Brendon's wine journey started in 1987 when he was a wine waiter for the Skyline restaurant in Wellington.

But his development rose significantly when he served his apprenticeship with Peter Rumble, from Rumbles Wine Merchants, in Wellington, from the late 80s to early 90s.

"He was an absolute inspiration.

"In my early to mid-20s I was tasting the best bordeaux, the first releases, best burgundy, vintage ports, champagnes.

"His education, and the exposure I got, was unique.

"Peter actually said to me, after I had been with him for about three years, that there wasn't much he could teach me anymore.

"And his best advice, while I was young, was to travel.

"So I left him, got married, and we left for London in 1993."

WineCraft's spirit section. Photo / David Haxton

Brendon's been in management, sales and marketing, store design, viticulture and other roles in England, Australia and New Zealand.

But now it's time for his own release, WineCraft, in 12 Maclean St, to take centre stage.

"The support and feedback from people so far has been overwhelmingly positive."

Winemaker Miles Dinneen, from Matahiwi Wines, will be in store on Friday, August 13 between 4pm and 8pm.

WineCraft's grand opening is on Saturday, August 14 between 1pm and 3pm which will also include Matahiwi Wines tasting, live music and a barbecue featuring sausages from Kāpiti Coast Meats.