Jane de Witt of Lindauer on why cheap can also be good, and why you don’t have to drink the whole bottle

Head winemaker at Lions Jane De Witt with one of her Lindauer award winning wines. Photo / Paul Taylor

It’s Christmas and that means celebrations and that means bubbles — yeehah.

Jane de Witt knows all about bubbles. She is the maker of Lindauer sparkling wine.

I’m pretty sure everyone who likes a glass of bubbles has sampled a Lindauer. It’s affordable and nice.

Although not from Hawke’s Bay, Jane, who is the head winemaker at Lion, uses grapes from the region and is a frequent visitor for both business and pleasure.

She has been making sparkling wine for 20 years and is no stranger to winning awards.

Her recent successes include winning the Champion Sparkling for Verde at the New World Wine Awards, making it the fifth year in a row that a wine she made has won the category.

She had further success at the NZ International Wine Show winning Champion New Zealand Sparkling Wine for Lindauer Special Reserve Rosé NV – which makes it three years in a row winning a trophy at those awards.

Jane said the trophies make her feel good about the wine she is producing.

“Lindauer suffered a bit because people thought that because it was ‘cheap’, it was not good. Winning these awards proves that it is good.

“And I feel great that we can produce a delicious wine that is affordable to so many people.”

Jane says initially she went to Massey University to become a vet.

“My grades weren’t so good so instead I did a Bachelor of Science majoring in microbiology. That led me to my interest in wine.”

Jane worked for Glengarry Wines in retail and then went overseas.

“I worked a vintage in Surrey, England, and was fascinated by it all. When I came home to New Zealand I worked as a lab technician at Corbans.”

Lindauer Prosecco DOC Rosé and Lindauer Prosecco DOC / Babiche Martens.

She has also worked at Lindauer and Deutz.

“I love the process of making sparkling wine. I use the traditional method. The longer you leave it, the more time it has to evolve. Then you start to see the refined fruit characters.

“I blend as I transfer bottles, pulling different components over different years.”

She says not to be afraid to open a bottle of bubbles and just have one glass.

“Many people think once it’s opened you have to use the entire bottle. You can simply have a glass, put cling wrap over the top and pop it back in the fridge. It will retain its bubbles. If however you drink most of the bottle and put a little back in the fridge it probably won’t last because of the air in the bottle.

“I love the fact that I make something that people enjoy when they are celebrating and I enjoy blending and experimenting with flavours.”

Jane said she likes visiting Hawke’s Bay. “There’s a lot of really good wine made in this region.”

When she’s not making wine she likes to go to the beach, read, exercise and spend time with her family.

“I also like to travel which is lucky because there’s a bit of travel involved in my job.

“I’m’ lucky to do something I love plus I can work from home which is great. It means I can blend and let it sit, then taste it when I feel like it. Your palette isn’t always at its best. It’s great to be able to decide when I’m ready to taste.”

Jane has won 26 trophies since joining Lion in 2011. Cheers to that!

• Linda Hall is a Hastings-based assistant editor for Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 30 years of experience in newsrooms. She writes regularly on arts and entertainment, lifestyle and hospitality, and pens a column.