New winemakers mustn't mix romance and passion

MICHELLE RICHARDSON

Chief winemaker, Villa Maria Group, Mangere, Auckland

Length of time with company:7 years


What makes your day at work?


Spending time alone in the cellar, away from all the phones and pagers. There are no distractions, and I love the smell and the solitude.

I like balancing that out with working with the cellar team, and making sure we're all going in the same direction.

How did you get where you are today?

I did a science degree and didn't feel like growing up, so I went overseas travelling for three years. I knew nothing about wine at all, but I heard about a course in Australia, cashed everything in, and took the risk.

It turned out to be a good move, because something clicked, and after the course I worked in some Australian vineyards, where I learnt a lot. Then I came over here for a three-month job - and I've been here seven years.

What was the most important lesson you learned on your way up?

I've learned that not everyone thinks the same way as I do. I'm quite direct, and I now realise that some people don't like that kind of directness. A lot of people find that difficult to understand, but it's a really important lesson.

I've learned a lot about myself, and the value of working with, and under, others.

How have you dealt with any pitfalls in your career?

As I've built up my career I've come across situations that have challenged my confidence in myself as a winemaker. Especially because I didn't know anything about wine when I began. When I felt like that, I usually questioned myself, and agonised over it. But then I realised that I was probably dealing with other people's insecurities as much as my own.

You can either run away or get on with it, and I was fortunate I had a great boss and other people who helped me get the belief in myself.

What advice would you give to a young person starting out on a winemaking career?

Don't get caught up in the romantic idea of wine, make sure it is really your passion and what you want to do.

Also, never compromise quality. I know I could never work for a company which said it needed volume rather than quality. Be flexible in other areas, but not there. You may need to have a strong character to do it, but you need to have one anyway.

What's the biggest challenge to your organisation in the present economy?

To be able to produce enough wine to meet domestic and export needs. The new world market is growing really fast, and we're planting vines like crazy to keep up with the demand. Of course, then you work harder to maintain the quality, too.

If there's one thing you could have done differently, what would it have been?

Nothing. There are things I wish I hadn't done, and plenty I wish I hadn't said, but it's all a good experience. You learn from it all, so I don't have any regrets about anything.

What ambitions do you have?

It's really important to me that New Zealanders feel comfortable with their wine. I see intimidation and arrogance associated with wine, and would love to change that. If someone enjoys a $5 bottle of wine, great. If they have a more trained taste, great.

I'd like to change our drinking culture, and get people drinking for taste, not alcohol content. Lots of people drink to get drunk, but I would like to see wine as a mature part of our culture.

How do you relax?

Friends are very important. Laughter, food and wine are a big part of my relaxation, but really I just do what I feel like at the time.

* Michelle Richardson spoke with Paula Oliver.