Aotearoa New Zealand Fine Wine Estates owns and runs three premium wine companies; Smith & Sheth CRU, Pyramid Valley and Lowburn Ferry. These wineries produce wine from four of the main regions of New Zealand including: Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, Central Otago and North Canterbury and have a goal to produce some of the world's best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir supported by Sauvignon Blanc.
In 2017 Steve Smith MW and Brian Sheth started AONZ with a goal to sharing the pleasure gained from drinking great wine and the craft and the culture of the people within the company.
Steve and Brian share a love for the same things: fine wine, Aotearoa New Zealand and enjoying life's pleasures. They met in Hawke's Bay over a glass of Chardonnay and in 2014 realised their vision of founding a wine dream together. That dream was to craft impeccable wines from vineyards of exceptional quality and to create experiences where they could share these wines with like-minded people.
Steve Smith MW has a formidable reputation in the wine industry: renowned for establishing Craggy Range in Hawke's Bay and Martinborough, he is also one of few qualified Master of Wines to be based in New Zealand. Brian Sheth, from Austin Texas, is an investor and wildlife conservationist, with a strong affiliation and love for New Zealand.
The ocean has provided one of the most biologically rich sources of nutrition for natural farming.
For centuries seaweed has been applied as a tonic to vineyards throughout the world. Recently scientists discovered how to extract these natural tonics and transform them into a potent, high-quality product.
And you don’t have to live next to the beach.
Roses have been used for centuries in vineyards to provide early warning signs of pests and disease. Science and technology have created a more precise approach for prediction with designer weather stations. Roses remain in vineyards today simply for their beauty.
Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic farming philosophy prescribed compost made from cow manure and herbs applied according to the rhythms of the sun and zodiac. Modern science has designed natural farming systems using the likes of alyssum planted to attract wasps that protect vines from invasive pests.
The world’s great vignerons wore out many boots walking the vineyard observing the vines to fine tune their care. Modern technology created drones armed with sensors to measure disease, vine health and more. However ground-breaking, robots will not replace boots and human touch in the vineyard.