Goldie In A Wineglass
Driving southbound on Causeway Road, Waiheke Island, with the windows of your car down, you are welcomed by the airy salt of the sea nearby. The Surfdale beach is close enough you can almost taste it.
As you round the next corner, trees either side of you, a stone gate opens out onto a long gravel road. Along that gravel road, the view looks over to Putiki Bay and, amongst noble stock of curled grapevines decorating the hills, sits the red-roofed, Goldie Estate, stretched across 30 acres.
Founded in 1978 by Kim and Jeanette Goldwater and formerly known as Goldwater Estate, this award-winning vineyard has grown into one of New Zealand’s leading wine brands. It is also Waiheke’s oldest vineyard and they specialise in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay and Viognier varieties. The team are taking giant strides in the world of wine innovation, conservation and sustainability.
After a name change and the establishment of the University of Auckland’s Wine Science Centre, the commercial team, led by Heinrich Storm, have been using their knowledge to expand their established portfolio of wines. Storm is the man leading the creative empire of Goldie Estate.
We sat down with Heinrich to talk about Goldie Estate and its outstanding reputation.
What’s your morning routine to prepare for a productive day?
We are a small team and everybody’s input is valued to ensure we reach our goals. We normally start the day by having a coffee in the office where we will plan the day. Planning is definitely key to ensure the productivity for the whole team. Some of the planning occurs on a daily basis, but we’re also constantly planning ahead depending on where we are tracking for the season.
What do you consider to be a good, productive day?
My desk contains several “TO DO” lists in varied shapes and sizes. It can be a bit overwhelming at times when you get to the end of the day and have not ticked anything off any of them. The reality is that plans change all the time. For me, the key is to focus on the wins and not to get too hung up on what I didn’t finish – there’s always tomorrow.
You came to New Zealand from South Africa, having been awarded a rugby scholarship. How does your sporting background influence your role today?
They seem like different worlds, of course, but you have been shaped by discipline and teamwork. Sport participation, whether you’re good or not, teaches lots of valuable life lessons.
Sport participation has definitely had an impact in shaping my career in the wine industry. Growing up, I played in both team and individual sports, and both forms teach us important life lessons. From showing up on time, to relying on the strengths of team members and working on improving the weaknesses of others and your own. Playing sport also teaches you how to deal with adversity while celebrating success.
I read in an interview that you killed a bear with your bare hands? Is this true? If so, would you care to elaborate?
Not really, it was a dark time in my life. I was five, it was a kid’s party and there was a soft toy involved…
How does hosting the Wine Science Centre and your work with the University of Auckland on research and innovation, influence Goldie Estate and your approach to winemaking?
The biggest influence is having so many talented, smart, enthusiastic young (and old) wine people around, asking questions, encouraging conversation, debating and sharing of ideas and philosophies.
Wine seems like a real legacy-based industry and one steeped in tradition. How to you walk the line between that and moving forward with new innovations?
To continue building on a legacy, it’s important to honour the legacy left behind first. In saying that, I also believe that you need to continually improve and push your limits, even if it might appear there’s nothing to improve on. Ultimately for me, building a legacy means leaving the environment in a better state for the next generation.
Can you talk about some of the innovations that you’ve seen coming through?
Through our association with the University of Auckland, I am able to access a lot of fantastic research but also people who are experts in specific fields. There is an increase in awareness around the impact of farming practices globally. Global warming is also putting added pressure on growers. A lot of the research and innovation is focused at improved farming practices. In the winery, many of the technological advances are aimed at maintaining quality, consistency and output regardless of what the growing season produces. There is increased pressure on our water resources, so research aimed at advances in water usage has been followed closely as well.
Can you talk about innovations that you would like to see?
Every producer faces their own challenges, however there are some similar themes worldwide that are currently drawing attention. As mentioned before, increased farming practices and a more natural approach to growing and making wine is trending worldwide.
What Goldie Estate wine are you particularly excited about at the moment?
Our recent vintage really excites me. Across the board, 2019 has been an amazing vintage to be part of and I am incredibly excited about the wines Goldie Estate has produced. We also have a new release – a sparkling rosé, which is rolling off the production line as I speak, so it will be ready in time for summer.
What’s the best piece of advice you have been given?
Being connected to the University of Auckland I get access to so much great advice. Personally, it’s important to be able to discern when to follow other people’s advice and when to trust yourself and your own gut instinct. You need to be able to place yourself amongst people you trust and respect so that you receive the best advice in the first instance. I’m fortunate as I am exactly in this position.
