the vineyard
After visiting an English vineyard in 1996, Tony Purdie became hooked on the idea of growing grapes in England.
TONY PURDIE, VINEYARD MANAGER
Back in New Zealand Tony became regional vineyard manager for Babich Wines in Hawkes Bay overseeing 71 hectares spread across four vineyards. But he never lost sight of his dream and in 2016 secured the position to establish Yotes Court Vineyard. He moved to the UK with his young family and supervised the first vines going into the ground.
The common thread which brings New Zealand and UK viticulture together is that to make it successful, you must step out of traditional comfort zones and be somewhat pioneering in your approach. Tony has twenty-five years of wine grape growing experience and no one season has been the same.
He has learnt how to get out of trouble in the dire seasons and knows how to push the boundaries to grow the best fruit when the weather is perfect. Always learning, grape-growing has become an addiction; each year he just keeps striving for that perfect season.
As a viticulturist, Tony is driven to grow the best fruit possible while looking after the vines and the land they are anchored into.
He is committed to developing strong, healthy vines and producing top quality fruit using sustainable practices. He has been heavily involved in helping WineGB to establish the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain Scheme.
“The best wines require the best grapes nurtured to perfect ripeness by someone who cares deeply about the husbandry of the vines and land they come from.”
