From putting Marlborough sauvignon blanc on the map to leading Hunter\u2019s Wines to global acclaim, Jane Hunter has defined a generation of winemaking. Now, nephews James and Edward Macdonald are set to take the winery into the future. <\/p>\n
\n On the famously gravelly soils of Rapaura Rd, in the heart
\n of Marlborough wine country, Hunter\u2019s Wines is both a landmark and a family story. For decades, Jane Hunter has been its quiet force, helping put Marlborough sauvignon blanc on the map and earning international acclaim along the way. Now, she\u2019s stepping back, with nephews James and Edward Macdonald ready to continue the story in their own way.\n <\/p>\n
One of Aotearoa\u2019s most influential winemakers, Jane is set to \u201ctake the foot off the pedal a little bit\u201d, having led the business since 1987. She\u2019s looking forward to spending more time on special projects, like the half-hectare native garden that greets visitors at the Blenheim winery and the restoration of its wetland, but also learning Italian and, she laughs, finally having time to get her hair done. <\/p>\n
Day-to-day management will now rest with James, Hunter\u2019s senior winemaker, and general manager Ed, sons of former director Peter Macdonald (Jane\u2019s brother-in-law). Having been immersed in the business all their lives, the boys have gradually stepped into their roles \u201cvia osmosis\u201d, says Jane. \u201cThey understand the integrity of the business and the desire to keep it family-oriented.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jane Hunter has led Hunter\u2019s Wines since 1987.<\/p>\n
Growing up on a vineyard in Adelaide, South Australia, Jane says she originally resisted getting into the wine industry. After studying agricultural science at the University of Adelaide, she moved to Wellington for an office job before returning to her vinous roots in 1983, taking a role as national viticulturalist at Montana Wines in Blenheim. <\/p>\n
Back then, there were \u201cvery few vineyards and just 30 acres of sauvignon blanc \u2013 it was very different to how it is now\u201d, with land mostly planted in lucerne, barley, or used for sheep grazing. Meanwhile, Jane\u2019s future husband, Irishman Ernie Hunter, had bought a plot in Blenheim in 1979 and set about growing grapes, including a fortuitous seven acres of sauvignon blanc. Jane and Ernie met and married in 1984, two years after six of his wines took home awards at the National Wine Show.<\/p>\n
Jane recalls their early breakthrough with sauvignon blanc. In 1986, Hunter\u2019s oak-aged 1985 Fum\u00e9 Blanc won Wine of the Show at The Sunday Times Vintage Festival in the UK, cementing Marlborough sauvignon\u2019s reputation after Ernie famously paired it with oysters beneath a banner proclaiming \u201cNew Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and oysters\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey weren\u2019t New Zealand oysters, of course,\u201d laughs Jane, but the pairing proved unforgettable \u2013 so much so that in subsequent years, festivalgoers would ask: \u201cWhere\u2019s the guy with the oysters?\u201d <\/p>\n
The victory was announced on the evening news and read out in Parliament. \u201cIt was amazing,\u201d says Jane, and a defining moment not only for Hunter\u2019s, but for New Zealand sauvignon blanc and the Marlborough region. Wine authority Bob Campbell MW later credited Hunter\u2019s with sparking \u201cthe whole international story called Marlborough sauvignon blanc\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey got the magic started,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
After Ernie\u2019s tragic death in a car accident, Jane took the helm of Hunter\u2019s in 1987. \u201cI was 33 \u2013 a young, widowed female \u2013 and suddenly I got a lot of attention. I wasn\u2019t really comfortable with that.\u201d She travelled regularly, won awards and featured in the press, but along the way, she took the opportunity to promote New Zealand wine alongside her own. For Jane, her role in the country\u2019s wine story has been about championing the bigger picture, which was Marlborough, sauvignon blanc and New Zealand\u2019s growing reputation. \u201cI always felt that the story was actually about New Zealand and Marlborough and sauvignon blanc, and Hunter\u2019s came last,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Hunter\u2019s philosophy has always been quality over quantity. <\/p>\n
With countless wine accolades to her name, Jane is most proud of the business milestones. In 1993, Hunter\u2019s won the NZTE Regional Exporter of the Year Award, helping secure distributors in Hong Kong \u2013 a relationship still in place three decades later. \u201cFor the first time, I thought \u2018we\u2019ve won something that I have had a big part of\u2019. It was the first time I thought \u2018I can do this\u2019.\u201d That same year she received an OBE for services to the wine industry. She\u2019s been appointed a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit, awarded an Honorary Doctorate, and gained a place in the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame, recognition that her legacy is as much about perseverance and business acumen as it is about wine.<\/p>\n
Marlborough sauvignon might be one of New Zealand\u2019s greatest success stories, but Jane says they didn\u2019t have an understanding of its trajectory back in the 80s. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a lot of luck along the way, but luck is only good if you know what to do with it.\u201d Under Jane\u2019s leadership, Hunter\u2019s grew to 80 hectares as Marlborough rapidly transformed, with sauvignon now dominating more than 80% of vineyard land and corporate consolidation reshaping the region. \u201cIt\u2019s just monoculture, it\u2019s very different to other parts of the world,\u201d says Jane.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wine industry in Marlborough grew so quickly,\u201d agrees senior winemaker James. \u201cAll of a sudden, you had these vast wineries that were nothing like ours. For a while, I thought we were doing something wrong and it took me a long time to understand that our small size is one of our biggest strengths.\u201d It\u2019s one of the reasons Hunter\u2019s has remained proudly family-owned, and today is Marlborough\u2019s oldest single-family-owned winery. \u201cConsumers are so connected these days and can tell very quickly when a product lacks authenticity,\u201d says James. \u201cWe can say with conviction that we grow the grapes, make the wine and bottle it onsite.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hunter\u2019s philosophy has always been quality over quantity. Jane\u2019s strategy has been to grow in step with demand, planting across varied Marlborough sites to capture different soil expressions and build the complexity that sets their sauvignon blanc apart. \u201cOur wines are more expensive, so we have to be different,\u201d she says. General manager Ed agrees: \u201cWe have never played in the cheap and cheerful end of the market. Every decision we make is taken with a long-term view towards ensuring great wine quality. Jane has been our mentor as we have come up through the business. As a result, we are hardwired to carry on this vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
James and Ed aim to be leaders in regenerative viticulture.<\/p>\n
For James and Ed, there\u2019s \u201cno pressure\u201d about the future of Hunter\u2019s, just excitement. \u201cIt is a privilege to take over a business that is part of the fabric of the New Zealand wine industry. We have so much history to work with,\u201d says James. But trends in wine can be fickle, and the pair is cognisant that what worked 10 years ago might not fly today.<\/p>\n
Their first big change is a refresh of the winery\u2019s three core ranges, teaming up with Marx Design to give the bottles a look that feels modern while still rooted in tradition. The branding brings a clear thread between the classic Estate wines, the award-winning MiruMiru m\u00e9thode traditionnelle sparkling range (the te reo word for bubbles, a name Jane astutely trademarked in 1997), and the more playful, single-vineyard Offshoot label. It\u2019s a change designed to make Hunter\u2019s instantly recognisable as the new bottles appear in wine shops and restaurants this month. <\/p>\n
James and Ed aim to be leaders in regenerative viticulture, combining the best of organic and conventional methods to boost soil health and biodiversity. They plan to continue Hunter\u2019s sustainability efforts, including lightweight bottles, estate vineyards and winery operations that are 100% Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand certified, and a focus on wellbeing. \u201cThese days, sustainability takes into account not only environmental but also social issues,\u201d says James. \u201cRunning a sustainable business is just as much about looking after all of the people and the wider community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The winery has a great base for success, concludes Jane. \u201cThe boys are very capable. They are imbued with what Hunter\u2019s is about. I have the greatest confidence they\u2019re going to move it forward while retaining that heritage that is so important to the brand.\u201d For Hunter\u2019s, it\u2019s not just about making wine \u2013 it\u2019s about carrying a legacy forward, with the same pioneering spirit that first put Marlborough on the map.<\/p>\n
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