Carol was just a kid when Central Otago wine pioneer Alan Brady was looking for land to produce grapes on, but his interest in land on her parents farm near Arrowtown (he eventually planted elsewhere) sparked an interest in viticulture which has led to her now being in charge of our new Vinpro Winery.
Carol completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography and worked in resource management before making a career change in 1995 and completing a Post Graduate diploma in viticulture and oenology at Lincoln University.
She worked in Martinborough for 18 months getting her first taste of winemaking at Dry River and then moving on to Martinborough Vineyard where she worked in viticulture, canopy management and also at the cellar door. Time spent there working with Nick Hoskins and Larry McKenna fuelled an abiding interest in pinot noir.
Her overseas experience followed: working first at Amity Vineyard in Oregon '...it was lots of fun...we were living in caravans amongst the trees.'
Carol moved back to New Zealand and became winemaker at Langdale Estate in Canterbury for 3 vintages – a 10 acre block where production was just 45 tonnes, but a good opportunity for her first sole winemaker position.
Carol then went back for another stint in Oregon, this time working for Adea, a small, family-owned winery. 2001 found her back in Central Otago working at Black Ridge, however after an enjoyable stint there, overseas once again beckoned to her. Just two days before she was due to fly out to Australia for another job, she was offered a job by Akarua Winery.
2001 found her back in Central Otago working at Black Ridge, however after an enjoyable stint there, overseas once again beckoned to her. Just two days before she was due to fly out to Australia for another job, she was offered a job by Akarua Winery. Carol worked there for four vintages, producing consistently great results and culminating in her being dubbed by workmates as 'Queen of the Pinot' – after Akarua Pinot Noir 2002 and Akarua "The Gullies" Pinot Noir 2002 were ranked no.1 and no.2 wines in Cuisine magazine – this following on by the 'big brother' winning Champion Pinot Noir and Champion Wine of the Show at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards in 2004.
With wine accolades and superior wines as her testimony, Carol was head-hunted by Vinpro to set up and take the reins of the new winery division, currently the largest Pinot Noir facility in Central Otago. Total processing capacity is 1000 tonnes and around 85% of that is pinot noir.
Vinpro is currently contracted by some 20 clients under Carol's supervision, and 60% of those produced their first vintages in 2005.
Carol's philosophy at Vinpro is to work in closely with the clients and their unique terroir to produce for each the best wine they can in the year we're given.

        

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