Variables in the varietals

Maude Wines owner and winemaker, Dan Dineen, is pragmatic about the various risks commercial winemakers face at every step of the growing, producing and transporting process.

The most subtle of flavours still require the most robust of production methods and rigid quality control.

“Wine is a natural product so there are many variables to contend with,” says Dan. “It can be consumed young close to its vintage year, or it can be cellared and enjoyed much later.

“Beyond the product itself, winemakers have a lot of money tied up in the production process which itself can have a lot of moving parts. What if you have a barrel fall off a forklift, or a cooling issue in a 20,000-litre wine tank? The financial implications of something like that can be far reaching. You have to have as many fail safes in place as you can.”

So it pays for winemakers such as Maude Wines to have comprehensive insurance cover in place.

Executive Broker, Jackie Boyd from Crombie Lockwood's Wanaka branch, has been working with the couple Dan and Sarah-Kate Dineen since the second-generation Maude Wines vineyard was established in the mid-2000s.

“The wine industry is such a vital component of this region. The impact New Zealand wines have on the world stage is impressive, so it follows that the unique risks winemakers face should be acknowledged and accounted for,” says Jackie.

Having worked with winemakers and vineyards for many years, Crombie Lockwood recently launched its bespoke WineSure insurance solution, designed specifically for winemaking businesses of all sizes.

Insuring each step of the winemaking process

The WineSure insurance package has been designed for businesses working in the wine industry; from vineyards to wineries, contract grape growers and winemakers, labelling, bottling and packaging facilities, and more.,” Jackie explains.

“The WineSure package also covers loss of stock while in transit, product contamination, asset damage to the production plant, impacts from printing, packaging or labelling errors, and even large spillages from a bulk vessel.”

Other components of WineSure include business interruption cover, which minimises the financial impact if property damage disrupts operations, and liability cover, which covers businesses for damage caused by a third party.

“Winesure’s tailormade solution is designed to provide as much cover as possible for businesses through each stage of the winemaking process,” says Jackie.

Winemaker Sarah-Kate Dineen at Maude Wines' Tasting Room.

Wanaka winemakers have plenty of pedigree

Dan has plenty of pedigree in the industry, having made wine in his native Australia for the likes of Roseworthy, Mount Pleasant, Tower Estate, and others before Maude Wines’ initial harvest in 2006.

Sarah-Kate herself is an experienced winemaker, and daughter of Dawn and Terry Wilson, who founded the Mt Maude vineyard in the Maungawera Valley near Wanaka in 1994. Together, Dan and Sarah-Kate have grown the Maude Wines business, acquiring new vineyards and continually improving their celebrated range of wines.

Moving to this region was a steep learning curve even with plenty of industry experience. We went from making wine in one of the hottest regions to making wine in one of the coldest,” says Dan.

“But I love making wine in Central Otago. It allows you to write your own history and it’s a privilege to live, work and build our brand here.”