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In the last 25 years the province of Marlborough has moved from virtual obscurity to become New Zealand’s largest and best-known wine region with a reputation for producing some of the world’s finest sauvignon blanc. This huge potential was something that was recognised back in 1983 by Jane Hunter and her late husband Ernie when they founded their first fledgling winery in the picturesque Wairau Valley.
A fiercely independent, family-owned winery, Hunter's Wines was the combined dream of Ernie and Jane Hunter. It was the inspired foresight of the ever-enthusiastic Ernie, New Zealand’s ‘unofficial wine ambassador’, which recognised the vast potential of Marlborough as a premier wine-growing region. However, only five years after producing his first six award winning wines (in fact, the first six Hunter’s Wines to emerge), he was tragically killed in a motor accident at the age of 37.
In the aftershock of this, Jane, herself a highly qualified viticulturist with a long family history of Australian grape growing, resolved to build on the vineyard s proven potential. Through her strong determination, together with the talents of Chief Winemaker Gary Duke and eminent Australian oenologist Dr Tony Jordan, Hunter's Wines has achieved an enviable reputation both in this country and in the wine capitals of the world. This list of industry accolades is impressive indeed. Quality not quantity was Ernie Hunter's catch cry and this philosophy lives on to this day.
Since those early years Jane has been owner, viticulturist and managing director of what has become one of New Zealand’s most established wineries, Hunter’s Wines. Under her expertise, the original vineyard area has increased by 2.5 times its original size and the company’s annual output has grown to around 60,000 cases of wine, nearly half of which is exported.
Hunter's Wines has a reputation for consistently producing the highest quality wines year after year, and Jane is the driving force behind its ongoing success and in 1995 Hunter's Wines was one of the first wineries to achieve ISO accreditation.
Not surprisingly, Jane has been described by the London Sunday Times as the star of New Zealand wine. Jane was awarded an OBE for service to the wine industry in 1993, received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Massey University for her outstanding contribution to the industry in 1997 and in 2003 recieved the innaugural Wine & Spirit Competition Women in Wine Award (UK).
As a fitting tribute exactly 25 years after starting up Hunter's Wines Jane Hunter was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to viticulture.
In February 2009 Jane was named as a recipient of the annual KEA and Trade and Enterprise World Class New Zealand awards, winning the manufacturing category. The awards recognize New Zealanders who are making an outstanding contribution to New Zealand’s economic development.
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