The perfect blend

The perfect blend

From its infancy in the 1990s, Spy Valley Wines has been a family affair. That legacy lives on, and has been key to the company’s success.

People are surprised when they hear that Spy Valley Wines is a New Zealand family-owned and operated winery. Maybe it is the slick branding, the award-winning architecture, or the wide international presence. Regardless, Spy Valley Wines has always been a family affair.

In 1993, Bryan and Jan Johnson were first to plant vineyards in lower Waihopai Valley. They had purchased an old lodge that came with a lot of land. “We weren’t farmers and wine seemed like a better investment,” says Bryan. While the area hadn’t been considered for winemaking previously – it was believed to be too dry, too cold, and its soil too mineral-rich – it turned out to be the perfect place for cold-climate winemaking.

By the turn of the century, Johnson Estate had been rebranded as ‘Spy Valley Wines’. No, the new moniker was not in honour of the debonair, jet-setting patriarch of the family; rather, the name was a nod to the spy base up the road.

The Waihopai Valley is temperate and calm. Days are sunny and nights are starry, clear and crisp. Perfect for spy bases and perfect for grape growing.

Bryan and Jan’s daughter, Amanda Johnson coined the name, thinking the brand should be quirky so that people would remember it. Today she is the company’s general manager, and her children, who grew up in the vineyards, are very much part of the Spy Valley family. Henry is putting himself through university by working summers in the vineyards, and Max and Amy, along with their cousins, are regulars during school breaks and during harvest. In fact, most of Bryan and Jan’s 11 grandchildren have done work experience at the vineyard and winery.

This deeply ingrained family connection is key to the culture at Spy Valley. The company is one big family, and each member shares the same passion for wine, whether it is growing, making, selling, marketing or drinking it.

Bryan and Jan always intended for their vineyards and winery to be innovative, to make great wine, and to be a legacy for generations of Johnsons. Now, 25 years since they planted their first vines, the couple can revel in the fruition of their vision: “Through innovation, trust, and sustainability, to produce Marlborough’s most authentic wines from our family estate, delivering exceptional experiences for wine lovers around the world.”

Spy Valley Wines is a two-time winner of the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s NZ Wine Producer of the Year Trophy and continues its reputation of producing great wines that capture the unique time and place of each harvest. Its beautifully handcrafted wines are from more than 180 hectares of pristine vineyards located in the heart of one of the world’s most unspoiled wine regions. From its vertically integrated winery, the Johnsons produce the Spy Valley range as well as their premium brand Spy Valley Envoy, exclusively found in fine restaurants and on first-class flights.

Uncommon for a Marlborough winery, Spy Valley excels in eight different varietals including sauvignon blanc, aromatics like gewurztraminer and riesling, and world-class pinot noir.

Spy Valley Wines are found New Zealand-wide, including at their award-winning winery and tasting room, and in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Find out more about Spy Valley Wines at spyvalleywine.co.nz.

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