As a young winemaker with Delegats he was involved with the launch of Oyster Bay. In partnership with his father John, who was one of the earliest contract grape growers in Marlborough, he established the remarkably successful Wither Hills and released the first wines in 1994.
In 2002 he and his father sold Wither Hills to Lion Nathan for $52 million, and he stayed on as manager and winemaker, meanwhile starting another project.
In 2006, after a media furore in which a Wither Hills sauvignon blanc submitted for review to Cuisine turned out to be different from the wine on general sale with the same label, he resigned his post as chairman of judges at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, and returned the medals Wither Hills had won that year.
Early the following year he left Wither Hills to concentrate on The Ned, owned by himself and his wife.
Named after a peak south of Blenheim, the first The Ned wines were released in 2006.
Sauvignon blanc and pinot gris are grown in a vineyard in the Waihopai Valley, and pinot noir in one on clay soils on the southern side of the Wairau Valley. It has already reached production of 100,000 cases of wine a year.
He describes the 6000-tonne winery, designed by Saatchi and Saatchi and planned for the 250ha Waihopai vineyard, as looking rather like a large vineyard emerging from the ground, built of gabion baskets filled with river stones, tall poles, wires and glass.
The Ned aims for drinkable, fruit-driven wines, although when the vines get older he may look at making a top-end line, he says.
The 2008 sauvignon (about $19) is fragrant and grassy with a hint of mineral and good fruit weight.
The Ned Pinot Gris 2008 (about $19) is a pale pinkish brown and off-dry, although it has a nice texture and fruit weight. He says it is a good food wine.
The Ned Pinot Noir 2007 (about $27) is easy to drink with red fruits, a savoury hint and soft finish.
