| This is the story of one of New Zealand’s most accomplished winemakers – the shortened version. As a school boy Steve worked for a small family wine company based in New Zealand’s picturesque Coromandel Peninsula. Steve freely admits that school wasn’t his thing, in fact it is safe to say he spent more time in the winery than in the class room. His love of the work and passion for the industry inevitably led him to study winemaking at the highly regarded Roseworthy Agricultural College in South Australia. On completion of a degree in Wine Science, Steve immediately immersed himself, once again, in the New Zealand wine industry, working initially with the legendary John Hancock at Morton Estate and then for Thornbury Vineyards. By the time Steve and his business partners launched Thornbury Vineyards his consummate winemaking skills were abundantly clear, producing internationally revered wines. It was under the Thornbury label in 2003 when Steve attained Wine Spectator magazine’s highest ever rating for Sauvignon Blanc (93/100). His wines also featured on the magazine’s Top 100 list. Steve spent almost a decade developing Thornbury, before it was purchased by a larger corporation. He then established his own family winery, Steve Bird Winery and Vineyards. Whilst Steve’s focus and passion is poured into his own wine labels, he is also sought-after as a wine consultant – both nationally and internationally. Steve’s wine-making skills are responsible for the annual production of some 100,000 cases of wine through joint venture and consulting agreements. |
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