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Steve Smith

Steve Smith

Steve Smith MW — Managing Partner of Aotearoa New Zealand Fine Wine Estates (Smith & Sheth, Pyramid Valley, Lowburn Ferry) and the first viticulturist in the world to become a Master of Wine.

Sep 22, 2026

1:32
So one, was that a surprise? And two, is that actually good if you're not producing something with an individual profile that's uniquely us?
1:42
I think it's always good to benchmark yourself against the very best.
1:47
And that's what we did.
1:48
And we're not really trying to be Burgundy.
1:50
And even though a lot of the tasters found it hard to tell a difference, each of those wines still has its own distinctive stamp.
1:58
So, you know, I think in a world where Burgundy is becoming very expensive, harder to find.
2:04
And if you're a fine wine lover in London or Hong Kong or in New York and you want to find something that's going to give you the same pleasure, sometimes it's hard to find white Burgundy that can do that.
3:18
What's your vibe on the industry at the moment, Steve, given the world's turning away from alcohol and we're all on GLP-1s and we're all fitness and, you know, et cetera, et cetera?

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