Eddie McDougall the award-winning winemaker, wine critic, columnist and TV personality behind one of Asia-Pacific’s most dynamic wine brands, The Flying Winemaker has landed at Gladstone Vineyard because he now owns it.

As the new custodian of 1986 vineyard, McDougall is elevating the production quality to produce more fine wines and less commercial red wines from the established vines.

Gladstone Vineyard has an established reputation as a boutique wine producer, making award-winning wines of finesse and complexity.

The Gladstone district in the Wairarapa, New Zealand is a fast growing wine area, as winemakers realise the potential of soil and climate that produce low yielding rich concentrated grapes.

He has the international markets firmly on his radar, particularly Asia.

McDougall’s plan for Gladstone is to “take the wine to the world”.

“Gladstone is well established and making fine wine. They are custodians of the wine and I will bring that up a level and get it on the Asian market and the premium wine market,” he said.

“We are striving to make New Zealand’s best pinot noir which we hope will catch the attention of the fine wine collectors of the world. We are super confident in the region, our winemaking abilities and the team behind this vision.”

McDougall will be leading the winemaking and vineyard team.

“I’m keen to open up the vineyard facilities to showcase some of New Zealand’s best chef and restaurant brands,” he said.

There’s an exciting restaurant pop up happening in January 2020 with champion chef/restaurateur Michael Dearth from Auckland’s famed Baduzzi Restaurant.

McDougall’s Gladstone vineyard now manages and collaborates with several premium vineyards and growers across the Wairarapa and Hawkes’ Bay, diversifying the estate’s portfolio of wines.