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About SteveSteve Bird – Winemaker
My journey in winemaking started in 1978, with an after school job at the sole local winery which quickly paved my passion and career in winemaking. After studying in Australia and completing an internationally recognised degree in wine science, I returned to my homeland where I joined New Zealand's burgeoning wine industry. It was in 2005 that dreams came true for my wife Caroline and I and Steve Bird Wines was born. We have since celebrated many proud achievements, winning numerous gold awards both locally and abroad for our signature blends that capture the exceptional qualities of the land that has stood before us. “Family is at the heart of the wine-growing tradition and so it is at Steve Bird Wines. My name is on every bottle and our family is dedicated to growing the best grapes our pristine New Zealand environment can provide. My determination is to craft wines that capture place and time and let nature be the hero.” |
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Steve Bird WinesSowing a future of manākitanga
Manāki whenua, manāki tangata, haere whakamua. If we take care of the earth and take care of people, we will take care of the future. Steve Bird Wines is a small family owned and operated business built on manākitanga. A generosity of spirit toward the land and each other. The foundation of sharing and caring. We at Steve Bird Wines are driven by a deep connectedness with the earth and its sustainability, and an inherent belief that of greatest importance, is the relationships we form with each other. As a small, close knit family of four, whānau is integral to our family-run winery and our personal approach to winemaking, from the gate front to the bottle. Our family, our business family and you our customers are all interwoven into our story. That is why every bottle of Steve Bird Wine carries the traditional Māori weave, the ancient art of storytelling – the Tukutuku. You become part of the Bird whānau and our tukutuku when you gather together with your family and friends, to share food and wine in that same spirit of manākitanga. |
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Kaitiakitanga: Traditional Māori believed that the earth was the giver of all life. It was accepted that the people who were born on that land inherited the right to produce from it and to protect it for the benefit of all. Looking after the earth and ensuring environmental sustainability for the generations to come is of the utmost importance to Bird Wines. We are constantly refining our processes to ensure they are as sustainable as possible. We are an accredited business with the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowers and an member of the Sustainable Business Network.
Whakapapa: As Māori, our whakapapa or genealogy is directly tied to our identity. The Bird whānau affiliations with Ngāti Awa trace our connectedness with the land for over 800 years. In the way we can trace our connection to the land, we also can trace our product from the soil to the bottle and everything in between. This way you are guaranteed that the wine you purchased has been produced by our family right here in Aotearoa. Whanaungatanga: Traditionally, Māori were hunters, gatherers and crop farmers who harvested their food from the forest, stream, sea and garden. Food & drink and the sharing of it, was key to relationship building. To Steve Bird Wines, family is at the heart of everything we do and the spirit of manākitanga is a key ingredient in the wines we produce. TUKU Wine CollectiveSteve Bird is a proud member and the elected Chairman of TUKU Wine Collective, the world’s first Māori Winemakers Collective. Steve Bird Wines has joined forces with Māori-owned and NZ-owned wine companies, Kuru Kuru, Ostler Wine, te Pā and Tiki who together cover New Zealand’s prime wine-making regions. The collective share pivotal values of kaitiakitanga, whanaungatanga and whakapapa; common values of the land, family and hospitality with a focus on sustainability. When you buy TUKU wines, you are buying from local people and their families, and enabling the growth and success for future generations.
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