Mission control
After stints in science and oil prospecting, a wine veteran finally found his passion.
Lots of milestones have passed recently in the wine industry. Soho, based in Auckland, is celebrating its 10th anniversary; Tohu, in Nelson/Marlborough, has turned 20; Alpha Domus, in Hawke’s Bay, is now 30. At Mission Estate, also in Hawke’s Bay, winemaker Paul Mooney has chalked up his 40th vintage.
After getting a science degree at the University of Waikato, Mooney worked on Campbell Island as a technician for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, then as a field engineer for oilfieldservices company Schlumberger in Australia. “I applied to study food technology at university,” he recalls, “but I didn’t get in, so ended up studying geophysics. My real passion has always been the science behind food and wine.”
In 1979, Mooney joined Mission, established in the mid-19th century by the Catholic Society of Mary, as assistant winemaker. After training for three years under Brother John – winemaker since the 1960s and a pioneer of bottle-fermented sparkling wines in New Zealand – in 1982 he was appointed Mission’s first lay winemaker.
Mooney, who is described by a colleague as “not bold or brash, but very thoughtful”, particularly likes making wines he views as challenging. “Red blends of cabernet sauvignon and merlot are the most interesting, with different components from different vineyards that need to be blended. You really have to plan – there are so many things to consider.”
His favourite wines to drink? Hawke’s Bay reds, of course, including syrah. When matching his own wine with food, Mooney likes to keeps things uncomplicated. “On the whole, white wine works well with fish and red wine works best with red meat. Sweet wine is good with desserts. Simple as that.”
In the same year Mooney started at Mission, sémillon, a classic white-wine variety of Bordeaux, was planted in its vineyard at Greenmeadows, Taradale. Those 40-year-old vines gave the grapes for Mooney’s 40th anniversary wine – Mission Reserve Old Vine Hawke’s Bay
Sémillon 2018 ( , $29).
Sold online and at Mission’s historic cellar door, this powerful (14.5% alc/vol), complex, deeply flavoured dry wine is a great tribute to Mooney’s ongoing career.