Hot off the wine press
ANelson journalist has written an E-book telling the story of New Zealand’s wine industry through the eyes of 16 women winemakers.
Kirsten Rodsgaard-Mathiesen released her digital book Passion, Pinot & Savvy earlier this year.
It offers unique insights into the multimillion-dollar wine industry through the views and personal journeys of the 16 winemakers who work in different wine region’s around New Zealand.
Kirsten says the book includes an interview with Trudy Sheild of Richmond’s Waimea Estates, as well as six Marlborough-based winemakers.
The women range in ages from 31 to 67 and they are from a mix of backgrounds and nationalities.
Her book includes some top wine makers including Helen Masters of Atarangi in Martinborough. ‘‘It’s a great mix of women.’’ The women were all asked the same questions, but had frequently had different views on some winerelated topics.
Kirsten says she found this fascinating that opinions, for example on screw tops, were so varied.
Kirsten was born in Denmark and is now based in Nelson and is a TV reporter and photo-journalist, author and multi-lingual tour guide.
She is also the author of Denmark’s bestselling travel guide to New Zealand: Turen går til New Zealand, published by Politikens Forlag.
The book is part of an series on 100 destinations around the World, and has a status similar to the Lonely Planet Guide series. It is updated every three years. Kirsten first became interested in the New Zealand wine industry when she moved to New Zealand 12 years ago to manage Marlborough’s upmarket Hotel D’Urville.
She says she became fascinated with the industry, and explored that interest by writing a wine column for lifestyle magazine Wild Tomato.
Kirsten says she is by no means an expert on the wine industry, but as a journalist ‘‘ could ask the questions’’ needed to flesh out her book.
The book took her 11 months, and she worked hard attacking it journalistically.
Now it is getting good reviews. Wine reviewer Raymond Chan said the it did a remarkable job for those wanting to find out the workings of the wine in New Zealand.
‘‘The amount of detail and information makes the book an at-themoment snapshot of where New Zealand is.’’
Chan says the book’s unique slant is that it asks the 16 women winemakers their views, and the women reveal some of their perspectives, humour, desires and passion.
Kirsten says she is perhaps a bit ahead of her time by launching the story as an E-book.
However, she says the book and photographs look amazing on a tablet or iPad.
It is also more affordable, as it can be purchased for $10.
If it was made into a coffee-table book it would probably retail for $60 or $70.
She thinks e-publishing is the way of the future and a great way to engage with a smaller, more specialised audience.
She says the book will appeal to anyone with an interest in the wine industry, and success stories about those who have done well.
‘‘It’s a personal project for me . . . these women are so passionate about their craft.
‘‘It was such a delight to find that out, that they have a career that they are so rewarded with.’’
To purchase the book visit madfrog.co.nz – the free software to read the book can also be downloaded from that site.