Chancers and Visionaries
A History of Wine in New Zealand
Keith Stewart
RRP: $49.99
Released today: 19 March 2010
Imprint: Godwit

Throughout New Zealand’s wine country March is vintage time, and so it’s fitting that this March Random House publishes a comprehensive, compelling history of this country’s colourful wine past by renowned wine writer Keith Stewart.

There’s more than a little symbolism in the release date. Stewart kicks off his history with James Busby, appointed in 1832, at the tender age of 31, as the British Government’s Resident and installed at Waitangi, whereupon he immediately started planting grapes, with vines he brought with him from France.

He was the first of many visionary New Zealand wine makers, and had that vineyard survived, this March would have been its 170th vintage.

We’ve come along way since his first tentative plantings. And it’s easy to forget, given the lustre and success of our award-winning wine industry these days, that it wasn’t always an economic and cultural powerhouse. 

In this carefully researched, engagingly told history, packed with images,(a sample below), writer Keith Stewart uncovers the fascinating, often untold, story of wine in this country. Beautifully packaged, Chancers and Visionaries highlights the remarkable characters who believed in it and whose passion drove it forward, even in its darkest decades.

Pic left - James & Annie Millton, organic winemakers

Right - Jim Delegat, Delegats, NZ's second largest and NZ owned wine producer

 Photo left - Neil McCallum of Dry River, Martinborough

Pic right - George Fistonich, Villa Maria, NZ's largest locally owned vineyard.

About the author
Keith Stewart is a writer, talkback host and art critic and magazine editor who believes wine is the emblem of New Zealand’s own renaissance. After an early career in the liquor industry he has carved a successful career out of writing mostly about wine and art. He is the author of 14 books.