the not serious Rosie Finn
One Tuesday morning in Tāmaki Makaurau mid August, Pete, John and I had the chance to sit down at the table at Coco’s Sound Lounge and chew the fat with Rosie Finn of Neudorf Vineyards — and she can chat.
Rosie almost broke Matt Dicey’s record of such adept conversational flow that next to no editing was required. Dreamy! Matt still holds the record but Rosie was hot on his heels with only two short excerpts ending up on the cutting room floor.
It was a total treat to chat to this fine wahine who is truly flying the flag for successful succession — quite a thing for the NZ wine industry — all the while being a relatively new Mum herself.
Rosie’s folks, Judy and Tim Finn (not the musician) started Neudorf in the 1970’s. Like almost all of our wine pioneers that meant a mortgage or two and a lot of fast learning.
Fast forward to 2023 and their daughter Rosie has stepped into the family biz as her folks step out to enjoy retirement.
Rosie knows how to spin a yarn and in this chat she shares one of the best stories I’ve heard of pairing wine with food. It combines one wine and the cuisine of a Copenhagen based Michelin star restaurant and a night dive in an underwater cave set beneath Takaka Hill in the Kahurangi National Park.
During our chat we had the pleasure of indulging in a sneak peak at the soon to be released 2022 Neudorf Rosie’s Block Amphora Chardonnay (coming at you 1 October). To say the wine was delicious is an understatement. While we crushed a cup, Rosie chatted away about how a Facebook post from Jude landed her a job with the wonderful wine ambassador Mel Brown at Pop Brixton, London.
After what looked like a few years of nothing but fun Rosie reluctantly had to leave, unable to secure a visa extension. She returned home and suffered the common culture shock most of us kiwis feel after a few years of cutting loose in Blighty. She dried her teary eyes and took firm hold of the torch from Judy and Tim as the next generation to drive this incredible family business.
This was a chat that flowed from the moment we sat down. Rosie Finn is one delightfully funny woman. So, find yourself a comfy spot, close your eyes and imagine you’re parked up somewhere on the beach in the Abel Tasman. The sun is shining that warming hue of Neudorf yellow and there’s a delicious glass of Chardonnay in your hand. This is the not serious Rosie Finn chat.
CHAT FACTS
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Neudorf Rosie’s Block Amphora Chardonnay 2022
antipodes still mineral water
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Judy & Tim Finn — Rosie’s parents and the founding pioneers of Neudorf Vineyards.
Todd Stevens — Neudorf winemaker
Mel Brown (and her daughter Isla). Mel is a legitimate Kiwi legend when it comes to supporting NZ wine. She worked with Chef Peter Gordon (PG) at his London restaurant, Providores and later started Pop Brixton, a wine retail outlet. It was there that Rosie started working with Mel and formed a tight friendship. Mel has since gone on to open her own restaurant in London, The Brixton Laundry.
Ed Donaldson of Pegasus Bay
Helen Masters of Ata Rangi
Nick & Jo Mills of Rippon, Wānaka
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Not so much wine terms but we did bust out the chat on the amphora.
Wine Enthusiast:
“A Quick Guide to Amphora-Aged Wine | Wine Enthusiast
Wine aged in clay, or amphora, has grown in popularity in recent years. But this technique is far from new. In fact, the practice originated in what is now modern-day Georgia, around 6,000 years ago. Clay pots have long been used in other Old-World regions.”
Rosie also mentioned Hungarian Bulls Blood that was a wine poured at Vinoteca where she (and our John) once worked in London. Made from 17 varieties, this is one mother of a red wine. If it doesn’t put hairs on your chest, you’ll probably need them to qualify to drink the stuff.
Decanter Magazine:
First created in the 19th century, Bikavér – ‘bull’s blood’ – is Hungary’s most renowned red blend, produced in Eger and Szekszárd.
The Hungarian name ‘bika (bull) – vér (blood)’ gives up the first hint about the colour of Hungary’s iconic red wine: legend has it that during the Ottoman invasion in 1552, Hungarian soldiers drank dark-coloured red wine to fortify themselves while defending the Eger castle against the Turkish siege. The blood-like red wine stains on their clothes and faces caused rumours among the tee-total Turks that the Hungarian soldiers were drinking bull’s blood to gain power, hence the birth of the name ‘Bikavér’.
Wine. It’s like drinking history, innit.
The delicious Rosie’s Block Amphora Chardonnay 2022 is due for release 1 October so do yourself a favour and subscribe to the Neudorf mailing list so you know when you can get your sticky mittens on a bottle or two. If you need a Neudorf hit right now (understandable!), we recommend you get stuck into the Neudorf Rosie’s Block Moutere Albarino 2022 available from By The Bottle.
♥️ A massive thanks to Renée, Emil & Stephen at Coco’s Cantina for letting us use your space.
