At Grasshopper Rock, our passion is Pinot Noir and we are fortunate to work with people who strive for excellence by working with the best raw materials and managing them to the best of their ability. Grasshopper Rock is a unique combination of land, climate, vines and people, who share our passion for excellence.

Carol Bunn
Winemaker
Carol completed a Bachelor of Arts in geography and worked in resource management, before making a career change in 1995, and completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln University. 

Eighteen months (1996/1997) at Dry River in Martinborough and then at Martinborough Vineyard, working with Nick Hoskins and Larry McKenna, fuelled an abiding interest in Pinot Noir. This interest was further developed with vintages in Oregon in 1997 and 2000. 

Appointed to her first sole winemaker position, in 1998, at Langdale Wine Estate in Canterbury, Carol made a range of wines from aromatic whites (Briedecker, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc) and Chardonnay and a range of reds including Pinot Noir, Petit Syrah and a Cabernet Sauvignon/Franc/Merlot blend.

Carol was appointed winemaker at Akarua Winery in Central Otago in 2001. Over her four vintages at Akarua, she consistently produced award winning wines, culminating in the success of the Akarua 2002 Pinot Noir and 2002 Gullies Pinot Noir being judged numbers 1 and 2, respectively, in the Cuisine 2003 New Zealand Reds tasting, and the 2002 Akarua Pinot Noir winning Champion Pinot Noir and Champion Wine of the Show, at the 2003 Air New Zealand Wine Awards. 

In 2004, Carol joined Vinpro Ltd to take the helm of the new winery division. 

Carol's philosophy is "to work in closely with her clients, and their unique terroir, to produce for each the best wine we can in the year we're given". Carol takes a minimalist approach to winemaking, seeing her role as a caretaker of the wines, rather than a manipulator of the wine's character and style. She has worked closely with Steve and Mike Moffitt, to achieve the special characters and flavours that make Grasshopper Rock a unique experience

Mike Moffitt
Vineyard Manager
Mike has been in charge of the vineyard since 2002 and has overseen the development of the vineyard from a bare deer paddock in 2001, to the impressive vineyard that it is today. 

Originally trained in parks and recreation, Mike, with brother Steve, established a successful Alexandra orchard in the 1980's and then both became bitten by the Pinot Noir bug in 1991, when they established the Dry Gully vineyard on family land on Earnscleugh Road. Dry Gully has consistently produced high quality Pinot Noir since 1996.

Mike has a Diploma in Parks & Recreation, from Lincoln University. 

Steve Moffitt
Viticulturist
Steve has been involved in the wine industry since 1991 when he, along with brother Mike, persuaded his parents to convert their historic apricot orchard into a vineyard, which subsequently became Dry Gully. 

Steve has been involved in the development of a number of Central Otago vineyards, including Waitiri Creek, Nevis Bluff, and Two Paddocks. In 1997 he developed his own property, Rock'n'Pillar, producing his first vintage in 2000. His primary focus is his own vineyard and working towards bio-dynamics. Steve has been the consultant for Grasshopper Rock since its establishment and also looks after several other small vineyards, as they establish themselves.

Steve has a N.Z.Cert.Science (Industrial Chemistry), from Invercargill Polytechnic.

Shareholders

Phil and Max
Phil alternates between mastermind and master of understatement: “Just going for a paddle” - First solo kayak crossing of Foveaux Strait. “Caught the odd deer” -Acclaimed deer trapper in the ‘80’s. “Dabbled in shearing” - 300 a day man. Maxine lives in the real world and from time to time drags Phil into it or off to their bach in Raglan where Phil comes in after a 20k cycle ride and says, “I’ve got bit of an idea – Let’s make the best Pinot Noir in the world.”

John and Sue
Never underestimate ‘Jono’ – short men are always up to something. Best food - numbers, crunched. Best wine to crunch numbers with - Pinot Noir. Can be found, alternatively, on his 30ft trawler hauling in blue cod, trying to keep warm in a maimai, or pruning roses. Dead keen on Sue ‘little ole wine drinker me’, who flicks him slices of inspiration daily. “Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile.” Pinot Noir always puts a smile on their faces.

 Adrian and Ann
The Irvings are definitely not ‘townies’. Look for Adrian at a Crank Up and look for ‘Crank Up’ in the rural dictionary. Try the Irving elderberry wine, the tamarillo or the fejoa and begin to understand the love of wine making and living off the land. Head for the West Coast for the whitebait run and Adrian will have got there first. Join Southland Rural Women and meet Ann and wonder how she also has time for patchwork, pet judging (guinea pig and miscellaneous sections) and three-day bike treks with Adrian. ‘Retired’ can also best be defined in the rural dictionary.

Angus and Rosemary
Rafting the Zambesi, climbing Mt Kilamanjaro, completing the Coast to Coast; Angus doesn’t tread water. Give the man a hole to dig and he’s as happy as a sandboy. Ro’s happy transforming her diggings, everyday waste, into provocative art forms. Weekday apartment dwellers, escape is an 1850’s stone cottage in the Gibbston Valley set in a developing (more holes to dig) edible garden; fruit and nut trees, vegetables and herbs. There is a pair of mountain bikes resting on the mud wall, jazz floating through the shutters, roasted wild duck on the table and a bottle of Pinot Noir with its hat off, breathing. It must be the weekend.

 Stu and Jan
Stu and Jan have seen a few cowsheds in their time. The ‘Milky Way’, their yet to be written tale of starry eyed West Coast sharemilkers turned Motanau beachcombers, has a middle to it that defies the laws of energy and keeps the milk tankers rolling. On the dust jacket, just to confuse you, will be Stu surfacing from the ocean with crayfish, scallops, paua … the man’s second skin is a wet suit. Jan won’t have time to read it she’ll be counting the days till they head for the grape picking at Grasshopper Rock, she talked Stu into this Pinot Noir business after all but now he’s convinced it was his idea.