Grasshopper Rock works with Central Otago's most highly regarded winemakers
Grasshopper Rock has worked with VinPro since its establishment. Initially with Carol Bunn as Chief Winemaker for the 2006 to 2009 vintages and now with Pete Bartle as Chief Winemaker for the 2010 vintage and beyond. Both Pete and Carol believe most of the work is done in the vineyard and the winemaking role is to protect the purity of the fruit grown in the vineyard and to make wine that is true to the site. Wine with poise, texture and balance.
Peter Bartle
Peter Bartle has established himself as one of Central Otago’s most successful and respected winemakers with his no nonsense, passionate approach to winemaking.
Pete loves vineyards and really enjoys working alongside the vineyard team getting to know the site from the ground up. He believes most of the work is done before the fruit arrives at the winery and it is his job to coerce the best out of the grapes the vineyard has produced and to make wines with poise, texture and balance.
After graduating in 1994 with honours from the Eastern Institute of Technology he worked for Villa Maria Estate with winemaker Michelle Richardson for five years, during which time he completed a harvest in 1997 for Joseph Phelps Vineyards in Napa, California. Pete was then appointed assistant winemaker at Forrest Estate in Marlborough for a year before being lured down to Central Otago by the promise of working with Pinot Noir.
In January 2001 Pete arrived in Central Otago to take on the winemaking role at Olssen’s. The opportunity to work with multiple vineyards drew him to move to Peregrine in October 2004.
2010 has seen him take on the Chief Winemaker role at VinPro where his skills and experience will be a perfect match for the adventures ahead.
Pete lives in Alexandra with his wife Dora, daughter Paige and sons Oscar and Pedro. Outside of work he likes to keep fit with cycling and spending time with his family.
Carol Bunn - 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
In 2004, Carol joined Vinpro Ltd to take the helm of the new winery division. Carol has produced many award winning wines and is one of most talented winemakers in Central Otago
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.
Carol has a Bachelor of Arts in geography and a Post Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oneology from Lincoln University.
Since leaving VinPro Carol has established her own winemaking consultancy, Carol Bunn Wine Artisan.
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