Karin Schoch & Achim Bauer —
Kina Beach Vineyard
Karin and Achim’s passion for wine has taken them around the many corners of the wine-growing world.
It was in the South of Chile, while stranded at an airport, that they stumbled across a for-sale advertisement for Kina Beach Vineyard in 2011 and have never looked back.
How did Kina Beach Vineyard develop into the success it is now?
Kina Beach is a small boutique vineyard on the coast of Tasman Bay, with a focus on producing premium wines. The vines were planted in the mid-1990s, the previous owner planted good clones and did a great job of establishing the vineyard.
We bought the property in 2011, and the vines are now mature in their late 20s and producing very good wine. We make five styles of wine from three grape varieties – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.
We’re one of just a few coastal wineries in the Nelson region, and we think that adds to our unique offering, giving our wines a unique flavour profile. We love to share the beautiful place we live in and offer accommodation here at the vineyard.
What is unique about your winemaking style and philosophy?
Our aspiration is to produce premium wines, so we focus on producing limited quantities. We then age our wine before it is released so that people can enjoy them within the best ‘drinking window’. We have vintages available now from 2013-2019 – it’s an unusual approach for New Zealand where we traditionally drink young wines, but we hope to build awareness of the benefits of older wines.
We believe that ageing the wines enhances their food-friendliness. We aim to have our wines available by the glass on restaurant wine lists so people can experience them matched with great food flavours.
Tell us about the key people behind Kina Beach vineyard?
We run a small operation – just the two of us - and we split responsibilities between us. Achim does more of the viticulture and I’m more front of house, looking after guests, tastings, and sales. We contract different wine makers and work with them to produce the wines we want to make.
I’m [Karin] from Zurich, Switzerland, a small wine region with similar varieties as grown in Nelson. Achim grew up in Europe and South America and we both started our formal wine journey studying and working in Hawkes Bay in 2007.
What are you working towards achieving in the short -long term for Kina Beach vineyard?
We are 10 years into our Kina Beach journey, and we’re really excited about giving people the opportunity to try our aged wines.
Not many people have experienced an aged Sauvignon Blanc, for example, so we are hoping to share that experience and encourage people to get excited about trying older wines. We offer a bespoke experience here at Kina beach with the wines and the accommodation together.
