SEIFRIED FAMILY - SEIFRIED ESTATE WINERY
2016 marked 40 years since the family's first grape harvest, and with all three Seifried children now fully involved in the business, over 320 hectares of sustainably accredited Estate owned vineyards, and exports to over 25 countries around the globe, there is indeed reason to celebrate.
How did Seifried Estate winery develop into the success it is now?
Hermann and Agnes planted their first vines in the 1970s – they were pioneers of the Nelson wine industry. The camaraderie has built from there with vineyards spreading across Tasman and Marlborough, but back then everyone thought it would be too cold for grapes here.
They planted lots of different varieties to see what would grow so there was a lot of trial and error. Hermann was always looking for innovations to make life easier – he often went home to Austria and bought ideas back about machinery and technology to make things easier. He was the first grower to put sheep in amongst the vines to crop the grass and found they do a good job of leaf picking too.
What is unique about your winemaking style and philosophy?
Hermann and Agnes have always believed in producing wines that are great value for money and over-deliver on quality. They have always made wines that are affordable and that everyone can enjoy. We’ve stuck to that, and our wines are widely available worldwide.
We’re still family-owned, and I think that shows through in our wines and our business philosophy. It also means our money stays local, we are invested in the local community, and we’ve got lots of loyal staff whom we really value, especially through these recent challenging times.
Tell us about the key people behind Seifried Estate winery
We’re a family business so everyone gets involved in different things. Hermann and Agnes are in their 70s now and are supposed to be slowing down - but Hermann still overseas the grape-growing operation and Agnes oversees the office and marketing side of things.
Heidi is our expert on business analysis, auditing, health and safety. She also trained as a dentist and still works one day a week in a dental practice. I [Chris] oversee the winemaking and production side of things and Anna does our New Zealand marketing.
What are you working towards achieving in the short-long term for Seifried Estate winery?
We’re always looking for ways to grow and improve quality. We’ve bought more land to increase our Sauvignon Blanc area. We’ve got a strong base and a long term mindset which will help us manage the challenging times ahead.
The next generation of young Seifrieds are growing up fast and spend lots of time on the weekends and during the holidays around the vineyard and wineries. We hope some of them will be interested in getting involved to carry the baton forward, but we’ll see!
