About Us

Steve Harrop and Fenella Barry are the proud owners of Sublime wines. The vineyard is situated on a very steep north facing terrace of The Waitaki Valley in North Otago. In 2003, Fenella and Steve moved with their two young children to the Waitaki Valley for the wine industry. They were the first people to do so. Steve was employed as the General Manager for Otago Station Estates overseeing the development of vineyard land. After a year watching and learning from the existing planted vineyards the decision was made to plant a Pinot Gris vineyard of mixed clones, on a terraced slope at the highest point they considered possible (currently Steve and Fenella have the two highest vineyards in the Grants Road Region, Waitaki Valley). They purchased the chosen site in 2004 and commenced planting.

2008 is the first vintage for Sublime Wines. Steve was busy managing the local development so it was left solely up to Fenella to run their small 2 hectare Vineyard. “I am embarrassingly proud of this wine, all of the raised aromatic qualities we hoped to achieve with the altitude and slow ripening have exceeded my expectations” she said. Fenella has been a huge local advocate for all things Waitaki she organised the very successful 'Taste of Waitaki' events which matched the local wine with the best of local produce. These events have been credited for putting the North Otago region on the wine map. So it was no surprise that “This is unashamedly a food wine, I wanted a strong backbone for food. We are able to get exciting acids here which combined with the strong aromatic qualities produce something quite special. I wanted the flavours to be expressed through the minerality and the earth rather than the sugars — Dan and Sarah-Kate did a perfect job. It is a beautifully balanced wine”.

Dan and Sarah-Kate Dineen are the wine makers of Maude wines in Wanaka. They have just returned to New Zealand to run Maude wines after years in Australia making price winning wines in the Hunter Valley. “These guys are legendary in Australia and will soon be here too. We can’t believe how lucky we are to have them as our wine makers”. Steve carefully chose clones from a small batch of Pinot Noir from a neighbouring vineyard to make Sub limes offering to the wine world.

The label is designed by friend and renowned artist Donna Demente. “Donna is an inspiration to us both — we love all her ideas and she has to take credit for the name and design of the label. Donna’s artwork is evocative and we think the image is very arresting – sublime in fact!” Steve Harrop (a Jazz musician) plays music with Donnas husband Jeff Mitchell. “Donna and Jeff have been through the very long and tortured gestation of this wine so knew exactly what wave length we were on”.

The family still live in the Valley, and have developed a new vineyard on their house block which is now open as a lodge. Fenella is offering a true Taste of Waitaki while you can relax in the beautiful surrounds of the mountains, river, and vineyards. Sublime lodge offers a bed and delicious breakfast for two double rooms with ensuite bathroom in its own wing with private dining room and open log fire for your relaxation.