Think owning a winery is in your future? Learn how Unison Vineyard’s owners got their start.
Do you ever dream of owning a vineyard or do you think you are destined to buy a winery? Me too! Vineyards are magical places where the land, the sky and the vine become one. Wineries are places where magic happens. Humble grapes turn into etherial wine. Who wouldn’t want to own one?
One way to start your own winery is to buy one. Purchase the land, plant your vines and invest in the equipment to make your wine. However, the cost of acreage and equipment can put your investment into the millions. You must then wait 3-5 years for your first harvest and another longer to have wine available for sale. This option isn’t for the faint of heart!
The other option is to find an existing winery and purchase the existing vineyards, facilities and equipment. While still not an inexpensive venture, you can have wines ready to put on the market much sooner. What will take time, though, is making the style, quality and brand your own. This is where true visionaries shine!
And the Horn’s really did buy a winery!
Philip and Terri Horn are the owners of Unison Vineyards in the hallowed Gimblet Gravels of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. They had the same dream when they packed their bags and moved to New Zealand to start their “second career”. With a plan in place and a timeline agreed, the couple set out to relocate and explore their options. All this was to happen while Philip earned his winemaking credentials at a local NZ university. Fate had a different plan, and within days, they moved, purchased Unison Vineyards and Philip started classes. All within weeks of harvest season!
Tune in below and hear their story – it may inspire you to launch your winery ownership journey!
How to buy a winery and make it your own
Not only were Philip and Terri adventurous and brave, their vision has painted a fun, vibrant and exciting new personality for the Unison brand. After a few iterations, the Unison logo tells the story of the vineyard, from the natural inconsistency of the rows to the heart put into each wine. When you pop a cork and hear Philip tell the story, you feel how personal each wine is to him.
Unison’s wines and their respective names tell stories and evoke feelings. Honeybee Pinot Gris is not a honey based wine, however, the native bees are so fond of it, they swarm the grapes in the vineyard. And Relax is a chilled red wine whose name is indicative of the mood you feel when you open a bottle and put your mind at ease over a glass. The musical references such as Maestro and Symphony for the Icon Range take you down a melodic journey of complexity, intensity and layered flavors and aromas. Truly magical.
Owning a winery is not without challenge. New Zealand’s government closed it’s borders during the pandemic. While Unison has distribution locally and in the Far East, they rely heavily on winery visits and their direct to consumer sales. Tourism is picking up again, and I am here to tell everyone – GO TO UNISON! Visit Philip and Terri and see for yourself how special their wines are and bring a few bottles back with you!
Now that you’re inspired to buy a winery and to visit Unison Vineyard in New Zealand, I insist you keep me posted so I can be one of your first visitors! Join SOMM WOMEN TALK WINE for more of my New Zealand wine adventures! Thank you Philip and Terri for your generous hospitality and for telling not only your story, but the story of Unison! Cheers to many years of fantastic wine making and story telling!
For more posts on New Zealand, click below:
#newzealand #newzealandwine #hawkesbay #unisonvineyard #buyawinery #secondcareer #winelover #wineblog
