John Belsham

It’s been said If ever a film were made about New Zealand wine, John Belsham would be the leading man. He cut his winemaking teeth in Bordeaux before becoming one of New Zealand's most highly-regarded winemakers.

An international winemaker, wine business consultant and critic, John Belsham has shaped and guided some of the most successful wine companies today.

Belsham founded Wine Focus, a consulting practice focused in areas of business strategy, technical winemaking expertise and sensory evaluation. He also designs wineries and water flow systems and has completed projects in Provence, France, Australia, and New Zealand.  He holds a number of board positions and advisory roles.

One of Australasia's most experienced and respected wine judges and critics, he was the airline wine consultant to Air New Zealand for 20 years and the lead wine panel chair for 16 years at Cuisine Magazine.

Belsham led the New Zealand Screw Cap Initiative, which shifted 95% of the NZ wine industry from cork to cap closures within 18 months between 2000 and 2001. Many international case studies have since been written on the Screw Cap Initiative as a positive disruptor and one that adapted an existing product in new, revolutionary ways.

Fluent in French and English, John speaks on a range of subjects and appears regularly for speaking engagements, television and film commentary.

The Awatere Estate

The Awatere Valley is located in the southern part of Marlborough and is an area with its own geological significance. The Estate with seven distinct terraces carved out during the glacial period sits on the Awatere River which carved a distinct path through the valley.  

The soils are approximately 40,000 years old. The top three meters of soil are a silty clay loam that sits on a bed of old river rock and papa limestone.  Perfect for Pinot Noir.

Taming the unruly, overgrown land required a sensitive approach to preserve the natural terracing and diverse soil profiles. After two years of careful planning and minimal soil disturbance, John Belsham planted the first vines in 2000.

Sustainably farmed from the start, the Awatere Estate vineyard has high-density plantings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling; varietals all produced under the Foxes Island label.