Studying grape growing and winemaking at EIT, Linda Tatare has already pinpointed her marketing niche – making a Gewurztraminer that appeals to the Māori palate.

Of Tuwharetoa and Ngāti Porou descent, Linda was born in and has lived most of her life in Gisborne.

She “messed around” after leaving school, she says, picking grapes and taking on other horticulture-based jobs before going on to work in the banking industry for 20 years.

She resigned when that sector changed.

“In our family,” Linda observes, “education is important.”

So at the age of 58, she is studying extramurally for her Diploma in Grapegrowing and Winemaking. Prior to that she completed an EIT bridging course in chemistry and also gained certificates in grape growing and winemaking, horticulture and agriculture through EIT Tairāwhiti’s rural studies unit.

“To have credibility, you need to have further education to make wine,” she explains of her ongoing study. “You can’t make wine with a certificate.  I want to be taken seriously.”

Linda rates her Gewurztraminer, a fragrant white varietal with medium sweetness balanced with spice to give the wine a sustained finish. “Gewurz” is German for spice and she likes a lot of spice.  However, her interpretation tends to the sweeter rather than the off-dry end of the scale.

“I want to appeal to the Māori palate. I believe Gewurz is a sophisticated option when we are thinking about buying wine and it is suited to the casual setting with family, friends and food.

“I’ve been really surprised at how Māori like it. Elderly Māori women in particular tend to have sophisticated palates and appreciate the qualities of my wine.”

Linda has found her Gewurz also appeals to the younger palate.

For her first vintage last year, she made 60 dozen bottles of wine.

“I guess there are about nine dozen left. We had a lot of fun over Christmas, gifting wine to friends and family who have supported us over the years.”

This year, production is up to 1.5 tonnes and Linda doesn’t want to go beyond that.

“This year’s a serious one,” she says of the 2015 vintage. “We’re not messing around giving it away this time.  I have to up my business acumen, getting registered and licensed to make this happen.”

Linda has chosen the name Rāwhiti for her label – a diminutive for Tairāwhiti but also meaning sunshine in Māori.

A shareholder in Tuwharetoa Māori lands, she says the trustees are very good at supporting education. Grants from about six land blocks have gone towards the cost of her studies, and she says she is grateful for every cent received.

“They are not large amounts, but it all helps when you’re not working. I’ve got to do this diploma with as little lending as possible.”

She thinks of her budding business in terms of supporting further study, which may mean a further year at EIT to complete a degree.

“I don’t see winemaking supporting my life but it’s needed to support continued study and to buy contract grapes. It may support a harvest in the Alsace wine region of France or in Germany,” she says of possible further travel with husband Jack Papuni.

“I love harvest and the care of the vineyard. I would like to be involved in that as well as making wine – being with people, working together to bring a crop in is hard work but invigorating.

“And I think there is a palate that has not been catered to,” she says. “I want to address that.”