ABOUT
Early Days
Douglas grew up in and around the historic regions of Henderson, Kumeu, Huapai and Waimauku, West Auckland where the undulating hills were covered in orchards, market gardens and vineyards. His family owned a 8 hectare farm lovingly called 'Eros Gardens' where his entire childhood was spent frolicking in beds of vegetables, flower fields and climbing mature trees in the orchard to pick fruit high up in the branches. His first job in life was working with nature.
Weekends were spent at his nana and poppas farm up in Waimauku where he sped around on motorbikes and made bow-and-arrows with bamboo. Other weekends he was with his Oma and Opa at Pleasant Valley Wines in Henderson Valley where he ran through the vines only to stop to eat handfuls of Pinotage and Chardonnay grapes.
In his twenties he worked on strawberry farms, vineyards and in a garden centre before he earned two degrees in Viticulture and Oenology where he studied soil science, plant physiology, botany, microbiology, biochemistry and everything to do with growing and making wine. Fast forward a few decades and he once again returned to Kumeu but this time as a winemaker. He worked across all facets of the wine business at a number of New Zealand’s top wineries. He won awards at the Romeo Bragato Wine Awards and featured as an associate wine judge in New Zealand's premium wine magazine - Wine NZ. He was also featured overseas in Sweden's highly acclaimed wine book Tjugo Svenska Vingårdar.
Bordeaux Bound
At the age of 33 he secured a position at a Grand Cru château in Saint-Julien, Bordeaux. Château Langoa and Leoville Barton was his destination. One of the finest châteaux in Bordeaux and France. A château with family roots reaching back before the time of Napoleon. The farm boy from Kumeu spent two vintages spanning two years living and working alongside winemaking royalty.
Authorship
His passion for wine didn't end there. He also painstakingly wrote a book on New Zealand's finest wineries. He walked the vineyards, searched the cellars and talked with winemakers and vineyard managers to gather fascinating insights about the viticulture methods employed, the oenology practices used and the people who work long days in the vineyard and equally long nights in the cellar. Often visiting wineries several times, and always with his camera, he captured the beauty and seasonal differences of vineyards around the country.
100 Great New Zealand Wineries was published in New Zealand bookstores nationwide in 2017. Featured on TV, radio and podcasts, his book was well received by New Zealanders and wine lovers from around the world. His passion and drive lead him to write my second book on wine which is planned to be published soon.