Behind The Bottle

  • Tim & Judy Finn

    Founding Winemakers

    Tim & Jude planted the first vines at Neudorf in 1978, since then they have strived for excellence and integrity in their wines. Since Tim's death, Judy has stepped away from the day to day running of the vineyard but is a consistent source of wisdom and scones.

    Read the histroy below...

    judy@neudorf.co.nz

  • Todd Stevens

    GM & Winemaker

    Winemaker Todd Stevens heads the overall production effort from vine to bottle and his role is to draw the various strands together to craft wines of distinction and place. When he's not plunging pinot he's building go karts, coaching soccer and mountain biking with his two sons Gus & Issac. 

    Get in touch 

  • Rosie Finn

    Global Neudorf Cheerleader

    Born mid-Vintage, raised among vines, studied design in Wellington, then escaped to London on a one-way ticket. Two years in the UK wine world later, home called. Now I wrangle sales, marketing and mum-life in equal measure. When I’m not talking Chardonnay, you’ll find me in or under the water.

    Get in touch 

  • Stef Brockley

    Viticulturist

    Hailing from the City of Sails, but Tasman based for quite some time Stef joined us from our excellent wine neighbours Greenhough. He is all about organics, longevity in the vineyard and generally looking after our piece of dirt. Father of three kids... it would be fair to say he's kept pretty busy. 

    Get in touch 

  • Albie Feary

    Vineyard & Winery

    Having moved from Martinborough to Nelson, Albie joins us with an impressive resume including Wairarapa's Young Viti Winner. She comes with a gorgeous side kick in Ernie, the chocolate lab. Both to be seen roaming Home, Rosie's and Tom's Block.

  • Reuben Jane

    Cellar Door Manager

    Reuben Jane is our Cellar Door Manager. Coming from a science background, he found his feet in wine at one of Nelson's best restaurants, and one of our faves - Hopgood's & Co. Reuben has done a vintage with Todd and is the perfect addition to our team.

    Get in touch 

Team Neudorf includes Alison Hill, who looks after exports. Mike Moody & Lynne Peter keep the place looking beautiful and the coffee strong. A wonderful crew in the vineyard and Baz, the vineyard cat can be found up trees, under desks and sleeping in the middle of the cellar door…. He’s the resident charmer.

Our History

"We (Tim & I) were fresh from the “back to the land” movement of the late sixties. We wanted to make wines of integrity. We figured Tim’s Masters in Animal Behaviour and my unimpressive journalism career would be beneficial. Wrong. What we did have was youth (temporary), self-belief (unwarranted) and friends. At one stage we had four mortgages and three jobs each. The old house at Neudorf had electricity in two rooms, an outside long drop, an inefficient wood stove and no hot water. I look back with no regrets.

The lichen-covered winery began life 120 years ago as a stable. Tim milled two macrocarpa trees in the bottom paddock and six weeks later he had a winery. Unaffected, practical and pleasing. The surrounding trees attract kererū, tūī, thrush, blackbirds and yellowhammers. Sheep, chooks, geese, ducks, rabbits (sadly), cats and dogs completed the menagerie.

Because little was known about basic viticulture in New Zealand, we planted many varieties to see what suited our soils. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Gris stuck; Sauvignon joined; later Albariño. We did it with neighbours, family, friends and some fantastic staff. Each left a mark; many went on to bigger wineries or planted their own vineyards.

Decades later, we still never feel we have it sorted. But we love it and we are still learning – about viticulture, wine, exporting, currency, the internet, HR, distribution, yeasts, barrels, clones and crop levels.

Very few misgivings. Making wine is constantly scary and stimulating. We survive on hard work, high hopes and a dollop of common sense and cunning.

Thank you – wine drinkers and buyers, agents and sommeliers, staff and family. You help Neudorf survive and prosper.

And the future…

Tim spent more than 45 years shaping this place with his usual scientific curiosity and persistence. We miss him, of course, but the vineyard runs on the foundations he left. Todd now carries the winemaking, steady and stylish as ever. Our job is simple: look after the soil, keep improving, and pay attention.

We continue to export to a growing list of countries, and the challenge remains – better and more beautiful wine, year after year. As for me, I’ll keep reading and painting, and I hope our remarkable team gets a chance to relax now and then. Tim would insist on it.

Judy Finn

Co-Founder, Amateur Painter, Professional Reader, Not too shabby in the kitchen.

“Neudorf are one of my favourite New Zealand producers, and though the wines are generally tasted blind, it is hard to separate the wonderful Finn family, and their vision writ large in their wines, from the consumption and assessment of their wines. Late 70s pioneers of Nelson, they continue to excel."

Mike Bennie, The Wine Front AUS