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In Conversation With… Glover Family Vineyards
In Conversation with Ben Glover of Glover Family Vineyards
When it comes to professional wine people, Ben Glover is about as top-of-the-tree as it gets. Ben’s role call includes almost too many accolades: previously a Wine Marlborough committee member, chair of the Bragato Wine Show (New Zealand’s only single vineyard wine show) and was chair of Pinot Noir 2017 New Zealand, the world’s largest and most prestigious pinot noir event. He was an inaugural Len Evans scholar in 2001 and has over 25 years of experience as a national and international wine judge.
This is all to say that, when you open a bottle of Bob/Short for Kate, you are in safe hands. Nicknamed ‘Bob’ by her family (some of you may recognize the Blackadder reference), Bob/Short for Kate is a tribute to Kate Glover, Ben’s sister, who passed away in 2018. Ben explains that he has looked to produce a wine that characterises the honesty, purity and confidence of Kate. These are organic, Marlborough wines, small-batch Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, reliant on selected block from the family’s vines and exceptional fruit selection. Not to mention the skill of one of the region’s most well-regarded winemakers.
Can you tell us about your winemaking journey and how you first came into the wine industry?
It all started as I was finishing a Bachelor of Commerce at Canterbury University in Christchurch, New Zealand. I was working part time at a local pub in Christchurch, and meanwhile, my dad was busy converting the dairy herd to vines and planting grapes in 1988 at the Dillons Point Road Farm. This introduction to the world of wine sparked my enthusiasm and I enrolled at Lincoln University to complete a one-year postgraduate course in Viticulture and Oenology.
I then gained experience by travelling and working vintages around New Zealand, then on to Puglia in Italy, Sonoma in Napa Valley, and Margaret River in Western Australia, with a brief stint at the Pacific Rim Laboratory in Marlborough to hone my lab skills. Corporate life kept me busy for 18 years – now I am busier than ever running our family operated vineyards, winery, and brands… and I’m still loving it!
Can you share the story behind the label?
Bob/short for Kate is an ode to my late sister Kate, (aka ‘Bob’), who passed away in 2018. The family decision was to produce a wine that characterises the honesty, purity, and confidence of Kate. A tribute to a truly genuine person, for whom honesty and purity came as second nature, who was conscious of living a healthy lifestyle, and who (along with being a Blackadder fan) lived for the theatre, for family and for great company.
Our organic Marlborough wines – small-batch Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc – are produced like no other; where the precious reputation and love of a treasured family member is reliant on exceptional fruit selection and winemaking crafted equally with uncompromising love.
How would you describe your winemaking approach and the style of your wines?
How has your winemaking approach and winemaking style evolved over time?
My aim has always been to deliver authenticity right from the start. From the integrity of the soil and purity of the fruit, through to the resultant wine that is enjoyed by the consumer. The ability to determine best practices in our family vineyards has enabled me to make tough decisions. I aim to ‘walk the walk’ and deliver wines that express the land and the people, and ultimately as it all comes full circle, the next generation steps up, which is what to me, is the essence of a family-owned winery means.
What makes your land different from that of your neighbours?
I am constantly seeing changes in the terroir and what it can produce. The increasing vitality and biodiversity in the vineyard have had a positive chain reaction that translates into the wines, you can see it in our fruit and the overall health of the land.
I am also consciously seeking alternative certified organic measures to control weeds, pests, and diseases. This adds a difference to the working day that is so rewarding and is a continuous learning experience.
How has farming organically influenced your relationship with your surroundings?
I feel more at one with the nuances of nature and the ever-changing weather simply by observing how the land adapts and reacts to climactic changes. We now consider and make decisions differently; for us, the ecology of the land is the priority. The key to producing the choicest of fruit that will dance and entertain you in the glass starts by seeking to understand more about what grows on the land, and how to manage it best in its current state.
What have been the biggest challenges and successes in recent vintages?
The pruning season has presented itself with challenges. Despite setbacks, in a remarkable turn of events, everything has worked to strengthen the wine community – us and our neighbours have all found ways to get through whilst helping one another along the way.
Do you have any new projects in the pipeline that you can share with us?
We have just merged our companies together, which includes Bob Short for Kate, so it is an exciting time for us. We are all together on the same waka (boat).
How is the new vintage shaping up?
So far, I like what I see as we head into spring, and the winter rains ease. Watch this space!
When you are not drinking your own wines, what else do you enjoy?
A good craft beer at the local Grovetown Pub keeps me happy.
What are you most looking forward to during your upcoming visit to the UK?
I am looking forward to seeing some sunshine in the UK, but most of all, I’m eager to be face to face with the people whom I have been emailing and zooming with over the last two and a half years.