CHARD FARM

Chard Farm was established in 1987 by Motueka brothers Rob and Greg Hay. They were the first to come into the area with the intention of setting up a commercial vineyard and selected the Chard Farm site after careful evaluation of the peculiarities of grape growing in Central Otago.

In 1987, encouraged by the endeavours of Central Otago’s early winemaking pioneers, Rob Hay planted out his newly acquired orchard in grapes, in the process neatly turning it into a vineyard. Perched on a hillside in a breath-taking southern landscape, the Hay family channel the classic cool climate varietals championed in great wine-producing regions like Burgundy and Alsace to create some of Central Otago’s finest vinous expressions.

John Wallace

John is a retired Ski instructor, keen brewer, dedicated foodie and another mountain biker. He has been with us forever, initially employed as a vineyard hand and cellar rat in 1997. He took over the reigns of chief winemaker at Chard Farm in 2002 and has done several Northern hemisphere vintages in Oregon and California. John and wife Jo have a son ? Hugo and daughter ? Isobel. John is famous for his dry sense of humour and very tasty beers, the latest being an IPA-Indian Pale Ale. As the saying goes - it takes a lot of beer to make great wine! He also makes a wicked Central Otago gin ? created using the traditional triple distilled London dry gin technique, and using Central Otago botanicals.