BABICH

Babich Wines is New Zealand’s most experienced family owned winery. We have been proud producers of fine New Zealand wines since 1916, when Croatian immigrant Josip Babich produced his first vintage. A century on, our family business has three generations of winemaking experience behind it, 13 vineyards in New Zealand’s finest wine regions, and a passion for winemaking as a way of life. We have never lost sight of the importance of family, farming and the winemaker's craft. We make wines that are worth drinking; wines to be shared and enjoyed with friends and family.

Adam Hazeldine

Adam, the youngest in a family of 4 children, was born and raised in West Auckland. He grew up loving the west coast beaches (his grandad had a bach at Bethells), and a keen hunter (his dad was a relocated country boy).

The sciences held Adam's interest most during his school years so it was natural for him to follow them in his tertiary studies. He landed a job as production supervisor with a biopharmaceutical company but after a couple of years realised his heart was not in it, so jumped at the opportunity to follow a friend overseas, spending a couple of years based in London. This coincided with him deciding that perhaps he'd drunk enough beer; wine became his preferred beverage.

He returned from Europe in 1995 aged 26 years and a bit lost, panicking about what he would do with his life. Through an acquaintance of a friend he secured a vintage job at a small winery just south of the Bombay Hills (De Redcliff – Hotel du Vin $10 per hour, flat rate), worked some stupidly long hours but for some reason thought: “this is the job for me”.

After a short month or two at Coopers Creek, he applied for a permanent Cellar Hand job at Babich Wines in 1996 and got it. He has worked the cellar floor, wine shop, run the laboratory, and been the Assistant Winemaker. Since 2002, he has been Chief Winemaker at Babich Wines.

Adam lives in the Waitakere Ranges with his wife Andie, kids Nate and Lucinda, 3 old cats, and 4 young chooks.