Durvillea Wines

The fifth ‘Who’s that girl?’ interview in an occasional series – questions and write up from Meg.

Born in sunny Gisborne in 1990, Bella is the baby of the Forrest-Waghorn family. She’s in her first year of a fine arts degree & BA at university and contributes an eye for design and a palate beyond her years to the Durvillea team. Arabella is a pretty busy girl but always finds time to help out with tastings in the Auckland area – in fact she and Sophie will be at Farro’s from 2:30 -5:30 tomorrow! (Saturday 10th October).

What is your role at Durvillea?: 

So far I have been helping with tastings in stores, I also help out at home with tastings and functions.  I suppose because I am home more than the others I am often involved in discuss visual look of the brand with Jane (ma).

Where do you live?:

Half of the time at home at in Grovetown on Astrolabe Farm  and half in Auckland in a hostel during the university term. I am in my first year of study at the university of Auckland  studying arts and fine arts

Arabella at Sponge Bay, Gisborne.

 How has your family being in the wine industry impacted on you?:

I spent a lot of time hanging out and playing at wineries, drawing on white boards and those gigantic office pads, climbing on the tanks, riding on pallet jacks  and  investigating the lab. I remember when I started high school and all my friends were really excited and fascinated by the science labs but to me they were pretty normal.

 Any childhood memories of being a winemaker’s daughter?: 

Definitely having a winery as your playground, which had perfect concrete for riding your scooter! The mysterious witches garden behind the winery and eating too many sour grapes from the vines.

What’s your favourite thing about coming home to Marlborough?: 

Being at the farm, relaxing and catching up on sleep, and the endless supply of my favourite tasty home grown foods, garlic, basil,  raspberries, redcurrants and  lemons.

Arabella enjoying some of her favourite Astrolabe Farm produce

Any Blenheim local knowledge or tips you’d like to share?: 

Well my favourite place is definitely Cruzies cafe, we have been going there for as long as I remember, I love the decor with its old plates and kitchenware. If you go be sure to have a mince savoury –  my personal favourite is the potato top which sadly no longer fits in my gluten-less diet.

Cruizies Cafe in Blenheim

What do you like about Auckland?:

After being at boarding school in the very chilly Christchurch it is nice to be in a sub-tropical climate. I also enjoy living in the busy centre of the city with walking distance to all the nice shops, cafes and galleries.

What’s your favourite wine?: 

Savingon blanc, I was practically reared on it (just kidding) but it ismy favourite variety, perhaps because I have grown up in a region that excels at it so I have never had a bad glass. My favourite red wine possibly ever and I’m not just saying that is the Durvillea Pinot Noir, I love the lightness of it and the bright raspberry and fruit flavours.

Arabella in Italy, the home of some of her favourite things - pizza, pasta & red wine!

 And a meal to go with it?:

With the Durvillea Pinot Noir I would have one of my specialty pizzas which I have been able to successfully develop into a gluten free version, it has to have plenty of parmesan, fresh basil, pesto, feta, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and blackball salami.

Who would you recommend Durvillea wines to?:

Probably someone a bit older than me, I fear  my peers would just funnel it!

Can you sum up the Durvillea range for us?: 

 Seaweed, my mother and my sisters – oh and the wine (thanks Pa).

Libby, Meg and Arabella.