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Nikola Nobilo
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The Croatian immigrant founded the country's second
largest wine company and also helped shape the $700
million industry into what it is today. He also made
his company the second largest in New Zealand.
Nobilo was New Zealand's last surviving Croatian-born
wine pioneer - still harvesting grapes in his early
90s and reflecting on the country's changing taste for
wine. He was a leader in moving the nation's wine industry
away from hybrid grapes to classic varieties in pursuit
of higher-quality wines.
Nikola Nobilo brought a 300 year family winemaking
tradition from Europe when he planted his first grapes
in Huapai, West Auckland in the early 1940s, founding
Nobilo Wines.
"You can't talk about where New Zealand wine has
got to in the world today - and it is absolutely impressive
- without taking into account the contribution of the
Nobilo family," says Terry Dunleavy, editor of
NZ Winegrower.
Nobilo's wine group was New Zealand's wine producer
of the year at the international wine and spirit competition
in 2003. Its sauvignon blanc won the award for best
sauvignon blanc at the same competition in 2000.
British Airways has served Nobilo wines for the past
13 years. In 2000, Nobilo Vintners was bought by Australia's
second-largest wine producer, BRL Hardy, which merged
with the American conglomerate, Constellation Brands,
in 2003. Constellation Wines is the world's biggest
wine company.
Nick Nobilo will also be remembered as a devout Catholic
with strong family values. He was awarded an OBE by
the NZ government for his services to wine industry.
Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1318360/1328808
Nobilo wines are imported by Sula in India. The
Sauvignon Blanc which is available in retail for Rs.1200
(should cost even less now, with lowering of duties
) has been a 'We recommend' wine by delWine and on the.Indian
Wine Academy website.
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