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Some dreams sit quietly in the background for years. Not because they are small, but because they require time, money, patience, and a certain amount of stubborn belief. For Matt and Helen Barbour, owning their own vineyard was one of those dreams. Matt has been in the wine industry most of his adult life. He studied viticulture and oenology at Lincoln University in the mid-2000s and has worked in wine since. Having a vineyard was never guaranteed, but it was always the goal.

Kim Schofield’s long-term plan is to transform the vineyard’s old winery shed into an art and tasting space. Supplied. When Kim Schofield bought an ageing Waipara vineyard in 2017, she freely admits the decision was not part of a grand winemaking strategy. “People secretly romanticise the idea of owning a vineyard,” she says. “The original idea was that it was an investment, but yes, there was a bit of romance in there too.” What Schofield did not know then was that the prope