Richard Flatman, Viticulturalist, Neudorf Vineyards, Nelson

Born, Bred, Schooled

Bred- ask Mum and Dad
Born – Ashburton finally cut my mullet off last week
Schooled - in the mighty Ashburton

First wine industry job

1996 at Banrock Station in the Riverland district of South Australia.

First real (full time) job (outside of school/uni holidays)

I left school, 3 days later on a plane to South America came back thought I should find employment so I became an apprentice mechanic. I was hopeless but enjoyed the $3.16 I received every excruciating hour.

Career Highlight

Getting my current position here at Neudorf Vineyards and working with the great team that is here. Personal achievement would be taking Neudorf into organic certification.

Mentor/Influencer

Luke Wormald, Richard Leask and Tim Finn all amazing viticulturists and people

Cat? Dog?

My lovely Border Collie Grace. Getting on a bit now 11yrs old but still as loyal as ever

Desert island wine and food

Chardonnay possible siding Chablis way and a big pork roast. However I could also be very happy with a Townsend boutique beer (some of the best in NZ and from around the corner) and a Mays meat pie from Timaru

Dinner table companions, dead or alive

Kurt Cobain, Winston Churchill, Roger Federer and of course my wife.

Greatest achievement

Being the Dad of my three best vintages – Georgia 2004, Isabel 2006 and Toby 2010

New Zealand wine industry needs...

Less rubbish and more quality

If you weren't working in the wine industry in your current position, what would you be doing?

Possibly a swimming instructor? Or a traveller

Virtues

Best to ask my wife that one but I think my kids would say that I am a good Dad

Vices

Beer and pies

One thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

That I am not 6ft tall

If you had the day off tomorrow what would you like to do.

9 holes of golf, jumping off the wharf in Mapua (where I live), followed by friends and family gathered around my barrel smoker and bbq tasting some great wines eating.