26 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Quartz Reef Winery T T Kim Bowden Reading the rhythms of the vines Quartz Reef Wines crafts Méthode Traditionnelle, pinot gris, and pinot noir wines that reflect the unique character of Bendigo. “I think that is still the heart and soul of our region. There are strong egos in this industry, but people here have learned to communicate, to keep those egos in check, and to see what can be done as a unit.” The last of the fruit has been picked, the barrels are full, and the verdict is in – Central Otago’s 2025 vintage may have been another lower-yielding year, but for one of the region’s most respected winemakers, what he’s tasting is something to get excited about. “We’ve got some very nice textural qualities, fine tannins and quite charming – a drinkability and aromatically attractive,” Quartz Reef Wine’s owner Rudi Bauer says of this year’s drop. “It reminds me of the 2021 and 2015 vintages.” If anyone knows how to read the region’s rhythms, it’s Rudi. His winemaking story started here as Central Otago’s wine identity was still taking shape. In 1996, with a few seasons under his belt, and a big idea in mind, he launched Quartz Reef Winery with business partners, after coming across a spot with potential for grape-growing a few years earlier. “I saw this beautiful land up in Bendigo,” he recalls – the steep, north-facing slopes above Lake Dunstan that formed part of Bendigo Station. “I saw the potential.” In 1998, he planted the first grapes Bendigo had ever seen. From the get-go, there was a shared sense that this wasn’t just about individual success; it was about building something bigger, together. In the early days, a pre-harvest party was the norm – a chance for producers to gather, share a glass, and swap stories before the busyness of vintage began. “There was always an ethos around the importance of working together,” Rudi says. “I think that is still the heart and soul of our region. There are strong egos in this industry, but people here have learned to communicate, to keep those egos in check, and to see what can be done as a unit.” Unlike the Old-World regions of Europe, there was no rulebook here, and the region – with a rugged terrain suited to outdoor adventuring as well as grape-growing – continues to attract a certain kind of person. “There’s this idealistic thinking and a willingness to take on a challenge that’s part of the DNA of whoever comes here,” Rudi says. “A lot of people working here have done extensive study of overseas vintages. They come with a global outlook and the ability to translate that experience to our conditions here.” After decades of trial, error, and evolution, the two-time recipient of New Zealand Winemaker of the Year thinks he is making better decisions, at the right time, thanks to making being out among the vines a priority. In 2007, Rudi began transitioning his vineyards to organic and biodynamic practices, a decision that has deepened his connection to the land. Today, Quartz Reef Wines crafts Méthode Traditionnelle, pinot gris, and pinot noir wines that reflect the unique character of Bendigo. “I know now that the vineyard is much better than I ever expected, but I also understand that it’s far more complicated than I thought it was. So basically, I’m still back to square one.” Rudi describes it as a journey – one where the vineyard, the business and his winemaking have matured in parallel. And now, after nearly three decades, he has the company on the market. “We’ll just see how that goes,” he says. “I’ve got one big wish – that it goes into hands that are thinking forward into the next 30 years. Someone who can take it to the next level.”
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