This story begins in Christchurch and ends up in Takapau, Hawke’s Bay, with a diverse wealth of experience in between. From All Black to winemaker, John Ashworth and his wife, Jo, built a rewarding farming and winemaking lifestyle in Central Hawke’s Bay. Their three sons carry on the legacy, creating a true family affair.
It was a typical post rugby match soirée at the Linwood Rugby Club rooms in Christchurch when a young John Ashworth positioned himself strategically on a lone bar stool, amongst a group of young ladies. The larkiness continued around this small gathering, while John found himself commenting on a young lady’s tanned complexion.
“I’m from the Chanani tribe and I’m from Wisconsin,” replied a golden-skinned girl, using the code words to alert her girlfriends to ‘get me out of here’. It took quite some grafting from John to eventually convince this girl called Jo to join him for a game of squash. The rest is the history of the last 48 years.
That was 1976. Now it’s 2024, and John and Jo are seated in the main dining area of their home in Takapau. It’s a rustic space created from native timbers; old farming memorabilia is dotted around and a long table stretches across the room. The area is often the hub of Junction Winery’s cellar door tastings.
Jo gently encourages John to share some memories of his time as an All Black, farmer and vineyard hobbyist. As John relays these ‘Minties Moments’, with jokes of working in The Press House in Christchurch and feeling so physically inactive he had to once call a taxi after running out of steam on a training run, you can tell his hearing is starting to fail, but his humour and wit still play a strong game.
Playing 24 test caps for the All Blacks from 1977 to 1985, it was during his first tour to France in 1977 that, at the time, a rather fickle John tried a French pinot noir and felt it in his toes. “I instantly fell in love with pinot noir, and the more I researched about it, read about it and drank it, the more passionate I became.”
That was the catalyst for selling up in Leithfield, North Canterbury, and buying 1000 acres on the Takapau Plains. John began his hobby of growing pinot noir on 25 acres, with the rest dedicated to home-produced lamb – the perfect combination.
As Junction Wines developed and John’s passion got a hold of him, a dream to grow on the red metal ‘across the road’ came to fruition, and the varieties of wine produced by Junction grew. Each label had a link to his rugby heritage, like ‘Red Card’ and ‘Possession’.
In the early 2000s Leith, their eldest son, returned on holiday from Lincoln University to lend a hand with the expanding vineyard. Studying commerce at the time, Leith was inspired to change his degree to viticulture and oenology, when realising that, while his dad’s enthusiasm was a key factor to success, the future development of the business would depend on the winemaking.
Graduating in 2004 from Lincoln University, Leith went on to travel, putting his skills to good use and completing vintages in Oregon and Bordeaux.
Now Leith and his wife, Tracey, have bought Ash Ridge Wines in the Bridge Pā wine triangle, turning it into a fully certified organic vineyard in 2022. He is the winemaker for both Ash Ridge and Junction wines, winning double gold at the New Zealand International Wine Show this year for his Ash Ridge Premium Chardonnay 2023.
Leith isn’t the only family member who plays a part in the success of the business. John and Jo have three sons. Shay, a farmer, leases the farm from his parents, and their third child, Tyler, is a bank manager, who has supported the business with financial advice. Each son lends their skills and expertise to the success of Junction Wines.
It’s at this stage that you simply must take your hat off to Jo, wife of John Ashworth, mother of three successful sons, and part owner of Junction Wines. Behind every great man, is a strong woman.
The saying resonates around the brick laid walls of the Ashworth’s kitchen. “The oldest one was the hardest one,” laughs Jo as she eyeballs John from across the table.
So, what’s the secret to growing wine that seems to be garnering approval left, right and centre? “It’s a team effort, I guess, and we complement one another … most of the time,” answers John, the dry humour oozing from his tone.
It’s a team effort
Jo is quick to point out that a prime example of their vine growing and production success comes down to Leith’s palate. “Prior to Leith becoming our winemaker, we would have our wine tested and we’d be told to bring it down on Tuesday, but now Leith will say, ‘No Dad, wait another week, we can get better flavours’.”
“He listens to the people visiting the cellar door, and it’s all about the public,” explains Jo. John laughs as he remembers one year at the Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards, a Junction Chardonnay being the choice of tipple amongst guests. “The award winning wineries took home cases of their wines, and we went home with nothing, everyone drank us dry that night!”
A hobby that turned into a thriving business is once again now an enjoyable pastime for John in his late 60s, with the future looking bright in the hands of his son Leith.
It’s all come full circle for the Ashworth family.
