Step into the origins of Gibbston wine with this exclusive Wild Irishman Wine Tasting – a deep dive into the people, place and wines that helped put Central Otago on the world stage.
This tasting is dedicated entirely to Wild Irishman wines, offering rare access to a label that sits at the very heart of Gibbston’s story. Often referred to as the godfather of Pinot Noir in Gibbston, Alan Brady planted the very first grapes in the valley in 1981. At the time, few believed this rugged, high-altitude landscape could produce world-class wine. Brady proved them wrong, leading a charge that would ultimately establish Gibbston as one of New Zealand’s most respected wine subregions.
Gibbston’s global reputation would not exist without this wild Irishman. Today, the region stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the great Pinot Noir regions of the world, regularly taking out ‘Best New Zealand Red Wine’ titles on the international stage – a legacy that traces directly back to those first pioneering plantings.
Wild Irishman wines represent the pinnacle of Central Otago winemaking. They capture the entrepreneurial spirit, resilience and camaraderie that define the region’s early wine community, while expressing the purity, tension and elegance that Gibbston’s cool climate and distinctive soils deliver so consistently. These are wines shaped as much by conviction and character as they are by terroir.
The Wild Irishman label has long benefitted from that unmistakable Brady magic. Today, with fellow Irishman Brian Shaw now part of the team, the focus has sharpened on sub-regional diversity and site expression. This next chapter is about refining and elevating what Gibbston does best, further cementing Wild Irishman’s place as one of the most iconic and influential wine labels in Central Otago this decade.
Guided by our knowledgeable Wine Advisors, this tasting offers context, insight and storytelling to match the wines in your glass – connecting past to present and vineyard to bottle.
A must-do experience for Pinot Noir lovers and anyone wanting to understand why Gibbston – and Wild Irishman – matter on a global scale.
