Last weekend saw two substantial human losses to the wine business in Australia and New Zealand. Jim Barry of Jim Barry Wines in South Australia's Clare Valley passed away aged 79. His sons had recently been in London showing some spectacular fruits of his long, wine-producing life. See Coonawarra and other Oz classics and also Great Australian Rieslings back to 1973. And in New Zealand a winemaker at Craggy Range in Hawkes Bay, Doug Wisor, was the victim of the country's first fatal kite-surfing accident. Craggy Range Wines managing director Steve Smith MW said that the young American was a talented winemaker who came to New Zealand about four years ago. He loved all adventure sports, an important feature of NZ life, although kite surfing is apparently a relatively recent activity there. "The world is a poorer place without him. He was an unbelievable young man," said Steve Smith.
Two losses Down Under
Monday 18 October 2004
• 1 min read
Please note this article was published last October. All I have done is correct the spelling of the surname of the late Doug Wisor, after whom Craggy Range have named the charming Marlborough Pinot Noir 2003 which he made.
Choose your plan
Member
$135
/year
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
- Access 289,064 wine reviews & 15,892 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
Ideal for collectors
- Access 289,064 wine reviews & 15,892 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
- Access 289,064 wine reviews & 15,892 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
- Access 289,064 wine reviews & 15,892 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
More Free for all
Free for all
Favourites among the quirkier vine varieties. A shorter version of this article, with fewer recommendations, is published by the Financial...
Free for all
Kim Chalmers of Chalmers Wine and Chalmers Nursery in Victoria is no stranger to JancisRobinson.com. She was an important influence...
Free for all
What to make of this exceptional vintage after London’s Burgundy Week? Small, undoubtedly. And not exactly perfectly formed. A version...
Free for all
The world is awash with unwanted wine. A version of this article is published by the Financial Times. Above, a...
More from JancisRobinson.com
Mission Blind Tasting
Whether you’re studying for a wine exam or just want to learn how to get more out of your glass...
Inside information
A continuation of Chris Howard’s two-part exploration of the newly revived wine regions of north-west France. Above, an aerial view...
Tasting articles
From light, delicate Prosecco to cult wine from Bordeaux and red Zinfandel, there’s something for everyone in these 25 wines...
Don't quote me
January is always a heavy month for professional wine tastings. This year Jancis fortified herself beforehand. 2026 got off to...
Nick on restaurants
Nick denies an accusation frequently levelled at restaurant critics. And revisits an old favourite. Those of us who write about...
Wine news in 5
Plus, wet weather makes California drought-free for the first time in 25 years and leaves snow on Douro vineyards. Much...
Tasting articles
The last of our alphabetically organised tasting articles: reviews of wines tasted by Matthew in the Côte d’Or and by...
Wines of the week
If there’s one country that excels at value-priced wines, it would have to be Portugal. This is yet another wine...