about us

 

Joseph Ryan vineyard is owned by seven siblings who grew up on the farm where the vineyard has been planted. The youngest of the seven, Joseph, had always dreamed that one day there would be a vineyard on the farm.

Spending the nineties working in the wine industry around New Zealand and the world, Joe returned home in 2001 to plant the first vines. Now a thirty-four acre vineyard, Joseph Ryan produced its debut wine, a Sauvignon Blanc, in 2005.

Joseph Ryan is concentrating on the local market around the Wairarapa and Wellington, and overseas has its sights firmly in Ireland.

The Ryan family’s Irish ancestry is reflected in the Celtic style knot on the logo.  All seven Ryans have spent time either visiting or working in Ireland and have a real affinity for the country. Joseph in particular fell in love during his Irish OE in the late nineties, but for one thing - he couldn’t find himself an interesting New Zealand wine.

“Discovering a New Zealand wine beyond those owned by foreign multi-nationals was a difficult task.  I felt Ireland was missing out on some great New Zealand wines and saw this as a big opportunity”.

Upon returning to New Zealand in 2001 Joe managed to convince his family to plant a vineyard. Today Joe takes care of the wine side of things and exports much of the wine to Ireland.