With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, general manager of marketing and trading for Fine Wine Delivery, Tracey Hawes is a passionate advocate for supporting the local wine industry. She shares some insights with Verve.
The NZ wine industry has long been recognised globally, and we’re now also becoming known as leaders in AI tech development for wine shoppers. How did this innovation come around?
Since we launched NZ’s first interactive, ecommerce wine website in 1998, we have focused on empowering customers to find the right wines for their tastes. Our professional tasting panel tastes and rates every product, writing independent tasting notes as a guide. The beverage world is complex and subjective, and we wanted to bridge that gap. A meeting between Jeff (my dad and founder of Fine Wine Delivery) and the head of IBM in NZ, led to a partnership with Spacetime, who helped us create a world-first, enriching, empowering customer experience.
What led to your interest in wine and your pathway into the industry?
My dad was in the business, and there were countless barbeques, growing up, with the adults enjoying Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz! My mum, the ultimate host, would also serve up culinary delights with wine matches. This experience of great company, food and wine created special memories. I later studied hospitality thinking I’d run large hotels, but once dad started Fine Wine Delivery, I was so excited to be part of a start up in the industry. I finished my Bachelor of Business, and always loved the marketing side, telling the amazing wine stories. I’ve been fortunate to travel Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Australia, and our own incredible regions. My role now allows me to enjoy both the discovery and storytelling sides of the business.
At Fine Wine Delivery, we taste every wine and have a professional tasting panel, there are opportunities to taste such a massive range of styles and broaden your palate and knowledge.”
Do you also support the global producers of wine to bring their wines to New Zealand?
We’ve always strongly supported the NZ wineries – and why wouldn’t we with our world-class offerings. But even if you have a lot of knowledge, there’s always more to understand in terms of new techniques that influence style. So, our offerings remain predominantly from NZ, but we have a strong programme of international wines including our annual Bordeaux wine sale, Italian long lunches, and champagne events. We pride ourselves on being storytellers and in guiding customers to explore the wonderful world of wine.
What pathway would you recommend to young women considering a career in the industry?
There are so many phenomenally talented women in wine, and so many opportunities. Groups like Women in Wine NZ provide mentoring programmes. Vintage jobs at harvest time offer insights into growing and winemaking. I think everyone should do a stint in retail when they start. At Fine Wine Delivery, we taste every wine and have a professional tasting panel, there are opportunities to taste such a massive range of styles and broaden your palate and knowledge.
Juggling a career, family, friends can be very challenging. What does a typical day look like for you?
Living rurally, I do a combination of working in the office and at home to save on travel time and be there for all our daughter’s sports and school events. After dropping her to the school bus, I’m either online or on my way to the office, often with my beautiful Rhodesian ridgeback in tow – or him towing me! From buying meetings to planning with the team or brainstorming new ideas, each day is varied. We’re such an agile and innovative business, there’s always something exciting to work on. The Perfect Drop subscriptions have been my latest project. I knew busy wine lovers would love the convenience of having a fully personalised solution to their wine buying – spirits and craft beer too! We take your tastes, buying history and reviews to curate individualised selections, removing the hassle of researching. I know I’ll have a great wine to hand anytime we choose to have nice bottle with dinner, a friend pop round, or to sip while watching the sunset in the evening – one of my favourite things to do, along with taking the dog for a run down the paddock or in the Hunua Ranges. Life is busy, sometimes hard, but ultimately rewarding when you do what you love.
Wine to me is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture. It’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.” – Robert Mondavi
Tell us about your favourites, as well as FWD’s Expert Assist tool, and what bottles it recommended for you?
I enjoy such a broad variety of wines and styles. My favourites are Champagne, chardonnay, Bordeaux-blends, syrah and riesling. Expert Assist finds you new products you haven’t tried before but are totally in your wheelhouse. It’s like coming into store to ask for a recommendation, is highly accurate, and the list updates as new products arrive at our warehouse. It really is putting all of our 25-plus years of information and expertise into the hands of our customers so they can confidently take a journey of discovery matched to their taste preferences.
My current selection on Expert Assist includes:
- 2017 Tohu Rewa Rose Methode Traditionnelle
- 2021 Rockford Eden Valley Riesling
- 2021 Te Kano Central Otago Chardonnay
- 2020 Aunstfield Single Vineyard Chardonnay
- 2019 Bodegas Pago Ayles Senda de Lenadores
- 2021 The Gaia Project Syrah
- 2022 Elephant Hill Tempranillo Rose
- 2022 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay
- Pirramimma Sparkling Shiraz
I have some homework to do now! Some great new wines and releases I can’t wait to taste. To quote wine great Robert Mondavi: “Wine to me is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture. It’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.”
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Need advice or inspiration for your next drink? Let Fine Wine Delivery guide you to find your perfect drop at finewinedelivery.co.nz/expert-assist
