Considered by some as a new wine on the block, New Zealand actually has a deep-rooted history in winemaking. While New Zealand wine traces its history to the 19th century, the modern wine industry in New Zealand began in the mid-20th century and expanded rapidly in the early 21st century, averaging a massive 17% per annum in the first two decades. This alone is good news for wine investors the world over, but the impressive potential (not to mention taste) of Trinity Hill wines stands out.

Even more impressive was Charles Banks’ (of Screaming Eagle fame) 2014 decision to invest in Trinity. Banks put up cash for 70% of Trinity’s holdings, signifying a supposedly long growth for the Gimblett Gravels producer, and good news for New Zealand’s wine industry. With American billionaires such as Banks’ investing heavily, surely others would follow?

Trinity hill burst arrived on the new world winemaking scene amid great promise. Founded by John, Robert and Robyn Wilson, and Trevor and Hanne James, the three-way partnership bought their first vineyard in 1993 and produced their first wines in 1996. A new winery was built in 1997, and a further 20 hectares of the gravels were purchased in 2000. Realising they had struck gold with their unique fusion of terroir, oenological knowledge and farming techniques, the trio of investors were keen to take excellent wines to another level but financial constraints kept growth steady rather than explosive. Banks’ interest could not have at a better time for Trinity.

However, when things are too good to be true, they usually are, and Banks’ was sentenced to four years imprisonment for fraud in 2017. This obviously came as a huge blow for the vineyard and put the expansion plans on hold. The silver lining to this cloud was that Trinity was once again thrown into the spotlight. The subsequent interest after the trial in the Hawke’s Bay winery proved fortuitous for Trinity and their consistent outstanding wines. In particular, the Homage Syrah is a real stand-out – one of New Zealand’s top reds. Prices have remained stable at around €75 euros a bottle, but with Banks behind bars, only time will tell if Trinity might have bitten off more than they can chew.