Guardian of New Zealand wine launches Čuvar Winery
Sir George Fistonich
With his inspiring energy and lifelong dedication to pioneering progression in the wine industry, Čuvar is the vision of legendary wine entrepreneur, Sir George Fistonich. Sir George founded Čuvar Winery to help preserve and nurture the essence of New Zealand fine wine.
“To honour this, our name, Čuvar, (pronounced chu- var) translates to guardian in Croatian. Čuvar pays homage to the Croatian wine pioneers and many others, who played an important part in shaping what New Zealand’s wine story is today,” says Sir George.
Sir George’s identity as part of an immigrant family contributed to his own spirit of determination, tenacity and good humour. The principles that drove him to push boundaries then - hard work, high standards, foresight and progress - are the values he seeks to instill in new generations of wine industry custodians, makers and hospitality leaders.
George Fistonich was just 21 when he decided carpentry wasn’t his future. Instead, in 1961, he began to lease 1 hectare of family vineyard in Mangere, making wines under the name Villa Maria. What started with one hectare of leased family vineyard, became a globally recognised brand, with accolades and distinctions including a knighthood for services to New Zealand wine.
Supporting Sir George on marketing and branding Čuvar is Mangawhai local, Ali Sundstrum. Having managed a number of world-renowned wine brands including Moët and Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Cloudy Bay and Villa Maria, Ali was keen to join Sir George again on his journey to create Čuvar from the ground up. Passionate about sustainability and the circular economy, Ali also supports Sir George’s sustainability strategy, aiming to bridge the gap between business success and environmental responsibility.
Through Ali’s work for Sir George, Ali has worked with a number of Kaipara locals, including Pip White who designed another of Sir George’s labels, Obliix, released earlier this year.
Sir George and his family have been holidaying in Waipu Cove for over fifty years, eventually building a house in 1999. The family holiday house sits high in the hills surrounded by native bush, vegetable gardens and fruit trees and has always been a haven of peace and quiet for the Fistonich family. Sir George can often be seen walking on the beach with his black labradoodle, Sir William, before calling into The Cove Café for a glass of wine with the owner, Lloyd.
The Cove Café in Waipu has always been a fan of Sir George’s wines and will be one of the first to have the new range of wines available to taste this summer. So call in and enjoy a glass of one of Sir George’s new wines!