Helen Masters has been in charge of production at Ata Rangi, in Martinborough, New Zealand for over 18 years. Masters was a board member of the internationally-acclaimed Pinot Noir 2017 event and is co-chair of its successor, Pinot Noir 2022. Masters continues to set the gold standard for New Zealand Pinot Noir.

The best advice I ever got

Find your people – working for/with people that you admire and respect makes it so much easier.

My life motto

Strive to be a good human

I am currently reading

For the Love of Soil by Nicole Masters

My most played music track

Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

If I didn’t do my current job I would be

A furniture designer

Skill I don’t currently possess but would like to have

Being able to sing or play an instrument.

My favourite kind of exercise

I’m not sure I have a favourite kind of exercise…. something practical like gardening or shovelling compost.

I relax while

Having a bath

I collect

Plants, old paintings and wine

My essential newspaper/magazine

I enjoy Architectural Digest or The World of Interiors as an escape from wine

My desert island wine

I guess the idea here is that you can have whatever you want whether you can afford it or not! So I’d go with a Coche-Dury from Meursault thanks.

I have learnt a lot from

My fellow New Zealand winemakers – Pinot Noir makers in particular.

My last meal and sip will be

For my last meal I would like to drink one of the Pinot Noirs I have made with simple, tasty steamed dumplings.