Since 1987, Jane has been owner and managing director of one of New Zealand's better known wineries - Hunter's Wines. 

During that time, the vineyard has expanded to 5 times its original size and has increased its annual output to around 80,000 cases of wine. More than half of this production is exported, to the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Australia, United States, Denmark, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brazil, Malta, Dubai, Vietnam & India.

Hunter's Wines has a reputation for consistently producing the highest quality wines year after year, and Jane is the driving force behind its ongoing success. Not surprisingly, Jane has been described by the London Sunday Times as a star of New Zealand wine. In 1993 she received an OBE for service to the wine industry, and in 1997 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Massey University for her outstanding contribution to the industry.

In October 2003, Jane received the inaugural Wine & Spirit Competition Women in Wine Award (UK), an international accolade recognising the contribution she has made to the wine industry in New Zealand and overseas. Jane is currently on the board of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and in 2008 was chosen as a New Zealand finalist for the Veuve Cliqout Award.

As a fitting tribute exactly 25 years after the beginning of Hunter's, Jane was appointed as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to viticulture in the 2009 New Years Honours list. In February 2009 Jane was named as a recipient of the annual KEA and Trade and Enterprise World Class New Zealand awards, winning the manufacturing category. The awards recognize New Zealanders who are making an outstanding contribution to New Zealand's economic development.

Chief Winemaker at Hunter's since 1991 Gary Duke has continued the Hunter tradition of producing exceptional wines; wines that have come to epitomise the ‘classic' Marlborough profile. Winemaking for Gary is a constant challenge. He describes it as "six occupations in one", encompassing a range of activities from pressing the grapes, to bottling, maintenance, sales and bookwork.

Gary believes Hunter's has become the renowned winery it is today because of several fundamental elements: the management, direction and vision of Jane Hunter; attention to detail - an intrinsic part of the day to day running of the vineyard; the level of care which runs right through the production to the point of sale; and the impeccable standard of cleanliness in the winery.

Gary's objectives as Hunter's winemaker are very clear - to consistently make high quality wines which capture the intense varietal character of the Marlborough region. This is the hallmark of Hunter's. Hunter's wines should always be a pleasure to drink, able to age and have a degree of complexity.

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