Kim met Erica at the Cape's first Nouveau Wine Festival on top of Paarl Mountain in South Africa. Thin, young and dangerously beautiful!
Kim came back to New Zealand, starting as assistant winemaker at Coopers Creek Vineyard in Auckland.
Kim and Erica marry and Erica moved to New Zealand and took up role of marketing manager at Boehringer Mannheim in Auckland.
Nelson Mandela released from prison after 27 years on Robbin Island.
That glass of wine in London, Rory born amidst marauding bush fires in NSW and a nail biting cricket match between South Africa and Australia. South Africa won.
Later that year, Erica's career plans are put on hold, pregnant with Pia.
Water shortage in Auckland for heaven's sake! Kim "Winemaker of the Year" at the Royal Easter Show.
Pia born during New Zealand's most challenging vintage. Relentless rain in Marlborough. Babies 13 months apart and life is BUSY.
Kim named "Winemaker of the Year" consecutive year, first New Zealander to do so
Kim Crawford Wines founded as a virtual concern, 4000 cases produced, half exported to London. Produced Sauvignon Blanc, Unoaked Chardonnay, Semillon and a big fat Chardy. The company was run from a spare room of Kim and Erica's central Auckland home.
Trophy awarded to '96 Tietjen Gisborne Chardonnay at the Royal Easter Show in New Zealand, gold medals propelled this brand onto the New Zealand stage. Our first full pallet order!
David Gleave and Lucian Flynn started Liberty Wines, Kim does vintage in South of France and Erica has a broken leg - well Achilles tendon actually, same thing sort of.
HRH Diana, Princess of Wales died in a tragic accident in Paris. The world watched her funeral like a movie - and wept all the tears that were stuck inside for whatever reason. She allowed us to purge our random sorrows.
Tietjen Gisborne Chardonnay trophy for "Current Vintage table wine" at the National Show of Australia in Canberra and gold medal for Dry Riesling. Label launched in Sydney. It was then that we had an inkling that this company and brand was going to romp, not stroll.
Small volume exported to Toronto (Rogers & Co) and Vancouver (That's Life Gourmet)
More gold medals and a Trophy for Tietjen Gisborne Chardonnay at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.
'98 Sauvignon Blanc received gold medal at the International Wine Challenge in London - some found this confusing, others called it "bloody good winemaking" and the result of an early vintage.
More gold medals and a Trophy for Tietjen Gisborne Chardonnay at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.
Hogue Cellars entered the Crawford fray and started distributing Kim Crawford Wines in the US via its marketing arm, Vintage New World, based in Seattle.
More gold medals and a Trophy for Tietjen Gisborne Chardonnay at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.
Rebekah Andrae started one day a week to sort out the filing system! And became a key staff member with KCW 24/7.
More gold medals and a Trophy for Tietjen Gisborne Chardonnay at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.
A joint venture agreement with Te Awanga Vineyards enabled the Crawfords to build a cellar door and tasting room facility in the coastal settlement of Te Awanga in Hawke's Bay. The reflection of light in the autumn sky is astoundingly beautiful to this day. Take a trip to Hawke's Bay and check it out.
"Brut Rory" released to celebrate the opening of the complex. Very much like the boy it is named after - bubbly, youthful and full of life. Little Pia has her own wine - a complex, opinionated and challenging wood aged Sauvignon Blanc.
Release of the super premium "Pacific Range" consisting of Pia, Tané and Reka.
Early on in the year, KCW moved from the back room of their Bright Street home to an office on Auckland's Dominion Road.
Little Rory started big school and Pia goes to pre-school, both in school uniform.
A new millennium! New Zealand first in the world to see the light and Erica's eccentric father passes away in Africa. Not without a parting dose of humour.
The Crawfords purchased Comely Bank Vineyard together with the Hammonds in Marlborough's cool Waihopai Valley. Nettly flavours in Sauvignon and sweet cherry Pinot off this block.
KCW's own (leased) state of the art winery is opened. The virtual spell has been broken. We shared the facility with St Clair and eventually in 2004, outgrew each other.
Midnight Tasting to launch the new vintage - anyone and everyone from the Auckland hospitality scene was at Crow Bar that night, well morning really.
Preparing to introduce screw cap closures on all KCW wine.
KCW's association with the Black Grace Dance Company starts.
KCW moves to a "proper" office in Auckland's premier shopping precinct, Newmarket. Not quite on the High Street but located amongst the Asian grocers on the back blocks: exotic aromas, endless noodle lunches and some 50,000 cases of wine. The waistlines grew along with the caseload.
Brendan Flowerday died in a tragic farming accident on the Higgins Road vineyard in Marlborough's Awatere Valley.
Vincor International acquires Hogue Cellars of Washington State and KCW is now distributed in the USA by the R.H. Phillips Wine Company of Dinnigan Hills, California.
Beginning of a new era that shot off in a random direction - read to the end to see what happened to us.
Another midnight tasting for the first release of a wine under a screw cap closure, this one was at Auckland's Spy Bar. The drag queens entered our lives with an impromptu show off their own bat. They were of course in the Auckland restaurant trade.
New Zealand Screw Cap Initiative is formed. KCW releases the first NZ wine under screw cap (2001 Marlborough Dry Riesling)
Midnight tasting in Queenstown, which wound up with the news of 9/11 - the world changed irrevocably and a loss of innocence and trust now defines human interaction. This corresponded exactly with our one and only foray into print advertising. Guess what happened to the ad in view of the event that dominated world headlines!
Flowers Sauvignon Blanc made as a tribute to Brendan Flowerday.
Spooky the queer looking Swedish Valhund joined the Crawford family, winery and staff.
The Pansy! phenomenon begins. A rosé dedicated to Auckland's gay community released with arguably the best party in Auckland that year. That pink vinyl dress has been expanded and has launched several Pansies around the world.
Watch those Warriors fly! (Rugby League f.y.i!)
Vincor International acquires the Kim Crawford brand name and intellectual property of Kim and Erica Crawford, ensuring sound distribution in New World markets. Big news in NZ Wine Industry as this is an unusual first time model of a sale.
Camping in Africa - the kids are introduced to "pap" and the dangers of real snakes
Someone entered an old, soggy fish into a fishing competition and got caught out. The thing was so old the eyes were opaque.
Those Warriors are still flying. Well sort of.
Kim Crawford put some fun into serious wine when 400 take a tumble with the release of the new stemless Riedel O wine tumblers at SPQR. Not to be taken lightly, the shape of the bulbs sure influence the flavour. Try them out.
Oh Canada! Inniskillin Ice Wine tempts the palates of Kiwi wine lovers. A rare and precious drop of pure gold.
The Warriors were so, so awful, so bad it's not even worth reporting on that mob.
The year started with a move from Newmarket, where we were busting out of ourselves, to Auckland's warehouse district of Parnell, just down the road from the French market. The move meant that the staff cafeteria was changed from the Asian food hall, where Miss Kwan ruled, to fish and chips in one of Auckland's finest dining establishment - Cibo. Check out their web site and menu.
Pansy! hits Sydney's Pink Mile amidst verbal banter of a serious kind by terribly important people on Sydney's airwaves. Queer Eye for a Straight Nation monstered the old guard on the airwaves, whilst they all sipped Pansy. Even Rove got his hands on her. (For those outside of Australia and New Zealand - google him, he's really cute).
Liebling, steals hearts on Valentines Day and Mother's Day ... actually, any day!
The big Benz dangled precariously over the edge of the Shortland Street roof top carpark - we have no idea how it got there. Near life and death situation, it was.
Mika and the Plastic Maoris charmed the locals at one of the SAQ stores in Montreal. The unsuspecting locals were so entranced they had no option but to buy up Kimmie's Sauvignon Blanc by the case load. They were still babbling about it 3 years later.
Wine Spectator rates Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as one of its Top 100 wines for a second year.
Not to be out done, Pansy! hit Melbourne too and the locals were cross-eyed by the fabulosity and glamour.
Our very own Christine was awarded Cellar Door Personality of the Year at the Hawke's Bay Agricultural & Pastoral Awards.
Air New Zealand Wine Awards - BIG night in Wellington after receiving the trophy for Champion Wine of the Show with our new SP Spitfire Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The achievement lies in the fact that it was Sauvignon Blanc, often judged severely in NZ. What a night it was, we lost track of the big trophy somewhere along the line that night, but retrieved it from the imposters.
And all those babies came along - Nico Taylor / Elworthy (winemaker Jules Taylor), Thomas Large (Matt Large) and the Flowerday twins!
Kimmie got a scooter for his birthday ...but was most put out as it didn't have a spot for his dog Spooky
Pia started at the very posh girls school - where lady-like behaviour is encouraged.
More babies - a round of girls! Sophia Granich (mum Sarah does Logistics), Poppy Eradus (mum Hanna does everything at the winery) and Abbie Large - little Louis sizing them up already.
The vintage cook at the winery had a stroke. "Mrs. C what do we do?" The poor vintage workers got heartily sick of sandwiches so Mrs. C and little Pia (cafeteria lady) went to feed the masses - Bobotie and minestrone galore. Recipe somewhere on this site.
The acquisition of Vincor by Constellation Brands is announced. KCW, an island in Parnell, preparing to be absorbed into Constellation.
The whole crew came together for a mid-winter Christmas bash at the Crawford residence (aka The Resort). The versatile streets of Auckland were explored and enjoyed by all of us. This was the last gathering of the whole Kim Crawford staff, so we celebrated our success with some sadness.
New systems driving us nuts! Never ever consider BPIX as a software system, it will drive you nuts, as it nearly did us!
Outstanding Midnight Tasting in Toronto.
Always ready to see the bright side, the non-voluntary departure of some of our staff was celebrated with a few cheeky Gin & Tonics!
Erica's mum passed away in South Africa
A warm welcome from Icon Estates (distributing KC in the USA) and the beginning of a warm and respectful partnership. And selling loads of wine in the USA
After a long and difficult year Christmas provided a welcome break and we shut the shop for three whole weeks! YAY!
Little Rory (now 6') starts boarding school - very traumatic for mother.
Young Robbie (stolen from elsewhere) had his name changed and was inducted to the KCW way by Kola, the fabulous drag queen, at a night out at Caluzzi.
The Pinot Noir conference in Wellington was a hit - Jeremy discovered double, double Tanqueray 10's and has not looked back. Check it out.
Kimmie made a wine for his mum. Crawford Farm was born and hit the supermarket shelves - look out for it at your local. Every bottle has something to say about life on the farm. It has its own website somewhere in cyberspace
We launched the Small Parcels with a bit of help from Roy Lichtenstein and a painted BMW.
The 16 year-old Crawford cat, Rangi, sadly died of bone cancer. Still managed to give Spooky one last snotter on the way out! He was dignified old boy.
Becks (lab) brings another baby into the fold - little Ezra Lawrence, followed by Ant and Jane with baby Lilly.
Kim and Jeremy famously launch the Small Parcels in the USA - Jeremy was promptly put on a sight seeing tour because he didn't want to get lost in the strange, big mean streets of NYC.
Kim departs the company he co founded and became a house husband. Erica assumes the role of SVP Global Sales & Marketing for all Constellations NZ brands being exported, as well as domestic sales. Big job big title to boot. Kim Crawford Wines now truly incorporated into Constellation.
New combined winemaking, viti, sales & marketing teams are put in place to take the all the brands forward.
Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 awarded 91 points by Wine Spectator magazine. An unprecedented run of seven years of >90 points in a row. A sure mark of quality.
The summer that straddles the old and new year rekindles our love for Test Cricket. In a display of courage, tenacity and style, South Africa decimates Australia in the Test Series in Australia. It glued us to our beach towels and transistor radios five days at a time.
After some 13 years, the time has come for us to move on. We have had a fantastic romp around the world, we were privileged enough to have met people from all walks of life, different places and different opinions, all colours and creed. We have laughed and struggled, worked long hours, played hard, we were rewarded with some amazing relationships, we ate, we drank, we got fat (never quite thin again), and life went on. Essentially I am saying we had a grand time and loved every minute, sometimes despite the odds and ourselves.
Now it is time for us to let the brand go and watch it grow, like from a deck chair or a puffy sofa! All the people who touched the brand will always have a little bit of Kim Crawford in them. We hope that when you take a sip of Kim Crawford, you will swallow a bit of the spirit of our brand - a little rebellious, always challenging and having fun. Let's Start Something!
We will always be with the brand, and would love to hear what's happening out there. We trust you to care and have fun. From all of us - Go Well, Enjoy and have a laugh. Take it by the scruff of the neck, Constellation, you go, Mate!
Erica, Kim, Rebekah, JohnBoy, Miss Kwan, Robert (aka Onya), Jules, Jeremy, Matt, Chrissie and all the others.
We traded lunches at Cibo... to lunches at Carriages... Heels for gumboots... Goodbye Parnell... Hello Huapai, hay fever, chickens, farm stalls and the Huapai Pub!
We got over ourselves and are still here and still having fun! A little April Fool's joke for the wine world!
Decided we need some more friends and teamed up with the fashion world...
