At Tolaga Bay “Roy the Grape” and wife Sue own and operate their own Vineyard on New Zealands’ unspoiled, remote East Cape. The first place in the world to see the sun each day, the region retains a uniqueness of character for which the people are justifiably proud.

When Yorkshireman Roy and Sue Johnson bought the vineyard in 1997 it was a neglected and rundown but otherwise beautiful property. They had no intention of becoming grape growers or winemakers, but were looking to change their Auckland lifestyle. The fact that they enjoyed emptying wine bottles may have been relevant! They say the vines, the people and the lifestyle captivated them and they chose to invest all their resources in the vineyard.

Since then, with years of on-the-job training, the Johnson’s have developed their vineyard with new plantings and replacement vines. Originally they sold grapes to the large NZ wine companies, but decided to produce their own wines in 2004. Tolaga Bay Estate also produces wines from fruit sourced in other regions so are able to offer a selection of some of the best table wines in New Zealand at affordable prices.

"Excellence Is No Accident" is Tolaga Bay Estate's philosophy . . . one that reflects the Johnsons dedication to presenting their winemakers with the finest possible fruit. Roy and Sue are proud that their wines have won 30 wine awards since 2005 and believe that this demonstrates they have learned to get the best from their Vineyard in sometimes difficult climatic conditions (the odd flood or two!)

Roy divides his time between growing grapes and selling their wine. He often says “growing grapes is my hobby and selling wine is my job”.