Coming home, with love

Le Grá is Gaelic for with love, and is the new name for the old vineyard and winery, Loopline in Opaki, Masterton. It encapsulates everything about this new venture for Irishman Brian and Nicky, a local girl coming home. By Walt Dickson. Photos by Sarah Watkins. Summer 2019/20, Wairarapa Lifestyle

Brian and Nicky Geary are the enthusiastic new owners taking over from Ian and Jenny McGovern. While known to enjoy a good wine, neither Brian or Nicky have a background in viticulture, however they are no strangers to the hospitality game having owned a successful delicatessen in the Bay of Plenty.

Brian, Nicky and daughter Órlaith. Photo by Sarah Watkins.

The close-knit Opaki community is very supportive – among their band of willing helpers is Frank Parker, the original winery owner, who lives just over the fence – and neighbouring mechanic, Phil who is happy to fix any equipment failures. Greytown-based winemaker Jane Cooper helps Nicky in the vineyard, while Brian is learning on the job under the oversight of nearby viticulturist Spencer Southey at PGG Wrightsons, with some help from Corina Southey at Matahiwi estate.

“Brian is going to get his head completely around the viticulture side and he will tell me what to do. And then vice versa, I’ll get my head around the wine science, I’ll go back to university and study. We really have thrown ourselves in the deep end, but it all just feels so right . . . the community here is just amazing,” says Nicky.

Nicky will be putting her catering skills to use at Le Grá, serving platters at the cellar door during the warmer months. The couple want to create an environment where children can play so that the whole family can enjoy the vineyard experience.

Having a serious liking for wine is generally what inspires people to own and operate a vineyard. This is part of the couple’s motivation but it’s secondary to their love for their daughter Órlaith, who has a rare medical condition called tuberous sclerosis.

Órlaith – at home in her new home.

“We both recognised that we have to do something that she can be involved in,” Nicky says.

ADVERTISEMENT

“School is not the be-all and end-all for everybody. Here, she can try learning in a more practical, hands-on way. We know she can learn through repetitive actions, so we are thinking viticulture could be something that she could excel at . . . long-term this is something that we could leave for her to carry on.”

Brian and Nicky will have the cellar door upgraded and open for this summer, and will also be selling Nicky’s chutneys and jams, and you can also purchase award winning Loopline olive oil grown just a stone’s throw away.

Their longer-term plan for Le Grá is to have a function venue with an 80-seat capacity ideal for weddings and other celebrations. With a brook rambling along the property boundary, established trees and wide-open spaces Le Grá certainly does have a serenity about it, the perfect place to not only convalesce, but also to thrive.

For their circumstances, with Órlaith front of mind, it is perfect.

“The whole premise for the move down here is with love. Whenever I make a chutney, Órlaith says, ‘Mum, I hope you have sprinkled the secret ingredient in’, and I say ‘what’s that’, and she says, ‘it’s love’.”

“Everything we do is created with love. Hopefully it will be the same with the wine, you will be able to taste the love.”