Hiroyuki ""Hiro"" Kusuda’s journey from Tokyo lawyer to New World wine legend is nothing short of cinematic. Imagine swapping legal briefs for grape clusters and you get the picture. Once a lawyer at Fujitsu and later at the Consulate General of Japan in Sydney, Hiro left it all behind to chase his winemaking dreams.
His odyssey took him to Germany, where he not only learned the language but also enrolled at the prestigious Geisenheim University. With new skills and an unquenchable passion, Hiro set sail for New Zealand, lured by the siren call of the 1992 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir. Martinborough, with its promise of great Pinot and Riesling, became his new playground.
Kusuda secret is Hiro’s laser-focus on purity of fruit character and meticulous (borderline fanatical) sorting of grapes ensures that only the crème de la crème make it to the bottle. This level of dedication means it can take 2-3 days for 10-15 people to sort through just one tonne of Pinot Noir. The allure of working with one of Japan's most esteemed winemakers draws pickers from all over Japan to the Claremont Motel in Martinborough. Some stay for a couple of days; others commit to weeks of grape-sorting nirvana, all in the pursuit of crafting perfection. From roughly 10-15 tonnes of fruit, Kusuda produces fewer than 1,000 cases annually.
With 70% of this limited production whisked away to Japan, where Kusuda’s wines have a near-mythical status, the remaining bottles are treasured in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. Hiro’s wines, especially his Pinot Noir, have become cult classics, sought after by collectors, the allocations are tiny so please be sure to advise us of your interest.
