Generation Y-Ine

KAT PICKFORD

AFTER MORE than two decades “slinging fizz” in busy bars in the big smoke, an Auckland sommelier is learning firsthand what it takes to make premium wines in Marlborough.

Benjamin (Benji) Smith caught the “hospo bug” at 18, when he started working part-time at the Copper Room in Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore, while doing premedicine studies.

It wasn’t long before he realised medicine wasn’t for him, choosing instead to chase back-to-back winters between Colorado in the United States and Auckland, revelling in the late nights and vibrant social scene that go hand in hand with the hospitality industry.

The sudden death of his father after a short battle with cancer about 10 years ago, was devastating for Benji, who found himself at a loss. “It was a huge shock, he was only 63, so there was that element of lost time, it was the lowest

point of my life.” That low point was a catalyst for a change for Benji, who after taking time off work to grieve, decided to take his career in hospitality seriously and enrolled with WSET to study Levels 1, 2 and 3. “I wasn’t even looking at the wine side of things initially, but as we got into the course and beyond the basics and started learning about the notable regions in France, the wine varieties around the world, and the intricacies of classic reds, I started getting really fascinated by wine and wanting to learn more.”

Armed with his new qualifications, Benji started applying for jobs and ended up as the beverage manager at the popular O’Connell Street Bistro in Auckland. Through his role he started meeting winemakers and restaurateurs from around the country, including Arbour Restaurant coowner Liz Buttimore. Fast forward a few years and the two became a couple, and eventually Benji followed his heart and moved to Marlborough in early 2020.

While it was love that brought Benji south, ultimately it was New Zealand’s first lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic that saw him jump from hospitality to the wine industry. With restaurants and international borders closing, Benji picked up a job for vintage 2020 at Two Rivers and The Wine Studio. What was intended as a stopgap to get him through lockdown became something more, and in August that year he joined the team at Te Whare Ra. Almost three years later, he’s still there. “It’s been a brilliant introduction to winegrowing, because with such a small team I get to do a bit of everything from in the vineyard to the winery,” Benji says. “Anna and Jason’s passion for organic and biodynamic winegrowing is so infectious, they’re a great team. I feel super lucky to be learning from two of the best winegrowers in the country.”

He’s juggling full time work with part-time study (Diploma in Wines) and while nothing about his current situation was planned, he couldn’t be happier. “The lowest point in my life brought me in this direction and now I’m having the best time in my life, I can’t picture it any other way.”