We are the Plunkett family, Craig & Tamara and our 4 children, Lily, Murphy, Mackinley and Maddie. We have been producing grapes in the Lower Wairau sub-region of Marlborough since 2005 and supplying several premium wine producers.
Alongside our passion for grape growing, is our love of horses.
A lot can be learned from working with a horse.
Anyone who has, soon realizes the advantages of not fighting nature but working with it to help bring out the best in a horse.
Over time we have come to appreciate these lessons more and more and how they have helped shape the way we care for our animals & farm environment, work with our vines to produce their best grapes, even raise our kids.
We have produced this single vineyard wine under the label Honest Horse as a tribute to the horses we have had the pleasure to spend time with and learn from. We owe a lot to and could never be without, a good Honest Horse.
Craig & Tamara
In the winter of 1996, Tamara, a 12 year old local girl and Craig, a 12 year old boy, newly moved from Southland, met each other for the first time as they waited for the school bus. Married at 19, we started on a journey which has ultimately led us to building the life we both love.
Both from generational farming families, and experiencing life growing up as a farm kid, our driving force has always been to raise our children in this same wonderful lifestyle, living life everyday.
Lily
If you want to talk to Lily, you'll have to be prepared for it to be entirely about horses. Horses are her life and it became clear to us early on that the place she is most at home is on the back of a horse.
Show jumping is her passion and she enjoys her success in producing quality sport horses and ponies under her Oakspring Sporthorses name. She also enjoys teaching others and has several regular students that come for lessons.
MURPHY
Murphy is the only one of us that's any good on a computer. Handy.
He also loves caring for birds. Many baby birds and ducks have been rescued, raised and released by Murphy. He just spent his pocket money on an egg incubator and some fancy duck eggs so is eagerly awaiting the latest additions to the feathered family.
MACKINLEY
Outdoors on a mission is Mackinley's favourite pastime. He can normally be found teamed up with Maddie building something or feeding the animals.
He loves going hunting, fishing and riding his motorbike.
MADDIE
Don't let her sweet looks fool you, Maddie keeps everyone in line.
She loves looking after the animals and collecting the eggs. She also loves gardening and helps Craig and Grandad to grow some amazing vegetables. Her favourite is capsicums. She eats them like apples.
She also enjoys riding on her pony Parker.