Kindeli

Alex Craighead founded Kindeli Wines in 2014 with his partner Josefina Venturino. The project started as a free space where he could let go of the reins and experiment with a wide range of grape varieties and vinification methods. But over time, Alex has lifted the project to a truly impressive level as a consequence of perfectionism, extremely conscientious vineyard work and quite unorthodox inventions in the cellar.

Kindeli still make refreshing and fun wine that you want to drink in large gulps and yet there is always something more at stake than just simple “glou-glou” wine. Alex insists on making wine without cultured yeast, fining, filtration or added sulphur, but is at the same time very sensitive to “wine faults”, meaning that if the wine is headed in the wrong direction, he will intervene.

To that end, he has developed a wide range of unorthodox but very effective techniques with which he can control the fermentations without having to use chemicals or other additives. The result is a range of very easy-drinking, juicy and aromatic wines that are at the same time extremely pure and precise.

Alex Craighead also makes wine using the same approach under the name of Don Wines in the Wairarapa region of Martinborough.