You've seen her around the Cellar Door, hosting tastings and always eager to chat all things wine, Alex Crone is our Cellar Door Manager. She joined the team just over a year ago from Vancouver, Canada and has expanded to running our marketing and direct sales as well.
What most excites you about working in wine?
That there’s always something new to learn or try. I love getting to expand my knowledge and helping people that visit the Cellar Door discover more about what they’re drinking too. It’s always really rewarding finding the perfect wine match for someone.
Outside of New Zealand, where is your favourite wine region and what’s the attraction?
I’m a little biased but, the Okanagan in British Columbia, Canada. I spent summers there growing up so have fond memories of seeing wineries evolve from tiny tasting sheds to fine dining restaurants and vaulted barrel cellars. The breadth of varietals represented in this region always impresses me and climatically it’s quite similar to Central Otago. The trick is finding any bottles outside of British Columbia!
Favourite spot in Central Otago? (viewpoint, restaurant, trail etc)
The Bannockburn Sluicings is one of my favourite viewpoints locally. You get the vineyards and Lake Dunstan with the scent of wild thyme.
When you’re not at the cellar door, what are your favourite things to do?
Most weekend’s you’ll find me road tripping across the South Island, hiking and staying at DoC huts. I take a tiny paint kit with me for my lunch breaks or early mornings.
Favourite song, right now?
One O’clock Jump by Count Basie from his Live at the Sands (Before Frank) album. It swings hard and the band is so in the pocket on this album.
When not drinking wine, what’s your go to drink order?
It’s a tie between a gin and tonic or cider. I love getting to try new and local distilleries wherever I’m travelling and cider, similar to wine, expresses so much about the terroir when it’s well made.
Photography by @stageboxphotography