Our Current Range  :  The Philosophy  :  How Te Motu Ages The Family Behind the Name  :  How the Labels got their Names Most of the shares in Waiheke Vineyards Limited, the company which owns Te Motu Vineyard, are held by members of the family of Margaret and Terry Dunleavy, with a small shareholding by a friend of Terry’s, Peter Buffalora. Son John was already living on Waiheke Island with his wife Debbie and two sons, Sam and Tomas, when in 1988, another son, Paul, proposed starting a vineyard on the island. At the time, father Terry was approaching retirement as inaugural CEO of the Wine Institute of New Zealand, in which role he had played a significant part in the development of the industry, and especially in its entry to export markets in Australia, Britain and USA, recognised by the award of the honour MBE in 1990. Paul registered the company, Waiheke Vineyards Ltd in 1988, and finalised the purchase in 1989 of 30 acres, east of the then airfield, on the other side of which was Stonyridge Vineyard. Initial members of the company in 1988 were Paul, and John, joined in 1989 by Terry and Peter. From the outset of the Te Motu vision, the decision was made to specialise in red wine based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the so-called Bordeaux blend varieties. Terry later joined the company as chairman and marketing director, with Paul as managing director, and John as vineyard manager. Other family members, eldest son Michael, daughter Trisha and her husband, Derek Neal, and daughter Tessa later acquired shares. The first vines were planted in 1989, and the first vintage of Te Motu was produced in 1993.