Leadership in Wine #20 - Pete Bartle
- Alexis Robin
Pete has been in the wine industry for 26 years with 18 of those as a winemaker in Central Otago. A Hawke's Bay native, Pete was drawn to Central Otago in 2001, captivated by its dramatic landscape and the warmth and generosity of its people. He has been the Winemaker/Winery Manager at Vin Pro Limited since 2010. In 2017, he started his own wine label Providore Wines producing crafted Central Otago wines.
Pete is hell bent on delivering the absolute best from grapes, producing wines with poise, texture and balance. Since 2017, his wines have been awarded 37 golds and eight trophies. Pete knows exceptional wines only come from exceptional fruit. That’s why he’s often out walking the land with growers and working alongside viticulturists, ensuring his wines capture the region’s true spirit.
How do you define leadership?
Leadership starts with leading yourself, leading by example, working hard, give direction, provide coaching and encouragement. Provide clear communication, honesty and be empathetic.
What are the main challenges of being a leader in the wine industry today?
I am not sure they have changed much since I started. I guess it’s getting harder to get good people.
What are your major breakthroughs in your career to become the leader you are now?
I worked hard with ambtion to put myself in the right place at the right time when my biggest opportunity came along. It wasn’t a clear goal but a result of my work ethic and positive attitude.
If you were starting your career in 2019 in the wine industry, what advice would you give to yourself to become successful and content?
Work hard, educate yourself, learn as much as possible about what you want to do. Ask what you can do for the people you work for not what they can do for you. Step forward to challenges not backwards.