Never would you meet a man more positive, more capable, or more adoring of wine than James Healy.
Our dear friend, mentor, cards comrade and blind tasting pal left this world suddenly last week, and with it a huge void has ruptured not just in our lives personally, but for the entire New Zealand wine community.
In trying to comprehend this loss, we find ourselves reflecting on the extraordinary life he lived, and the mark he left on all of us.
James’ contribution to the world of wine was immense – his 40-year winemaking career spanned several of the most successful and world-renown producers including Cloudy Bay and Dog Point, where alongside Ivan Sutherland he helped forge an irrepressible path of success for the Marlborough wine industry, and latterly Appellation Marlborough Wine.
Some of our fondest memories of James revolve around an absolute admiration for wine, and the incredible generosity and sheer shared pleasure that accompanied that. A well-documented ritual involved lining up the savoured and much-discussed bottles of the evening, standing behind them with a cheeky grin and flicking the bird at the camera to taunt mutual friend and fellow Master of Wine David Gleave. David would invariably receive the photo over morning coffee in London with a swiftly typed reply and no doubt a retaliatory response would follow in the days to come. And so, the cycle continued….
Many a 500 game, family dinners, celebratory lunches, and a legendary trip to Piemonte together, James was also the last man standing at our wedding having already danced the night away with our Italian friends at Mantell’s in Mount Eden. Having an emotional moment with a magnum of Jamet Cote Rotie 2011, he exclaimed with a tear in his eye, “it’s just SO good,” as the Mantell’s staff sent him off with hugs and good wishes.
It was one of the traits we loved most about James and is one piece of wine wisdom that stays with us always. “Always look for the good in a wine….” something James would never not do. “You can be your harshest critic on your own wines and find the faults, but never be another winemaker’s harshest critic.”
James had that rare gift of making everyone around him feel at ease - seen, welcomed, and part of the moment. This goes to the core of who James was. The nicest of guys, the easiest person to get along with, generous and loving. And wine. He. Loved. Wine. One day he confessed that he thought he probably drank more Chablis than anybody else in New Zealand…. When he elaborated and said it was 3 or 4 bottles a week, we agreed he was probably right!
We are also certain that he was the only one who had a jingle to sing to his grandchildren when his Fontodi allocation arrived. (We confess it’s very catchy, and has been vocalised on more than one occasion when opening a bottle).
Of course, wine was not his only passion. A gastronome at heart, James was a great cook (with a specialty in gourmet pies), and his love for his family was undeniable. His beautiful Wendy, children and grandchildren were cherished by James, who was a devoted husband, dad and granddad. Our hearts are with Wendy and the family he adored, whose grief is immeasurable and whose love shaped the man we were so lucky to know.
As we sit here and reflect on our friendship with James we realise the incorrigible richness he added not only to our lives but to everyone around him. And his undeniable impact on us is his likely subconscious mantra to always look for the positive in things, and this positivity will naturally follow you through life.
He will be with us always - in our memories, in the wines we share, and especially when the Fontodi arrives at the door.
Vale James ❤
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