Why should you drink our Wine?

The story about Kiwis making wine in Catalunya and how it has changed the natural wine world as we know it.

Why should you drink our Wine? Well, why should you drink any wine? Because of its rich history, intense flavors, and ethical practices? At Artesano Vintners we possess all these qualities and more. And on top of that, our wines are made by 100% natural ingredients. Our company was created in 2016 by two New-Zealanders: Mike Shepherd and Alex Craighead, which give us an authentic take on Catalan wines. This company was created by blood sweat and tears and of course our deep-rooted passion for wine making. Here is our story:

Origin Story:

One day, Alex and I really needed a glass of wine. We live in New Zealand. We asked ourselves, “where is the best place to drink wine?” We decided to travel the world to find this out. On our journey, we enjoyed countless wines and worked in wineries along the way. After a while, we concluded that Spain was our favorite place. So, without hesitation, we moved there. We packed up our belongings and headed to the beautiful hilly countryside of Catalunya to settle down. Here, we not only fell in love with the culture, but also discovered a love and passion for wine making. And so, Artesano Vintners was created.

As expected, creating wine in Spain came with a lot of challenges. “How can we differentiate ourselves from other winemakers in Catalunya?” And the answer is what set us apart from the competition. At Artesano Vintners, we strive to create wines from the finest natural ingredients in Catalunya. We use two, sometimes three different varieties and types of grapes that are not usually supposed to be mixed in a single wine. But somehow, it works. And the result is simply delicious and refreshing.

Stories behind our Wine labels:

One day, while walking through the hilly countryside of Catalunya, I was immersed by the beauty in front of me. I felt that the picturesque hills and landscape would perfectly represent the wines that we curate. So, we decided that this would be the labels for our wines; drawings of different regions of Catalunya. The six wines and labels in the picture represent different parts of the region, as well as tell a personal story that inspired each wine. The labels are entirely in black and white, except for one symbol which is in colour.

The wine the far most to the left in the picture, represents my first-born daughter. She is wearing a pink dress. She inspired me to curate this sparkling wine as a celebratory product. It is our first one ever. In this label, you see my daughter skipping along the countryside of Catalunya. She looks joyful, and on the way to a joyous occasion. She grew up in Spain and so she fell in love with the Spanish culture. We made this wine to represent Joy, celebration of life and an appreciation of Catalunya. My daughter also inspired the sweetness and fruitiness of the wine which speaks to her personality. This is but one example of our six story inspired wines.

What we represent:

We are New-Zealanders who have a deep respect for the Spanish culture and heritage. Our goal as citizens and wine makers in this country, is to integrate ourselves into the Spanish culture as much as possible. And we want our wines to represent this as such. While drinking our wine, we want our customers to feel the warmth of the Spanish foothills. We want our customers to taste the natural ingredients that were harvested right here in Spain. Moreover, Artesano Vintners is a Spanish name we gave to our company. It roughly translates to Artisanal wine makers. At Artesano Vintners, we aim to give wine lovers a variety of delicious tastes made from organic grapes. We pride ourselves on our fresh ingredients and the techniques we use to curate our wines. Our wines are not made traditionally but the techniques are sustainable and made with love and care for you.

The future of Artesano Vintners:

The future of Artesano Vintners is bright. We aspire to one day have our own location in the quaint countryside of Catalunya. We want to welcome our guests to a romantic day, where they can sample our wines and enjoy charming landscapes. We want to put wine in the hands of our customers. We hope to expand our inventory and shipping, in hopes to cater to all wine lovers around the world!

For now, we are a small but hardworking company, who curates’ wines from commercial wineries. We are learning our craft, drinking wine, and making friends along the way. If you like what you see or want to hear more from us, subscribe to our Newsletter here! Or visit or website below.