I wrote the article below in 2021, but it’s still a relevant piece about a couple doing great things in North Canterbury!

CD

I don't remember a better time to be a Kiwi than today. Apart from a lot less international travel, the opportunities for local experiences, scanning in at every business we visit, pumping the hand sanitiser and wearing a mask on public transport – life in Aotearoa is still quite normal. We are busy too, just working, reflecting on the political landscape of the recent past and counting our blessings that we live in such a beautiful country.

Pandemic aside, the news media continues to remind us that there is much human suffering in the world, much of it very cruel and confronting. Sometimes our reaction may be to change the station and listen to something else, ignore it or do something about it through donations that assist in making a change. Human trafficking and slavery is not a subject many of us give much thought. Perhaps it doesn't touch our lives enough to make us notice yet of all the nasty things one human being can do to another; slavery is a practice that won't stop. Even one person enslaved in the 21st century is one too many, yet the global slavery index suggests over 40 million. Yes, it's been going on for many centuries, but that doesn't make it right.

In late 2012 Alanna and Pete Chapman were in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India visiting friends who run Freeset, a business offering alternative employment to women in prostitution. While there, they had occasion to visit one of the women they had met. To get there, the route took them through a particular part of the city, and it was along the way that they encountered a group of girls, young, teenage looking, nothing out of the ordinary at first, but they looked different from the regular faces from the area. "We were compelled to ask why they looked different and were told they had been trafficked from Nepal and sold into prostitution," says Alanna. A harrowing experience for anyone not expecting to see this and for Alanna and Pete confronting. "Knowing how to respond was difficult." Still, they had to return to New Zealand and get back to work in the wine sector.

Pete works as the vineyard manager for his family vineyard, Terrace Edge Wines, in North Canterbury with Alanna, who runs the day to day administration of the business, whilst also raising a family. The concept of using wine to raise awareness of slavery and do something about it became the 'what if' moment when 2017. There was a potential surplus of wine that year, and Pete came up with introducing a brand that helped raise awareness of slavery and raised funds to support change. "Wine and slavery aren't a natural fit, but what if we created a wine where 100% of the profits go towards helping end slavery," says Pete. A Unicef statistic suggests one person is enslaved every 27 seconds, which is horrible but gave us the name of our wine – 27 Seconds. "We can't and won't solve slavery, but we can play a part in helping," says Alanna.

Making a charitable donation is a decision based on how much you can afford and what causes you most want to help. Naturally, many are donations are directed to causes in Aotearoa, but knowing this, Pete and Alanna found a way to give back. When you buy a bottle of 27 Seconds wine, there is a great wine experience for the donor while 100% of the profits are directed towards their cause. "With $50,000 raised so far it feels like we're just at the beginning of this story".

There are five wines in the range and all are made by the team at Greystone in North Canterbury. The easy to spot labels offer Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir and a Rosé. The prices are attractive. My favourite is the Pinot Noir with aromas and flavours of cherry and red apple skin, plum, peach and a touch of dried herb. Some toasty spice layers, fine fruit tannins, and moderate acidity make for a delicious wine experience well suited to food.

27seconds – creating a wine to help end slavery