Valtteri Bottas, Formula 1 driver, 34, and Corrina Wright, winemaker, 49: Q&A
Valtteri Bottas is famous as a Formula 1 driver. So why has he partnered with South Australia’s Corrina Wright to make wine?
Valtteri Bottas is famous as a Formula 1 driver. So why has he partnered with South Australia’s Corrina Wright to make wine?
Corrina, were you familiar with Valtteri before he approached you to make his new wine, Ihana?
After Melbourne “stole” the Grand Prix from Adelaide a million years ago, I have been boycotting Formula 1 – nothing like holding a grudge! But I did know who he was, and I knew Tiffany Cromwell, his girlfriend, was a gun cyclist for Australia. My husband and son and other family members had been watching [Netflix’s Formula 1 documentary series] Drive to Survive, so they were a bit more in the know!
Were you surprised when Valtteri asked you to make his wine?
Yes. I kinda just thought when [he and Tiffany] got in touch that they would want a nice VIP visit to the vineyard and that would be it. Instead, they kept on coming back – we couldn’t shake them, ’til he eventually told me about how he has always dreamt of making his own wine, and would we be interested in a collaboration?
How long did it take from the initial approach to the wines being released?
Just under a year. It took a while to work through the name and branding. But we are really happy with the way it came together. Ihana – the Finnish word for “fantastic” – is the first word Valtteri thought when he tasted our wines.
How has it been getting to know someone so famous?
It’s pretty crazy, but Valtteri and Tiffany are pretty chillaxed. When he stayed at my place before the Melbourne Grand Prix, my son became a minor celeb at school for a second, once the other kids all believed him when he brought photo proof to school! Valtteri really, really loves wine, so most of the time he is just a fellow wine geek to me. We got to attend the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, after the Ihana launch in America, too. Next level.
Valtteri, why do you love South Australian wine?
In Finland, it’s a shame we don’t produce any good wine. But the beauty of that means that we have lots of wines from all around the world, including Australia, and I’ve always liked the style of South Australian wines. When I got to travel to Australia for the first time for the Grand Prix [in 2013], and then of course with Tiffany, that’s when it became the No 1. place on my list for wines. Especially reds.
Has Tiffany influenced your choice of South Australia as a place to make your wine?
For sure, because she introduced me to many, many brands that I didn’t know before, and that gave me a wider knowledge of the local wines from South Australia. And I don’t think that I would have tried Grange before if she hadn’t taken me to Penfolds!
How did you narrow it down to working with Corrina to make this wine?
The last time we came to Australia was the last December/January and I was searching for some places to do something with a winery, but nothing really stood out. With some contacts from Tiffany’s family we managed to find Oliver’s Taranga [in McLaren Vale]. We had a visit and immediately I fell in love with the wines. I thought the quality was great, and also it’s a nice story, still family owned for six generations. Everything just clicked. And then I asked the question: would this be possible?
How do you feel about the wine now it has been released?
Very proud. I was heavily involved in the blending so I’m really proud of it. It is, for me, the perfect wine. And so far the feedback has been great, which is really nice.
2500 twin packs of Ihana Wine’s Edition 1, a 2022 McLaren Vale shiraz, made by Oliver’s Taranga, were released last month, $160 for the boxed set. ihanawine.com
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