Zephyr & Massey Dacta: A Family's Journey in Marlborough

Though I've yet to make the pilgrimage to New Zealand, I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Ben Glover, the owner and winemaker behind Zephyr and Massey Dacta. We met in the lobby of Phoenix's historic Biltmore Hotel, sharing beers while he recounted his family's incredible history. I couldn't help but wonder if his great-great-grandfather, establishing a dairy farm in the far northeast corner of New Zealand’s South Island, could have ever imagined this moment.

Four generations later, a shift from milking cows to growing grapes has led Ben across the world to promote his family's wines. While his email signature humbly reads "Janitor," his real work is crafting exceptional wines and sharing them with a global audience—a perk he certainly wouldn't have had as a dairy farmer. It’s moments like these that remind you wine is more than a simple agricultural product; it's the history of a family and a region, bottled. This industry has allowed me to travel the world and, more importantly, has created a connection that brings passionate winemakers like Ben right to our doorstep.

My own trip to New Zealand is hopefully on the horizon, but until then, I’m thrilled to spread the word about producers like him.

Roots in Dillons Point

The Glover farm is very much a family affair, with a long and storied history on the land. The Glovers were among the foundational farming families in Dillons Point, initially establishing themselves as dairy farmers but also growing garlic, kiwis, and other crops. Tragedy struck when Ben’s grandfather passed away at a young age, leaving Owen, Ben’s father, to take over the farm at just 18 years old in the mid-1960s. After dedicating 25 years to the farm, he decided it was time for a change. In 1988, he made a pivotal decision to sell the Dairy Herd and to plant 20 acres of grapevines. This original block was the beginning of what is now an 150-acre vineyard.

The transition was smoother than expected, though it still demanded immense hard work. Compared to the grueling demands of dairy farming, Owen considered viticulture the better path. The family secured a contract to grow grapes for a company seeking base wine for traditional method sparkling wine. This provided the stable income needed to convert their land, lessening the financial risk. This was still the early frontier of Marlborough's wine history. At the time, about 60% of all plantings in New Zealand were for contracted fruit, a figure that has only shifted to favor 'grower-producers' in the last 15 years. Their initial plantings for sparkling wine included Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and, funnily enough, a bit of Sémillon. They weren't the first to plant grapes in the valley, but they were certainly on the cutting edge—Cloudy Bay, for instance, had only made its first vintage three years earlier in 1985.

Ben was about ten years old when this transformation was underway, and it deeply influenced him. He went on to earn a degrees in Marketing and  Viticulture & Oenology, returning home with the playful intention of "kicking the old man off the farm." But Ben’s father, who turned 80 this year, remains very much involved, still spending his days working in the vineyards and providing invaluable advice and counsel. For about 15 years, Ben managed the winemaking program while also working for other notable Wineries. This was a huge advantage, as it allowed him to gain invaluable experience—and collect a paycheck—while the world navigated the 2008 financial crisis.

The Zephyr and Massey Dacta wines were officially launched in 2007. By 2016, Ben had stepped away from all other work to focus entirely on the family business. Next year will mark his 10th anniversary of working solely for the family, the year after will be the 20th anniversary of the brands, and the year after that will celebrate 40 years with vines in the ground—a mere moment in this farm's multi-century history.

When I asked about the next generation’s interest, Ben quipped, “They don’t seem bloody keen on it, unless they need some cash for the weekend!” Ben is one of four siblings and has four children with his wife, Susie. His oldest is starting a career in change management, his middle daughters are at university studying law and communications, and his youngest is in her last year in high school. While the future is bright for all of them, I wouldn't rule out a return to the land. Ben wants them to forge their own paths, but he emphasizes that if they choose to come back, it’s on their own terms. As he points out, “There are a lot more skills required than just winemaking needed for a successful family business.”

A New Era of Farming

The Glover property is composed of two home vineyards, each about 75 acres. The original block, planted in '88, boarders the Opaoa River, 3 miles from the confluence, which lends a beautiful, savory saline quality to the wines. They are located in the Dillons Point subregion of Marlborough, which is essentially ‘river delta’ country where the Wairau and Opaoa Rivers meets the Pacific Ocean. Over centuries, the Wairau has flooded and receded, leaving the area with fertile alluvial soil—a stark contrast to the gravel-based soils found in much of the region. This means the soils are fertile, providing a perfect sense of place with their signature structural balance, matching savory notes with the restrained tropical character typical of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Ben’s father grew up in the ‘DuPont era’ of farming, where chemical inputs were the norm and large companies had a spray for every problem. In 2017, Ben and Suzy bought half of the vineyard from his parents and began the conversion to organic farming. Ben was inspired by the idea of a healthier lifestyle and a critical look at what we consume. The death of a longtime farmhand from cancer and a compelling presentation at an organic farming convention about the downstream effects of chemical use solidified his decision.

Today, the vineyards are split 50/50 between certified organic and conventional, though even the conventional vineyard sees minimal chemical inputs. They run an organic spray program on the conventional blocks and use a soft herbicide only about twice a year.

With family comes history—and opinions. Ben’s father initially ‘held his tongue’ regarding organic farming, but has come around to the farming change. When they first converted, the organic and conventional blocks were split by a road leading to his parents' house—their so-called ‘Berlin Wall’ between the old and new guard. His father would only look out his left window on his way into town and his right window on the way back, avoiding the sight of the organic vineyard. To him, it looked messy and full of weeds, while the conventional side looked clean and manicured. While many now see a 'messy' vineyard as a sign of health and biodiversity, older generations were often sold a different image of ideal farming.

Owen's other concern, and justifiably so, was the extra time and money organics required. Ben estimates it costs an average of 15% more to farm organically, especially during the conversion. Now, almost nine years in, he says the organic vineyard is much more self-regulating. While it only takes three years to get certified, Ben believes it takes closer to seven years for the vines to fully adjust. He respects what the previous generation accomplished but believes in progress. “If you only do what was always done," he says, "you might as well leave the room now.” In time they will convert the rest of the property to organic farming, and from the 2025 vintage in the USA, the Zephyr wines will proudly bear the organic certification on their labels.

Zephyr & Massey Dacta: A Tale of Two Wines

Ben’s two brands, Zephyr and Massey Dacta, are distinct expressions of his family's land.

Zephyr

Zephyr represents the estate wines, crafted from the original, organically farmed home block. While Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Riesling are the main varieties we see in the U.S., they also produce Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay. The name Zephyr is inspired by the god of the west wind, which Ben describes as their ‘best-kept secret.’ The cooling winds from the south moderate the entire valley floor especially our subregion. Without them, he explains, Dillons Point would have a climate more like Phoenix. The abundant sunlight provides ripeness, but it's the wind that preserves the crucial acidity through keeping the Fahrenheit under 85. Wines under the Zephyr label are precise and pure, showcasing a perfect balance of fruit, acidity, and the savory character their vineyard is known for.

Massey Dacta

Massey Dacta is their vibrant, classic Sauvignon Blanc, named after the iconic red Massey Ferguson tractors. The name has a charming origin: when Ben was three, he couldn't pronounce "tractor," calling them "dactas" instead. This wine, sourced from their two conventional vineyards, is all about freshness, fun, and juicy fruit. It evokes a sense of nostalgia for a childhood spent on a farm, where you’d leave the house after breakfast and not return until called in for supper.

For the first ten years, the wines were made at a custom crush facility. It wasn't until 2016 that Ben was able to buy a winery of his own. He has since paid it forward with his project, ‘The Coterie’—the winery where he now crafts his wines. Here, up-and-coming winemakers can rent space, and he also produces private client wines. The Coterie is also part of the Appellation Marlborough Wine organization, a group established to guarantee origin, authenticity, and environmental stewardship, ensuring the future of Marlborough is defined by quality, not just commodity Sauvignon Blanc.

From Owen’s bold choice to convert farmland to vineyards to Ben's modern stewardship, the Glover family continues to push their legacy forward, lifting all of Marlborough with them.