130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿 

Happy Long Weekend! We're open all 3 days! 📚 Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

Forged in Fire

The Story of Destiny Bay Wines: A Journey, a Discovery, and the Pursuit of Perfection
By Michael F. Spratt
0.0 (0 reviews)
Brief Description
Eighty million years in the making. When Ann and Mike Spratt stood on a hill on Waiheke Island, they didn't see a vineyard. They saw a quirk of nature. A north-facing amphitheatre-shaped valley that could trap and reflect heat. They were told making world-class Cabernet blends... Read More
Format: Hardback
$3499
Elsewhere:
$4000
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Eighty million years in the making, Forged in Fire tells the remarkable story of Ann and Mike Spratt, who defied convention to create one of New Zealand's greatest Cabernet blends. A journey of vision, heartbreak, redemption and triumph, culminating in an island estate outshining the great First Growths of France.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Eighty million years in the making. When Ann and Mike Spratt stood on a hill on Waiheke Island, they didn't see a vineyard. They saw a quirk of nature. A north-facing amphitheatre-shaped valley that could trap and reflect heat. They were told making world-class Cabernet blends in New Zealand was a fool's errand. They were told the standards they set were financially suicidal. They did it anyway.

Forged in Fire is the story of how a small family travelled from one side of the world to the other side and redefined the limits of New Zealand wine. It is a journey of discovery, heartbreak, redemption, and triumph when a small island estate outshined the great First Growths of France. This is destiny.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781991436177

Publisher: Mary Egan Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 September 2026

Country: New Zealand

Imprint: Mary Egan Publishing

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 215.0mm

Weight: 600g

Pages: 224

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Best Selling Books Biography & Memoir Business & Entrepreneurship Business and entrepreneurship gifts Cook Books & Recipes Cooking & Food Gift Finder Gifts for adults Gifts under $100 Gifts under $50 In Stock Books In-Stock Cooking & Food Kiwi Cook Books Michael F. Spratt New Release Books New Release Cook Books New Release Non-Fiction New to Book Hero New Zealand and Australia Published New Zealand Biographies New Zealand Non-Fiction New Zealand Published Non-Fiction Start-ups & Entrepreneurship Wine gifts Wine, Cocktails, Tea, Coffee and more

About the Author

Michael F. Spratt, Ph.D., is a co-founder, director, and proprietor of Destiny Bay Wines Ltd. A respected leader in the viticultural community, he served for three years on the Board of New Zealand Winegrowers, representing the interests of over six hundred small-scale producers, and is a past President of the Waiheke Winegrowers Association.

Before turning his expertise to the vineyard, Dr. Spratt established a distinguished career in global business consulting. He was a partner at PwC and previously held partner-level roles with the Mercer Consulting Group and Hay Management Consultants. His academic foundation includes a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from San Jose State University.

An accomplished author, Dr. Spratt has published two acclaimed books: Grape-A-Hol, an incisive look at how corporate interests impact artisan winemaking and the future of fine wine, and Five Frogs on a Log, a CEO's field guide to accelerating the transition in mergers, acquisitions, and gut-wrenching change.


More from Cooking & Food

View all
  • Always Delicious
    New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Always Delicious
    The bestselling Vanya Insull, one of our favourite foodies and the creator of VJ Cooks, returns with her fourth cookbook—her best and tastiest collection yet. Packed full of the approachable, reliable recipes she's famous for, Always Delicious covers every occasion with Vanya's signature laidback style. Begin with some light bites, perfect for sharing platters, relaxed lunches, and easy entertaining. Fire...
    By Vanya Insull
    Paperback
    $3999
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • Ottolenghi SIMPLE TOO
    New Release
    Ottolenghi SIMPLE TOO
    For the three million home cooks around the world who loved Simple, Ottolenghi brings us 135 brand-new easy recipes that are full of flavour, intensity and creativity For the millions of home cooks who loved Ottolenghi SIMPLE, discover the pleasure of keeping things SIMPLE TOO.It’s a noisy world out there, so stop, take a minute or two, listen to the soup...
    By Yotam Ottolenghi
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7500
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • New Release
    Dish Chook Book
    The dish Chook Book is designed to banish boring with a huge range of chicken dishes that will become regulars on the menu for years to come. Created by dish editor Sarah Tuck and food editor Claire Aldous, these recipes range from simply scrumptious to elegantly sensational. With chicken as a base, New Zealand s most loved protein is showcased...
    By Sarah Tuck
    Paperback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • Thyme to Cook
    Free Gift
    New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Thyme to Cook
    Thyme to Cook is a practical guide to growing, harvesting and cooking real food at home to nourish our bodies and minds! From successful cookery writer Emma Galloway. 'A treasure trove of a book - an approachable and very beautiful guide to growing your own food and easy and original ways to cook and eat it.' Anna Jones, author of...
    By Emma Galloway
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • How We Cook
    New Release
    How We Cook
    Welcome to How We Cook: The Two Raw Sisters' best cookbook yet, with more than 100 ridiculously good recipes that will help you cook with confidence. The Two Raw Sisters are here to make healthy eating feel easy and genuinely achievable. Inside, you'll find adaptable base recipes, from granola and smoothies to salads and soups, to muffins and rocky road,...
    By Margo Flanagan and Rosa Power
    Hardback
    $4299
    Elsewhere:
    $4999
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • 20 Minute Meals
    On Sale
    20% off
    New Release
    20 Minute Meals
    Fast food is good food in 20 minutes or less with Jamie . . . 20-Minute Meals solves all your dinner dilemmas, giving you quick, tasty meals every night of the week. These incredible recipes will be on the table in just 20 minutes or less. With a maximum of ten ingredients in each recipe and 70% hitting daily nutritional...
    By Jamie Oliver
    Hardback
    $4500
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • Saint Peter Saint Peter
    Free Gift
    On Sale
    11% off
    Saint Peter
    In 2026, Saint Peter marks a decade at the forefront of global dining – a restaurant that has quietly but decisively reshaped the way we think about fish. In Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse, Josh Niland brings that world to the page for the first time: a landmark work that captures the philosophy, precision and daily rhythm of one of...
    By Josh Niland
    Hardback
    $6500
    Elsewhere:
    $9000
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Soph's Plant Kitchen 30 in 30: 30g of protein, 30 minutes or less
    An essential cookbook for anyone looking to increase the amount of plant protein and fibre they eat without spending hours in the kitchen. Instagram sensation and Sunday Times bestselling author @Sophsplantkitchen has created her very best plant-based, high fibre recipes: all with at least 30 grammes of protein, all on the table in 30 minutes or less and all mouth-wateringly...
    By Sophie Waplington
    Hardback
    $4800
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • On Sale
    15% off
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Lunchbox Bible
    From the team behind the bestselling sensation Baby Food Bible, Lunchbox Bible is your go-to recipe book for feeding children healthy, allergen-friendly, and nutritionist-approved food that’s guaranteed to please. With 75 recipes and a visual library containing 75 different lunchboxes, this comprehensive guide has been carefully created with time-poor parents in mind. The recipes are simple, quick, nutrient-dense, and get...
    By Julia Tellidis and Lauren Skora
    Hardback
    $4000
    Elsewhere:
    $5999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    On Sale
    20% off
    Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    By Monique Fiso
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • Fitwaffle's Easy 6
    Discover how simple cooking can be every day with over 100 easy, tasty recipes using only 6 ingredients. "My mission is simple. I want to help people feel more confident in the kitchen and show that baking and cooking don't need to be complicated. Whether you're brand new in the kitchen or you've been doing it for years, my goal...
    By Eloise Head
    Hardback
    $4199
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday
  • So Good Express
    Simple, nutritious recipes for when time is of the essence. Bringing together delicious and easy-to-follow recipes with the sound advice of a fully qualified nutritionist, number one bestselling author Emily English shows us that good food can make you feel amazing and bring you joy, every single day. Blending her nutrition expertise with a love of simple, fresh food, Emily...
    By Emily English
    Hardback
    $4799
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Tuesday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Cooking & Food lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all