Te Motu was established by Paul Dunleavy and his brother John in 1989. They were soon joined by their father Terry Dunleavy, MBE the inaugural CEO of the Wine Institute of New Zealand. Like the land itself, the vineyard and winery team at Te Motu has changed over the last two decades, overseen by the constant steady hand of John Dunleavy, chief viticulturist and winemaker.