Local Alexandra vineyard inspires love story setting

Fiction according to the dictionary is ‘literature in the form of prose, especially novels, that describes imaginary events and people’. While fiction is the result of imagination, it is often inspired by real places, real events, and real people along with the writer’s personal experiences.

In Loving Lila, the Rosa d’Aosta vineyard is loosely based on a real vineyard close to Alexandra, Como Villa Estate.

Established by Thomas Oliver in the 1860s, Como Villa is now owned by John and Pam Chapman. In 2018, John showed us around the original stone house, now the cellar door, and the old underground wine cellar they discovered behind the house.

Rosa d'Aosta's vineyard setting was inspired by a visit to Como Villa Estate near Alexandra.

When the property was advertised for auction in 1874, it included a ‘substantial six-roomed stone house, dairy, storeroom, stable, coach-house, stockyard, smithy and piggeries’ along with ‘a splendid orchard and vineyard’.

The wine cellar discovered by John and Pam Chapman.

According to the Tuapeka Times in 1875, ‘The grapes, grown at Como Villa, Alexandra this season, stamp that locality as one eminently adapted for the growth of the vine.’ Little did the writer know back then how grapes would become the region’s gold of the future.

Como Villa’s Italian link is said to have been winemaker Luigi Valli from Como, Italy. Luigi was also a gold miner and is buried in the Clyde Cemetery.

Govenor's Bay Taunton House inspired Rosa d'Aosta's cottage

In Loving Lila, the vineyard runs over the hill to take in views across the valley. The Rosa d’Aosta restaurant is based on Como Villa’s original stone house and the main cottage in the story is loosely based on Taunton Gardens’ stone cottage in Governor's Bay.

Today Como Villa Estate is a boutique vineyard selling from the cellar door. You can check out their award-winning wines at https://www.comovilla.co.nz/

To find out more about Loving Lila, click here...

Character Profile: Arturo

WHAT HAPPENS when you fall in love with an animal lover? You fall in love or at least learn to love their animals too, of course... When I met my husband, Max, 40 years ago, I was living in Queenstown and had not long bought a stroppy, grey Connemara pony called Spek. I was in heaven … I’d spent most of my life riding borrowed

horses but this one was finally mine, I was 19 years old. It was a case of love me, love my horse! I have to add here that Max was very brave - he gallantly hopped on that pony bareback (to impress this girl he’d just met), fell off and declared he’d rather stick to motorbikes - they were much safer to ride and he could be in control. From those early days a continuous string of animals were added to our family (along with two boys) - cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, cockatiels, budgies, mice, miniature ponies, sheep, and goats. Cats and dogs consistently featured throughout our marriage - one cat, Snowy, into her old age of 17 years and a little dog, Harley, until he was 14 years old. The companionship and love animals bring us can never be underestimated. After including Arturo, a carefree English setter, in Loving Lila, I decided I would include a dog or a cat in all my future novels and that each animal character will possess qualities of the cats and dogs that have been part of our life over the years. Arturo is based on a dog we had for a short time called Kaleb. He was a brown springer spaniel x retriever, a hapless lad who loved nothing more than to be in wide-open spaces chasing rabbits and stealing food from the pantry. When we decided to move to Christchurch, we had to make a decision as to whether we could give him the best life in the city on a small section. It was a sad parting when, with tearful eyes, we watched him happily jump into the front seat of a Land Rover alongside his new owner, a rabbit hunter, but in our hearts we knew he would be happier chasing rabbits than being cooped up in the city.

Meet Arturo...

Character from: Loving Lila Breed: English setter Age: 4 years Sex: male (desexed and microchipped) Distinguishing marks: tricolour with black and orange ticking (specks) Fav food: anything he can get his paws on especially leftovers Fav pastime: swimming in water races; chasing rabbits through the vineyard; sleeping in front of the fire in winter; rides in the Land Rover Naughty habits: licking people’s faces with his big slobbery tongue; shaking his wet fur over whoever is standing nearby Dislikes: baths with shampoo; being brushed Endearments: loveable scruff-boy; great listener; and loyal companion to Luc, who raised him from a puppy

For more about Loving Lila, visit: www.fionamaddison.com

Facebook: Fi Maddison Books