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Sometime in 1866, a Spaniard named Josep Soler (1840-1906) arrived in Whanganui, Aotearoa New Zealand. Born in Constantí in the Camp de Tarragona winemaking region south of Barcelona, Soler came from a winemaking family and was a winemaker himself before leaving Spain. He planted his first New Zealand vineyard shortly after arriving in Whanganui, and his business life was one of uninterrupted success.
In 1880, the New Zealand Herald proclaimed him its "New Zealander of the Year" for "his founding role in a great industry."