My Life Is Murder

Did you do that when you were a kid?

No. This place didn't exist when I was a kid.

We made do with a hose and sprinkler.

Well, I know there's something else you didn't do.

Booked us a table.

Yes!

- Oh, breakfast wine. - It's brunch, so it's OK.

Are you on duty?

Come on, Alexa. You know drinking on duty's against the rules.

- Who's this? - Samantha Turei...

assistant winemaker at Bird of Paradise Estate.

Oh, I see what you did there. Very clever.

She was killed when she went into the winery grape crusher

two weeks ago.

Ooh, God. What a terrible way to go...

No one was there to pull her out?

No. She wasn't found till the next morning by the vintner.

Joe Gorman.

What... am I supposed to know who this is?

Bit of a rock star in the industry.

I didn't know there was such a thing.

So, why wasn't he there when this happened?

It was late, after 11pm. He was in a wine conference.

Is it normal for the victim to be working that late and alone?

According to Joe, she was working on an experimental batch of wine,

possibly impress him.

- Ah, so healthy ego, huh? - Well, he is a rock star.

It's been ruled an accident so far.

You're not convinced?

Sam wasn't just the assistant winemaker at Bird of Paradise.

She grew up there... family estate.

According to her mother, Martha,

she had a healthy respect for all the dangers involved in the job...

this piece of equipment, in particular.

It's a Zambelli crusher... Italian, cheap.

I learned to stay away from those in my 20s.

Day before she died, she sent a text to Joe.

'The wine is quite complex. How did you do that?

Vineyard worker problem?'

What was the vineyard worker problem?

Well, she thought they were being slack, apparently.

Very complex.

Today I'm here with one of New Zealand's most celebrated wine experts.

He's gonna taste my latest vintage and tell me what he thinks.

- You ready? - What are you doing? I'm working.

Oh, come on. You can take two minutes off.

- Is that Joe the Rock Star Winemaker? - No, I don't know who that is.

Just to be clear, guys,

I'm not a wine expert, OK? I just do the grunt workaround you.

Ooh, don't be so modest.

But what's your favourite wine?

At home with my wife, I drink red.

Here... whatever you make, obviously.

Great answer.

- So, taste this. - Aight.

- It tastes good, yeah. - Yes, it does.

And that's why I intend to be the Young Winemaker of the Year.

Big dreams.

Cut short.

That's sad.

No, it's not sad. It's bloody terrible.

Wait, are you going out there, to Waiheke Island?

- Yeah, overnight. - It's where the winery is.

I'm coming.

No, you're staying here and cleaning this kitchen.

No, I'll do that later. Just gimme a minute to pack my bag.

What types of wines are we talking here?

Oh, they're famous for their Pinot.

- Noir or Grigio? - Grigio, I think. - Excellent.

Man, is there anywhere in this country that doesn't look amazing?

Yeah, my kitchen.

- Hello. - Hello there. Welcome.

- Hi, I'm Alexa. - Joe Gorman. Pleasure.

- Madison. - Hi.

Uh, we actually do our wine tastings in the reception area.

Oh, we're not here to taste the wines.

No, we're not only here to taste the wine.

We're also here helping the police

with their enquiries into the Sam Turei matter.

Oh, of course. How can I help?

Well, we just wanna get a sense of what happened.

I believe you were the person who found her.

Yeah, it was the worst moment of my life. It was horrible.

I'm so sorry.

- Is this the machine that... - Yeah.

Been meaning to have it replaced, but...

But what?

Martha didn't wanna spend the money.

Sam's mother, she's careful with finances.

Looks like a coffin on legs.

Do you have many accidents with this equipment?

Well, unfortunately, they're not that uncommon.

I mean, a pulverised hand... sure, it happens.

But death...

Was the crusher in operation when you found her?

No.

Must've jammed when she was...

Look, Sam is really the whole reason I'm here.

She doggedly chased me for months.

What... to get you to relocate from Europe?

Yeah.

Gosh, she really reminded me a lot of myself, you know...

uncompromising, determined.

When I recognised that ambition, it was a no-brainer, really.

I mean, that's what talent actually is.

That's really true.

If it's not too much to ask, could you show me how this works?

Yeah, sure.

Look, we harvested most of our grapes six weeks ago,

so not much to show you, I'm afraid.

So, no safety requirements?

Uh, there are protocols, but we all take shortcuts.

Common sense is really the genuine rule.

You know, to be operating this thing alone

doesn't seem like common sense to me.

Well, during vintage, we all snatch time whenever we can...

do our own thing.

Sam was...

...working on her own wine.

Thanks.

You know, using protocols that I had shown her,

and I might've been there to too if I hadn't have been busy elsewhere.

You were on a teleconference?

Yeah, an international online wine conference.

Don't you hate looking at your face in those meetings?

I believe that you called Sam that morning after

she sent you a text message.

That's right. It was the last time I spoke to her. She, uh...

Well, she was unhappy by the performance of some of the workers.

Any workers in particular?

No. I mean, she didn't say, but she seemed stressed...

like she was in a rush.

You know, you should probably talk to Francisco, our foreman.

Francisco, got it.

I'm sorry. That's my cue. Wine tasting booked. Excuse me.

Ooh, reckon I could check out that tasting?

You know, see if there's anything enlightening.

Always more than happy to enlighten.

Uh, no, I'm just gonna look around nature.

Enjoy.

I'll make sure to buy anything of interest.

OK, have fun.

Make sure you're checking the nettings for birds as you go.

Hello.

Excuse me.

Hi, I'm Alexa Crowe.

I'm helping the police look into Sam Turei's accident.

Francisco.

Oh, I believe you already spoke to the police

about a problem she was having with vineyard workers.

I said already I don't know what that was about.

Right.

Uh, unhappy with their efforts, apparently.

- How long have you been working here? - Four months.

With your wife?

She's in Papua New Guinea, with our son.

Well, it must be hard being away, you know. I hope it's worth it.

Yeah, I look forward to being home again.

- Mm. - Mm.

How many workers you got here?

The seasonal workers have gone cos the grapes have been picked.

A few of us here are on longer contracts.

Did you hear the crusher operating the night that Sam died?

No.

No, I work long days. I go to bed early.

I couldn't hear it anyway. The winery's too far away for the noise.

- Too far from what? - My place.

Foreman's quarters.

- You live there alone? - Yes.

Well, that's a shame.

There's no one to verify a story.

Excuse me.

Mrs Turei?

Yes.

Can I help you?

Maybe.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

Thanks. I'm glad you're here.

I understand you're doubtful that it was an accident.

I am. I, um... You know Sam, she was way too sensible.

Yet Joe seemed to think it was plausible.

Well, I don't.

No, and I don't believe that she was out in the winery crushing grapes alone at midnight.

You didn't hear the crushing machine going?

No, I, um... I fell asleep in front of the television,

and when I woke, I thought she'd already come in.

She loved this place.

Always knew she'd be a winemaker.

I was gonna sell when her dad died, but she begged me to keep it.

You make lovely wines here.

Oh, not me.

I do the marketing... the brand stuff. Well, did.

Joe does that too now.

You know, to be honest, I don't know what I'd do without him.

Can you shed any light on the problems that Sam

was having with the vineyard workers?

Yeah, I assume they were slacking off.

They wanted more money about a month ago, and that wasn't gonna happen.

Really?

Well, we pay comparable rates.