Winemaking

No matter the philosophy or trend, the intent of the winemaker is written all over a wine. My approach has always been to keep it simple, do less not more, let the vineyard speak, and take great care.

Our winemaking is a constant evolution. Taking what we’ve learnt, thinking always about how to evolve the wines we make, and working in the vineyard to achieve that.

Great wine starts in the soil, working with the land to accentuate the very best things about it to grow the best grapes we can.

Once we have fantastic grapes, my job as a winemaker is simple – try not to trip on the mat.

Place

Wairarapa is a long valley of vast skies and rivers wedged alongside the moody Tararua Ranges.

Hot as hell in summer, white knuckle frosts in winter, spring zephyrs that’ll take anything that isn’t nailed down, and autumns that hum with latent heat. You know you’re living here.

Our grapes are farmed by our grower partners Julie and Simon at Manuka Flats Vineyard, on the stony silt loam river terraces of the Taratahi plains, just north of Greytown.

Low wire, densely planted, with naturally low yields of intensely flavoured grapes, and a small experimental block dedicated to varieties not widely grown in Wairarapa.