The American market is still in the early stage of discovering that those islands east of Australia are becoming a foundry of outstanding wines. The northern end of the south island is the prime location for premium wine vineyards, in the regions of Nelson and Marlborough. Only in the past decade has the New Zealand wine industry become an exporter of note, and this has been primarily due to the fact that no other wine region on earth can surpass this nation’s unique and superb quality Sauvignon Blancs. Now this region has challenged the finest producers of Pinot Noir. Mitchell Wines offers both varietals. The Wiffen label earned a “best of show” at the prestigious San Francisco Wine Exposition.”

MARLBOROUGH
Konrad Vineyards
The company is fully owned by Konrad and Sigrun Hengstler. They originally migrated from Germany to Australia and then, having decided to become involved in the wine industry, made the move from there to New Zealand to plant Sauvignon Blanc grapes in Marlborough. Riesling was added with the first planting to produce a dry, austere style Riesling. The plantings also include Pinot Noir, the ideal red grape to suit the diurnal climate of Marlborough.

With longer average sunshine hour than any other part of the country and the free draining silty alluvial loam, the terroir is superbly suited to viticulture. Plants are irrigated throughout summer and trained on a vertical shoot positioning trellis. In early spring, the Waihopai Valley vineyard is exposed to frost, therefore frost protection through an overhead sprinkling system has been installed. Reduced spray programs and focus on traditional techniques, such as shoot thinning and leaf and fruit plucking, are evidence of the company’s commitment to vineyard controlled quality.

Spy Valley
Spy Valley Wines is situated on the sunny southern side of Marlborough's Wairau Valley, nestled on the terraces of the Omaka river are the vineyards of Johnson Estate.

Bryan and Jan Johnson established the first of their 380 acres of estate vineyards in 1993. Pioneers in what was then a Marlborough sub region, the Lower Waihopai development continued with fruit being grown and sold to other wine companies.
The winemaking team, lead by chief winemaker Paul Bourgeois, prides itself on their ability to produce world class wines year after year.