Producer

Babich have a heritage that is rare in New Zealand, with their history long predating the viticultural boom of the last thirty years. Croation immigrant Josip Babich made his first wine in Auckland in 1916 and one hundred years later his descendants are still going strong – the third generation of the family David Babich now holds the reins. They boast an impressive 428 hectares under vine, spread across thirteen vineyards in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough, supplying the vast majority of the grapes that go into their wines. This long history does not prevent them from thinking of the future. In 1987 their Fernhill Vineyard in Hawke’s Bay was the first to be sustainably registered in New Zealand and this commitment to the environment continues to this day, enacted through their practices in both the vineyard and the winery.

Vineyard

This wine is a blend of various parcels of fruit from the extensive Babich vineyards in Marlborough.

Winery

Fruit was harvested at optimum ripeness and fermented in open vats, using a mixture of wild and innoculated yeasts. After an extended period of maceration the various batches were drained off their skins and portions put into new and old oak barriques. After seven months the wines were assessed and blended.

Awards

Silver Medal, International Wine Challenge 2020