Huia

Marlborough,  New Zealand

WELCOME TO HUIA VINEYARDS
Claire and Mike Allan were drawn to Marlborough by the intense fruit flavours in the wines. They gained further winemaking experience in key Marlborough wineries, along with an extended stage in Champagne, France.
In 1996 Mike and Claire established Huia Vineyards Ltd, a small private company committed to the production of premium and classical Marlborough wines. Huia is located in the Wairau Valley, in Marlborough, at the north eastern tip of the South Island.
Huia is focused on hand crafting fine unique wines expressing the richness of Marlborough grapes from the vineyard through to the table.
Blending modern and traditional techniques Huia makes seven premium wine varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Vintage Huia Brut.

Huia
The Huia was a unique New Zealand bird from the wattlebird family. The pair co-existed as a team in the dense forest canopy. Before the arrival of Europeans it was already a rare bird, confined to the Ruahine, Tararua, Rimutaka and Kaimanawa mountain ranges in the south east of the North Island.
It is the only bird in the world in which the bills of the male and female birds are different in shape and size.
This unique feature along with the bird beautiful plumage generated great interest from international collectors. The tail feathers were highly prized by Maori and Europeans alike. The last official sighting of the Huia was in 1907, however there are unconfirmed reports of their bird song being heard in the isolated bush of Ureweras 30 years ago.

The Huia Rapaura Road property was purchased in late 1990 and the vineyard has been planted with the end wine blends in mind. Burgundy chardonnay and pinot cultivars were planted in 1994/1995 and are in full production. The sauvignon blanc vines are mass selection along with small plantings of two interesting clones from Bordeaux. Grapes are sourced from this home vineyard and from selected growers on specific sites around the valley.
In 2002 Huia purchased 9.5 hectares of bare land that was planted in during the spring with mass selection sauvignon blanc along with a smaller area of the mission pinot gris clone. Different soil profiles, rainfall patterns and orientation of vineyards are some important factors in choosing the variety most suited to that location. Each site gives the grapes a range of flavours that show in the wines.
The viticultural techniques applied across all vineyards aim to maximise grape quality in every vintage. Particular attention is paid to controlling yields along with canopy management to expose fruit to the sun and provide ripe, healthy grapes. Huia uses these techniques to optimise the natural balance between sugar, acid and all the flavours. This creates a delicious degree of balance, texture and palate length.
To ensure NZ stays clean and green for future generations, Huia has become a member of the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowers.

See Huia wines we sell

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