Husband and wife team Simon Kelly and Tamra Kelly-Washington are rediscovering New Zealand's sub-regionality, one wine at a time.
And you'd struggle to find a better equipped pair to do so. A graduate of Viticulture and Oenology, Tamra worked round the world before landing a job as head winemaker aged just 25, while Simon’s commercial wine trade experience is invaluable to their joint venture. They juggle life between wine and their daughters.
Working with a fastidious bunch of growers who love their land means Simon and Tamra are confident that they are using exceptional fruit from distinguished sites. Crucially, they look for old vines in high-altitude vineyards, farmed sustainably, organically and/or biodynamically. The aim of each bottle is to showcase and explore the sub-regionality of New Zealand’s wine growing regions – they want to make wines of provenance. Intervention is minimal, but never to the detriment of the wines: just as they focus on balance in the juice, balance in the winemaking approach is also vital.