Opawa

Opawa takes its name from the Maori words for "smoky river," a nod to the dried-up former riverbed on which its vines were planted in two parcels bought in 2001 and 2003, land that now spans some twenty-five hectares of stony, free-draining flats in Marlborough. It sits as the more accessible second tier from the family behind New Zealand's Nautilus Estate, with a bright, zesty Sauvignon Blanc remaining its best-known wine, produced in deliberately limited volumes.

Winemaker Clive Jones and his long-time offsider Brett Bermingham, who has held personal responsibility for the Opawa range since 2008, round it out with a textured Pinot Gris, a fine Pinot Noir and a fresh, dry Rosé, each built from the same riverbed fruit that gives the range its name and character.