Rippon is one of Central Otago’s oldest wine-producing estates. Situated on the shore of Lake Wanaka with frankly dazzling views of the South Island’s Southern Alps, it’s the sort of place you only expect to exist in fairy tales

It was in 1975 that Rolfe Mills, the third generation of his family on the farm, began planting experimental rows of grapes. Through careful observation, and trial and error, these vines were whittled down to a prime selection of noble cultivars – mainly Pinot Noir, Riesling and Gewürztraminer – which were propagated on the farm’s most favourable slopes.

More than four decades later, these same unirrigated vines, the majority of which remain on their own roots, have been nurtured in the farm’s unique microclimate to produce some of the finest wines in Central Otago. Biodynamic since 2003, Rippon vineyard is split into a mosaic of different parcels, with forensic attention paid to each individual vine. In the cellar, fourth-generation winemaker Nick Mills vinifies most of these parcels separately, allowing for superfine-tuning of the wines

Critic Reviews

Vintage 2018 was the warmest year ever for Rippon, “so we started harvesting only four times in March, all of them in the past ten years, but in 2018 we started picking in mid-March, two weeks before the last record earliest. A lot of people were worrying about how clunky and square wines were, but we feel quite blessed to have wines that maintained some freshness and ‘Rippon precision’”.

Very fragrant, sweet red berry fruits in scent (and flavour really too) with clove, alpine herbs, faint nougat, hazelnut savouriness, rosemary and fennel. Density is a thing here yet freshness is too, particularly derived from firming tannins in a spread than fans out with each sip. It feels power, impact, width; a wine to sit you back albeit delivering savouriness and a reset of the palate from frisky, minerally-graphite laced acidity and that web of firming, nutty tannin. Tannin is the star of the show here – superb as it is. This wonderful wine needs time.

95+ Points The Wine Front