The Land

Waimea works on the principal that to make great wine you need great grapes and so our wine quality and appeal begins in our vineyards. Year after year we harvest a quality crop - the direct result of paying careful attention to the integration of grape variety, rootstock and soil. Vine density, pruning, canopy management, soil cultivation and vine age all combine to influence the final quality of the wine we produce.

Waimea Estates Lansdowne Road Vineyard

"I'd like to think that the care with which we manage the soil and the plants that grow in it, has an enormous impact on the ultimate quality and consistency of the wine we produce".
Ben Bolitho - Viticulturalist

Vineyard Diary

Each week we'll keep you posted on exactly what's happening in the vineyards here on the Waimea Plains via our Vineyard Diary.

The wine

Nelson in general, and Waimea in particular, have a growing reputation for aromatic wines. The Sauvignon Blanc from Waimea has become a popular alternative to the Marlborough style for consumers. The company currently produces a number of brands, to satisfy a broad range of consumer preferences for wine styles.  The main brands are:

WAIMEA

The flagship Waimea range is made every year from the best sites on our vineyards. They demonstrate quite clearly our philosophy of minimal intervention in vineyard and winery - producing wines that are a reflection of the terroir in which they are produced.

SPINYBACK

Spinyback wines are made in a vibrant fruit-driven easy-drinking style. Sales of Spinyback (the word is a transliteration of ‘Tuatara’) raise funds to save the Tuatara - a New Zealand native reptile living on Stephens Island off the coast of Nelson.

TAKUTAI

Takutai is about 'our sense of place' in growing grapes and making wine in a maritime climate, on the alluvial soils of the ancient delta of the Waimea River in the Nelson region of New Zealand.

BOLITHO SV

When the vintage conditions allow and the resulting wines are classified as exceptional, ‘Bolitho Signature Vineyard’ wines are created from specially selected, low-yielding vineyards.

The people

The Bolitho family have owned and operated the Waimea Estates business since 1993 when Trevor and Robyn Bolitho first planted grapes on the Waimea Plains of Nelson, New Zealand.  Today, the business is run by a dedicated team of professionals headed by Trevor and son Ben, who since 2005 has been the Waimea's Viticulturalist.  That team extends to a growing number of International distributors and resellers who work hard to bring Waimea Brands to the tables of wine lovers around the world.

Originally Apple Orchadists, Trevor and Robyn Bolitho planted their first grapes on the Waimea Plains of Nelson in 1993 - recognising the need to diversify away from a sole reliance on grapes. As the success of Waimea Estates grew, apples decreased in the business mix until finally, in 2006, the last apples were pulled out.

""I think nothing has been more satisfying than seeing many years hard work in the vineyards pay off year after year in award winning wines that are enjoyed by people all over the world."
Trevor Bolitho - Managing Director

The Blog

Keep up to date with our latest news and information on Waimea Estates and our brands, by subscribing to the Waimea Blog. You can receive updates via RSS feed or direct to your email box.  And don't forget to resister for the Waimea Club where member's receive discounts on online purchases of our wine, a newsletter, invitations to dinners and special events and more.