The Big Back Yard range aims to deliver wines which punch above their weight, offering great quality and value for money. From far and wide in our Big Back Yard we seek fruit from various South Island regions which show distinct regional characteristics, to bring you delicious, well made wines, which are truly expressive of their region, vintage and vineyard site.

Fruit from Alexandra & Bendigo sub regions. 2019 was a warm vintage overall, with several hard frosts in September and October. Temperatures tended to be above average from November with March being warmer than February, a first. Fortunately flowering was good with the warmer March meaning harvest was 10 days early. Fruit quality was excellent.We typically pick at 21.5 - 23.5 brix depending on the vineyard. The fruit is handsorted twice and partially destemmed (depending on vineyard, usually 50%whole cluster) into 2.5 tonne vats. There is no addition of SO2 at this point and the wines ferment spontaneously. The ferment reaches 25-27 C at peak and grapes are pumped over gently twice a day until 2/3 ferment is over, then twice daily foot plunging. The wine is on skins between 5-8 weeks. Pressings are combined with free run juice and MLF is totally native and no SO2 is added until wine is racked and blended to tank helping to integrate tannins and allow the wine to develop as a whole. Unfiltered & Unfined wine.