Organic winery of the month - meet Greystone

Posted by Joelle Thomson on

Greystone is our winery of the month for February and was chosen because it is one of the few producers in New Zealand where all of the grapes are 100% certified organic and estate grown. This means that nothing is bought in to supplement production, which is one of many important incremental steps along the high quality winemaking journey at this North Canterbury winery. 

The Greystone story began in 2000 when the Thomas family bought land on the gently sloping, limestone rich hills in Omihi, North Canterbury, with the aim of harnessing this promising land to make great wine from it. All of the grapes that go into Greystone wines are now 100% certified organic with BioGro NZ. 

The viticultural and winemaking team began the conversion from conventional to organic grape growing in 2014 and, by 2018, their entire 33 hectare vineyard was certified organic with BioGro New Zealand. Organic production for them means harnessing biodiversity and natural ecological cycles as an alternative to using man made chemicals to enhance plant growth.  

Speaking of which, the viticultural and winemaking team is led by Nick Gill (now general manager of Greystone) and Dom Maxwell (winemaker who began as an assistant and was mentored by Cantabrian winemaker Alan McCorkindale). This pair began working together in 2005 and have grown in their knowledge of and experience in the region, along with the growth in the vineyard. 

Read more about their story here.  

Our month of tastings of Greystone wines begins with the accessibly priced Sauvignon Blanc, which was 100% barrel fermented in old oak with wild yeasts. Like all Greystone wines, it is made entirely from estate grown fruit with nothing extra bought in.
Partial malolactic fermentation provides creamy flavour notes to this wine, which are kept in check with the balance of bright acidity and a light spicy taste which further adds complexity.

Join us in store this month to try and buy great wines from a great winery. We look forward to sharing them with you... Join us at Wine Wednesdays and we will also have some bottles open for tasting all month on Coravin - ask our staff for a taste. 

* All Greystone wines are certified organic with BioGro NZ.


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