ROCK FERRY

Established in 2005 and named after a landmark site on Marlboroughs Wairau River, Rock Ferry is a family owned organic wine estate with vineyards in Marlborough and Central Otago. Owned by Tom Hutchison and his wife Fiona, Rock Ferry employs the exceptional talents of winemaker Allan McWilliams who turns his skills to an extensive range of wines. In 2009 Rockferry's was created from a converted fruit packing house at the Orchard Vineyard in Marlborough. All grapes are hand harvested and hand sorted across a table, mixing the modern stainless steel tanks with the traditional Burgundian puncheons, French cuvees and French oak barriques for ageing. We take a modern take on tradition, making authentic wine is very important to us, as well as making the best wines we can. We try and pick grapes on Ãfruità days in accordance with the biodynamic calendar and find this works with the rhythm of nature and makes better wine. We allow natural yeasts the ability to do their thing wherever possible and use sulfur sparingly, bottling with minimal fining and filtration.Rockferry philosophy is to make real wines which speak of their home and express the pure distinct flavours from organic estate vineyards in Marlborough and Central Otago. It' the way we live. These are interesting highly enjoyable wines, which are immensely enjoyed by many customers and are some of our best selle

Allan McWilliams

Armed with an oenology degree from Roseworthy, Allan has worked vintages in a few wine regions. He has made wine in the Hunter Valley and Margaret River, Australia before heading over to the U.S. to make Pinot Noir in Oregon and eventually to Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux. After brief stints in Switzerland and Italy's Barolo region, he returned home to New Zealand and began winemaking for Goldwater Estate, Nautilus, Cellier Le Brun and Wairau River. Allan has been making Rock Ferry's wines since our first vintage in 2005.