Feature Wines

Gemstone Riesling

Gemstone is our crown jewel, a distinctive single-vineyard Riesling, with part of the blend fermented and matured in granite tanks to enhance texture and purity. Limited release Marlborough Riesling fermented in stainless steel and granite. Lime and subtle tropical aromatics with sweet mandarin, lemon sherbet and racy natural acidity.

Introducing our 2025 limited release Gemstone Riesling. Crafted from exceptional Marlborough vineyards, this wine reflects the unique character of the vintage and the precision of cool-climate winemaking.

The 2025 season began with an early, warm start and consistent conditions across Marlborough’s sub-regions. A mild, dry spring brought budburst a week ahead of average, with one light frost expertly managed. Early summer warmth and rainfall supported strong canopy growth and excellent fruit set. Cooler conditions through January and February preserved natural acidity, while a warm, dry March delivered extended hang time and slow, even ripening. Fruit was harvested in excellent condition, showing flavour concentration and balance.

Expect lifted aromas of lime with subtle tropical fruit. The palate bursts with sweet mandarin and lemon sherbet. Tight acidity provides energy and raciness, while residual sweetness and texture deliver richness and a moreish, balanced finish.

Fruit was lightly pressed before cold settling and racking. Fermentation occurred in both stainless steel and granite fermenters.

The granite tanks are carved from single slabs of plutonic rock and allow a gentle exchange of air during fermentation. This subtle interaction enhances concentration while maintaining clarity and brightness. Fermentation was stopped at the desired residual sugar level to balance the wine’s natural acidity.

Following fermentation, the wine was racked and matured on light lees for five months to build texture and complexity before bottling.

Region, Marlborough
Country, New Zealand
ABV, 11.2%
Dietary, Gluten Free, Vegan
Size, 750ml
Closure, Screwcap
Food Match, Vietnamese Salad with Chilli Prawns
Tech Specs, pH 2.9 • TA 8 g/L • Residual sugar 16.0 g/L

Awards

2020
2020

Reviews

Simon WoodNZ Wine Writer

"A gorgeously seductive, sweetish wine, a portion of this wine was fermented and matured in granite tanks, which may be responsible for the clean and incisive minerality and excellent concentration."

Yvonne LorkinNZ Wine Writer

"If you like a smack of sweetness in your riesling then you’ve come to the right place, because this mandarin, apple and lime-laden lovely is saturated with zesty citrus sweetness, gum-tingling acidity and hefty, honeyed notes on
the finish. Unique in that it’s fermented in a granite tank which kind of lets the wine ‘sweat’ and increases concentration. Granite tanks are made from one giant slab of plutonic rock and the French have been fermenting in them for centuries."

Mark HendersonOtago Daily Times

"Excellent - Explosive nose of citrus blossom, fruit jube, sherbet and apple. The rich and bold palate continues the theme, adding honeyed elements, yet for all its fatness, it does retain a light, aerial quality. Distinctly youthful and primary, developing more creaminess in the glass with aeration: time should be a friend here."