Red Hut is on a mission to shake up New Zealand wines – fed up with the ‘Savalanche’ of ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc brands and what they refer to as “all these commercial, contrived ‘Bullshit Bays’.”
This Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc clearly states their case; it shows a hallmark purity and intensity, displaying vibrant and expressive characteristics.
Red Hut - which is named after the huts that scatter the New Zealand countryside offering hikers and adventurers shelter and safety - consists of five wines from four regions. They place an important focus is on the relatively unknown sub-regions from where they source the grapes - Red Hut doesn’t own any vineyards, but works with tried and trusted growers, looking to make quality wines that celebrate and highlight the areas where the varietals are grown.
They are confident that, by sourcing from their preferred sub-regions, small parcel modern winemaking will showcases the diversity, quality and provenance within New Zealand’s viniculture.
Their Sauvignon grapes are sourced from three vineyards in the Lower Dashwood region of the Awatere Valley, which lies south of the better-known Wairau Valley where the bulk of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is produced. Sub-regional diversity is notable in wines from Awatere, being cooler in temperature and with a very different topography. A very different Sauvignon Blanc style: more refined and a lot more textural, with higher acidity and sea breeze undertones giving subtle but intense flavours.
The fruit was fully destemmed following harvest and chilled to 6°C before being gently pressed into stainless steel vats. The juice was settled to near clarity, retaining a portion of fine solids to support fermentation. Fermentation was carried out using a neutral yeast strain at temperatures between 12–15°C, with semi-solids included to enhance texture. The wine was fermented to dryness, then matured on lees for two months with periodic tank stirring to build mouthfeel. Following blending, the wine was naturally stabilised and bottled without the need for further additions.
Red Hut is a partnership between long term friends and wine professionals Corey Ryan and Mike Farrugia. Barossa Valley born Australian winemaker Corey has had a long-term love affair with New Zealand wine driven by his time as chief winemaker of Villa Maria – 2003-08. He was named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year in 2007 and was a finalist for Australian Winemaker of the Year in 2016. A native New Zealander, Mike has worked in the New Zealand wine industry for decades selling worldwide and running his own import and distribution business. Both are keen bush walkers, drawn to the communal love of the outdoors and the willingness to help others that the Red Hut refuges offering shelter and safety in mountain areas represent.
They believe the Red Hut range reflects both the diversity and excellence that New Zealand wines can offer. Up against what they regard as the export of “fairly average” wines they are focused on tapping into excellent little sub regions - new discoveries of interest to the consumer, keen to explain the provenance of where they are from and why the wines taste they like they do.
Red Hut is on a mission to shake up New Zealand wines – fed up with the ‘Savalanche’ of ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc brands and what they refer to as “all these commercial, contrived ‘Bullshit Bays’.”
This Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc clearly states their case; it shows a hallmark purity and intensity, displaying vibrant and expressive characteristics.
Red Hut - which is named after the huts that scatter the New Zealand countryside offering hikers and adventurers shelter and safety - consists of five wines from four regions. They place an important focus is on the relatively unknown sub-regions from where they source the grapes - Red Hut doesn’t own any vineyards, but works with tried and trusted growers, looking to make quality wines that celebrate and highlight the areas where the varietals are grown.
They are confident that, by sourcing from their preferred sub-regions, small parcel modern winemaking will showcases the diversity, quality and provenance within New Zealand’s viniculture.
Their Sauvignon grapes are sourced from three vineyards in the Lower Dashwood region of the Awatere Valley, which lies south of the better-known Wairau Valley where the bulk of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is produced. Sub-regional diversity is notable in wines from Awatere, being cooler in temperature and with a very different topography. A very different Sauvignon Blanc style: more refined and a lot more textural, with higher acidity and sea breeze undertones giving subtle but intense flavours.
The fruit was fully destemmed following harvest and chilled to 6°C before being gently pressed into stainless steel vats. The juice was settled to near clarity, retaining a portion of fine solids to support fermentation. Fermentation was carried out using a neutral yeast strain at temperatures between 12–15°C, with semi-solids included to enhance texture. The wine was fermented to dryness, then matured on lees for two months with periodic tank stirring to build mouthfeel. Following blending, the wine was naturally stabilised and bottled without the need for further additions.
Red Hut is a partnership between long term friends and wine professionals Corey Ryan and Mike Farrugia. Barossa Valley born Australian winemaker Corey has had a long-term love affair with New Zealand wine driven by his time as chief winemaker of Villa Maria – 2003-08. He was named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year in 2007 and was a finalist for Australian Winemaker of the Year in 2016. A native New Zealander, Mike has worked in the New Zealand wine industry for decades selling worldwide and running his own import and distribution business. Both are keen bush walkers, drawn to the communal love of the outdoors and the willingness to help others that the Red Hut refuges offering shelter and safety in mountain areas represent.
They believe the Red Hut range reflects both the diversity and excellence that New Zealand wines can offer. Up against what they regard as the export of “fairly average” wines they are focused on tapping into excellent little sub regions - new discoveries of interest to the consumer, keen to explain the provenance of where they are from and why the wines taste they like they do.
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