Waipara Hills gets UK off trade listing

Waipara Hills has been one of the most awarded boutique wines in New Zealand. In it's six year history it has been awarded nine trophies, forty-nine gold medals and fifty silver medals. Working from this successful track record, Free Run Wines are launching this brand to the UK market.

The focus of the Waipara Hills brand is the South Island of New Zealand and its cool climate wines. The South Island of New Zealand is known for its rugged beauty and wild weather where producing superb wines is both a challenge and a joy.

Overall, the company owns more than 1000 acres of vineyards in Marlborough, Central Otago and Waipara in the South Island with more earmarked for future development. They are one of the few remaining "family-owned" New Zealand wine companies and quite unique in that they own a large proportion of the vineyards. All of the company's vineyards are also sustainability accredited.

The Waipara Hills brand encompasses three ranges that will be available to the UK market. The Waipara Hills Soul of the South' range consists of four wines: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc; Marlborough Chardonnay; Waipara Riesling and Marlborough Pinot Noir.

Positioned above the Soul of the South' range is the reserve' tier: Waipara Hills Southern Cross selection. Consisting of a Central Otago Pinot Noir and a Waipara Pinot Gris, the range celebrates one of New Zealand's most striking constellations only visible in the world's southern skies.

The Waipara Hills Equinox range is a single-vineyard range that perfectly captures the soul of the south and the wind after which it was named. It consists of a Waipara Pinot Gris and a Waipara Riesling. When speaking of the first release of Waipara Hills Equinox, winemaker Simon McGeorge said: "These wines have been made to express the best of the season and the vineyards they have been made from."

The sophisticated new wine labels featuring the Mountain buttercup logo which is linked to the range's wild South Island origins show much potential for the UK market.

"We are very pleased to add this new range of wines to our portfolio." says Charles Elms, Director of Free Run Wines. "Waipara Hills is strongly positioned for the UK market especially with the growing trend in varietals such as Pinot Noir from Central Otago. We look forward to developing this opportunity in the UK."

In this year's International Wine Challenge Waipara Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir won a silver medal, Waipara Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay won bronze medals and Waipara Hills Waipara Riesling was awarded a commended.

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