A product of collaboration

Marlborough Heartland is the outcome of a collaborative approach by more than 80 farming families in Marlborough, respected winemakers and wine pioneer Dave Hohnen, that embodies the unique essence of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

The grapes that are selected for each vintage of Marlborough Heartland are nurtured on prime family-owned vineyards across the Marlborough wine region.

How it all began

Dave Hohnen, a revered name in the wine industry and the visionary behind Cloudy Bay, embarked on an ambitious project to capture the essence of Marlborough’s valleys – the Wairau, the Waihopai, and the Awatere – in a bottle.

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Teaming up with Rupert Clevely, an old ally and co-founder of Crackerjack Wines, the duo set out on a search for a partner in New Zealand, leading them to the doorstep of Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative and its talented winemaker Drew Ellis, a New Yorker-turned Kiwi, who’s been creating extraordinary wines in the heart of Marlborough.

Through this collaboration, Marlborough Heartland is an expression of the intimate relationship between the land, the grower, and the winemaker.

​In the words of Rupert Clevely, “This is about getting the best juice, the best fruit from the original heartland of Marlborough. And then the most important thing is that the wine tastes bloody good. I think it’s the most exciting project I’ve been involved in for many years.”