The Rippon vineyard site has been in the Mills family for four generations. In 1912, Sir Percy Sargood bought a high-country station on the western flanks of Lake Wanaka. Winemaking wasn't at the front of his mind however, and it wasn't until thirty years later, when Percy’s grandson, Rolfe, while on duty in WWII as a submarine lieutenant visited Portugal and became inspired to start growing vines at his home. It took him a bit to get started however—he was busy with his goat farm—but his project began in earnest in 1975. After the war, Rolfe returned to the family import/export wine business. It wasn’t until 1975, thirty years after his time in Portugal while running the farm as an angora goat stud, that he and his wife Lois decided to plant some experimental vines. Seeing that they had taken, the family – Rolfe, Lois, and their three children– moved to France for a year to try their hand at winemaking. Rolfe and his family are recognized as one of the 'first five' pioneers of modern wine in Central Otago. Today, his son, Nick Mills, is running operations, having assumed command in 2003. They are certified organic and biodynamic and utilize wild fermentation in all of their wines. From Rippon's schist-based gravel soils, this Sauvignon Blanc is not your standard Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. The vines are a minimum 33 years old. It's pressed whole-cluster, and allowed to rest on its lees. Yes, there is the green notes and mango so commonly associated with Sauvignon Blancs from this corner of the world, but those notes are turned down compared to other examples. What is not turned down is everything else: passion fruit, flowers, juniper, white pepper, almond pastry. A truly unique expression showing what New Zealand whites are capable of. 13.0% ABV
