Tupari

Tupari Vineyard is a new, tiny winery owned and managed by Glenn Thomas and his partner Sharon Inwood, in partnerships with David and Heather Turnbull. Glenn and Sharon have known Dave and Heather since they arrived in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley in 1988. Glenn came to make wine on the lower reaches of the Awatere River and the Turnbull’s farmed further up the river. Their families have grown up together.

Talk went on for years regarding growing grapes and making wine on the Turnbull’s property. Glen had made wine from many vineyards in the Awatere, including the renowned Vavasour wines and he had always coveted the small, north facing river flats in the upper Awatere on the Turnbull’s property.  In 2002, the two families came together to plant the area known as “the cliffs” which, translated into the native Maori tongue, is Tupari.

The Awatere is a distinctly different subregion of the much larger Marlborough. It is located in the northeast corner of Marlborough, isolated from the large Wairau River plain and centered on the Awatere River.  The region hosts only a handful of wineries. Tupari Vineyard is located about 20 miles up the Awatere on small river flats that lie on the south bank of the river at almost 500 feet in elevation. The vineyard itself lies in a dramatic gorge with a northerly aspect with the Awatere running virtually next door.

The thin silty loam soils which lie on top of river run gravels are difficult for vine cultivation and growth.  The gorge warms up during the day, empowering the rocky soils to radiate heat back into the vineyard during the cool evenings. Cooling sea breezes flow periodically up the gorge, moderating temperatures and ensuring a long, balanced growing season.

This combination of soil and climate produces small crops of intensely flavored grapes that are riper, fuller bodied and more distinctive than many other Marlborough wines. Tupari focuses exclusively on Sauvignon Blanc, that is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks to preserve the distinct flavors of this unique growing area.