Whitehaven Wine Company

Sue and Greg White established Whitehaven Wine Company in 1994 after leaving their corporate careers in finance to sail the Pacific for two years. The couple eventually settled in the Marlborough Sounds and decided to open a winery in the region, naming it after the calm harbor they found during their travels. Following the death of Greg White in 2007, Sue White took over as managing director and has maintained the company as an independent, family-owned business. Their daughter Samantha and her husband Josh Barclay are also active in the company management, ensuring that the operation remains in family hands. The winery moved to its current purpose-built facility near Renwick in 2002 to accommodate its growing production needs.

The winery sources fruit from more than 30 individual vineyard blocks across the three main sub-regions of Marlborough, including the Wairau Valley, the Awatere Valley, and the Southern Valleys. This geographic spread allows the winemaking team to utilize a diverse range of soil profiles, from the stony riverbeds and silty loams of the Wairau to the clay-heavy soils of the Southern Valleys. Chief Winemaker Peter Jackson oversees the production process, which emphasizes the preservation of aromatic intensity and regional typicity. While Sauvignon Blanc is the primary focus and is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel, the winery also produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay using traditional techniques such as French oak maturation and malolactic fermentation.

Whitehaven is primarily recognized for its Sauvignon Blanc, which has achieved significant commercial success in international markets, particularly the United States where it is a leading brand in the ultra-premium category. The company is a member of Appellation Marlborough Wine, a group dedicated to protecting the quality and origin of wines made from 100 percent Marlborough fruit bottled within New Zealand. Their flagship Sauvignon Blanc frequently appears in major critical rankings, notably placing at number 41 in the Wine Spectator Top 100 list for 2024. The producer maintains a reputation for technical precision and consistency, offering a range of wines that includes Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Riesling, all characterized by the bright acidity and fruit concentration typical of the region.