winery

Wither Hills

Marlborough, New Zealand

Philosophy

Estate Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir grown across the sun-drenched southern Wairau Valley terroir, united by mouthwatering acidity and mineral expression. Meticulous approach balances fruit-driven clarity with restraint, showcasing the land's unique character through the grapes alone, without pretence.

Reputation

Established in 1994 by Brent Marris with his father as viticulturist, Wither Hills winery lies in the shadow of the majestic Wither Hills range, part of Marlborough's southern landmark range. The winery became an iconic part of the Marlborough landscape with its first vintage of Sauvignon Blanc.

AllocationCorporate owned since 2002 sale to Lion Nathan for NZ$52m (~$26m USD at time). Now part of Lion (Kirin subsidiary since 2009). Brent Marris remained as managing director until 2007. Current head winemaker is Matt Large. Vineyard holdings: 900 acres (364.5 hectares) per multiple sources; production estimated at 200,000-250,000 cases/year (2.4m bottles at ~12 per case). Sustainable Winegrowing NZ certified (all vineyards). UK importer switched to Freixenet Copestick in February 2022. US importer listed as Lion Nathan USA on distinguished vineyards; Profile Wine Group also holds Canadian/limited distribution but notes tariff unavailability. Organic farming mentioned in mid-2000s conversions (3 vineyards per sources); no formal organic certification confirmed. Signature wines blended from up to 15 vineyard sites in Wairau Valley. Distinguished Vineyards also referenced as US distributor via Fine Wine Partners structure (Lion subsidiary). No specific founder death or succession transition detected; remains corporate property under Lion management.

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