Halite Light Dry Red 2025

Vineyard:

The Pinot Noir comes from the biogro certified Grava vineyard, farmed by Alistair and Karla on the dry river flats, 8km south of Martinborough. The vines are grown on the terraces of the Ruamahanga river providing alluvial deposits making silt loam soils.

The Sangiovese comes from the biogro certified Osawa Vineyard in the Mangatahi subregion of Hawkes Bay. Managtahi is situated on the southern alluvial river terraces of the Ngaruroro river. The soils are sandy loam over alluvial gravels with ferrous content (‘red metals’).

Winemaking:

The Pinot was hand picked, destemmed and inoculated with Pied de Cuve (an indigenous vineyard starter). It had one gentle plunge per day and was really a dream ferment. After 10 days on skins it was gently pressed and matured in neutral oak.

The Sangiovese was hand picked and destemmed to fermenter. It underwent a long, cool ferment creating a fruity and structured wine. There was a mix of foot treading and plunging and it spent 15 days on skins before pressing to neutral oak.

The wine was blended early on to allow a seamless integration. Prior to bottling the wine was racked to tank with a small sulphur addition and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Tasting:

There is a real charm and appeal about the LDR with layers of wild cherry, bramble, floral and earthy notes, it is a juicy, fruit forward wine with textural flex, good length and concentration. but also incredibly drinkable.

Vegan friendly. May through harmless deposit in bottle.

Only 332 bottles produced.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Based out of Martinborough, Halite is one of Aotearoa's smallest wine producers with a focus on organics and low intervention winemaking. These are 'salt of the earth' wines. They are framed on balance, texture, and liveliness but are most importantly yum.

Halite was established by winemaker Haidee and her partner, Ben in 2021. They had recently started a family and while enjoying motherhood, Haidee was feeling the pull back into winemaking. For Haidee, Halite forms an important connection to her identity and an outlet for creative expression.

Organics are not just about farming, it is a holistic outlook which acknowledges environmental symbiotic relationships, considerations for future generations and the community that surrounds us. With this in mind, Haidee and Ben work with grape growers who farm organically and it underpins every step of their process.