Claire and Mike Allan were drawn to Marlborough by the intense fruit flavors they found in the wines. They gained further winemaking experience in key Marlborough wineries, along with an extended stay in France. In 1996 Mike and Claire established Huia Vineyards, a small wine company committed to the production of premium and classical Marlborough wines.
Huia grows Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris on two vineyards. Both the Winsome (located in Riverlands) and the Winery Blocks have been managed under the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand program since 2004. This program encourages member growers to embrace appropriate, environmentally and economically sustainable wine grape production methods. In the past Huia has operated under the philosophy of scientifically based minimal input viticulture. Joining the sustainable winegrowing plan has formalized this arrangement and provides them with a benchmarking system to grow fine wine sustainably.
