Artisanal Vineyards of New Zealand

Rimu Grove Vineyard - Nelson


Rimu Grove Vineyard

Rimu Grove Vineyard was established on the Bronte Peninsula in 1995 by Californian Patrick Stowe. Meeting Patrick, one can only feel that he, like many Nelson winemakers, was pioneering in a region with a myriad of locations, each having different terroir, soils and microclimate.

When Patrick bought the land in the 1990’s he was essentially pioneering coastal peninsula grape growing in the region. Born and raised in the Napa Valley, Patrick came from a wine making family and has been making wine since 1978. Naturally, when arriving in New Zealand, Patrick set out to find suitable vineyard land and was impressed by the Bronte Peninsula, located in a sheltered North-West facing bowl. Twenty years on, the peninsula site has exceeded all of Patrick’s expectations, consistently delivering premium fruit that can make quality wine with structure and ageability.

The unique microclimate and terroir of the Bronte Peninsula, high sunshine hours, a temperate, maritime microclimate and ancient glacial gravels with Moutere clays, has allowed Patrick to consistently make wine with considerable structure, texture and finesse.

There is a wonderful rustic charm and ambience when visiting Rimu Grove. The current tasting room is essentially a tiny ‘bach’ (holiday house) with stunning views out over the estuary. Wines are typically released with some bottle age and it is not unusual to be tasting 4-5 year old Pinot Noir when visiting.

The Chardonnay's from Rimu Grove have become increasingly sought after and you can expect to taste an elegant wine with ripe, luscious tropical melon flavours and layers of complexity.

Rimu Grove Tastiong Room, Nelson, New Zealand

Patrick Stowe, Rimu Grove, Nelson

Rimu Grove Wines - Nelson

The Rimu Grove Pinot Noir is hand made with 'no compromise'. Grapes are harvested in separate parcels, fermented in small square 1/2 tonne fermenters allowing more extraction and greater exposure of skins to the fruit. The wines have flavours of ripe plums, spices and a morish savoury character balanced by fine tannins.

Small Facts

  • First planted in 1995
  • Size of vineyard 7 hectares, 20,000 plants
  • Principal varieties are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
  • Also make a small range of stylish aromatic whites - Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer

Discover more: Rimu Grove Vineyard

Rimu Grove Vineyard, Nelson

Featured Artisanal Vineyards of Nelson (click to visit)

Take the Time * Discover the Artists * Savour the Wines