Acting on a hunch born in the schist slopes of the Douro Valley, Lois and the late Rolfe Mills planted experimental vines on the Lake Wanaka family farm in 1974.
Despite the mostly negative opinions of viticultural experts at the time, Rolfe had belief in the site’s potential and they planted the first commercial vineyard block in 1982.
Today the vineyard is still a family affair. Along with a menagerie of dogs, cows and goats the land is run as a bio-diverse whole with the principle aim of fostering wines that are a true and accurate reflection of the property.