Wild mood swings, cool edges and fierce winds are the tip of the challenging iceberg that is the Wairarapa’s weather these days but despite the challenges, winemaker Jannine Rickards chose to make her home here because of Pinot Noir – the signature (and numerically most planted) grape variety and wine in this region.
She founded her wine brand, Huntress, in 2017 and is now onto her ninth vintage with new releases out in June this year.
She has given her latest 2024 Huntress Pinot Noir the te reo Māori name, Pawero, which means ‘to intertwine’, which fits her winemaking philosophy of bringing together a aromas of earth, fruit and structure into a wine with a seamless thread of taste. Volumes are small and this is an excellent vintage.
Rickards started making wine in Hawke’s Bay in 2003, moving to Te Kairanga in Martinborough 2005 and then to Ata Rangi where she worked from 2006 to 2012, returning to the region again five years later, after a world of experience. Literally. Working vintages from Burgundy to Oregon and South Africa, North Canterbury, the Adelaide Hills and Gisborne, she returned to the Wairarapa – a quiet corner of the wine world – due to dedication to Pinot Noir. She also spends time regularly elsewhere for sales, marketing and tasting trips, which build her brand. Regular visits to Hawke’s Bay have resulted in Huntress wines made from grape varieties that are only available further afield. These include Albarino and Chenin Blanc, which are coming soon. Watch this space in spring.
Syrah also features in her range, as does Sauvignon Blanc and, sometimes, Riesling (blended with other grape varieties). Her curiosity pushes her to explore, experiment and reach for varieties beyond Pinot when the opportunity arises.
Her instinctive openness, along with a deep respect for the land, became the foundation on which Huntress wines has been built. The next shift is to organically certified grapes. It’s harder but aligned with how she wants to make wine.
Some stand outs from Huntress wines that are available now are: 2024 Huntress Chardonnay Turama (fullbodied, smooth textured, dry from a cooler Bridge Pa site in Hawke’s Bay; a modern classic, bearing the winemaker’s signature style – try it). And the 2025 Huntress Waihonga is an amber hued Pinot Gris made with Hawke’s Bay grapes, wildfermented, unfiltered, slightly cloudy and deeply textural. Waihonga means nectar and it is.
Find out about these and the entire range at Huntress.co.nz
WINE OF THE MONTH
2024 Huntress Pinot Noir Pawero RRP $70
Jannine Rickards made three barrels of Pawero Pinot Noir, a Martinborough wine with a dark fruit-scented palate and earthy aromas, revealing the quiet confidence of a Pinot Noir shaped by place rather than intervention. Twentyfive percent whole bunch fermentation brings a subtle lift, unfolding into the wine’s fresh, bold and earthy core.
