Takaki grew up in Tokyo drinking European wines, and loved their character and how each year they tasted nuanced and different. 

Something that’s impossible to find in a big commercial region like Marlborough.

He reckoned the difference was water - 99% of Marlborough vineyards are irrigated, while many old European vineyards get their special character from having to survive without regular water.

So the first thing he did when he bought his new vineyard in the Brancott Valley was to turn off the taps.

The vines, usually happily watered and producing lots of fruit, regressed and produced next to nothing for 3-4 vintages.

His neighbours told him he was crazy - he probably was. But Takaki kept the faith and kept the taps off.

And then something wonderful happened. The vines picked up and started producing incredible fruit. Fruit with complexity, purity and texture unlike anything he’d come across in Marlborough before.

This wine has all the fruity intensity of a Marlborough Sauvignon, but with the finesse and smooth texture of a great Sancerre.

In a big region like Marlborough, dominated by enormous companies churning out mass-produced Sauvignon Blanc, this wine is a breath of fresh air.