Muddy Water
Nestled in the lee of the Teviotdale Hills in the Waipara Valley and sheltered from the cool ocean breezes, the Muddy Water estate is an ideal spot for cool climate viticulture. Our 12 hectare estate is flatter across its front section, then steep up the back as it goes up the north-facing hillslopes. The blocks are interspersed with a small olive grove and a naturally renewing spring winding its way through the property. All our wine is made and bottled on-site in our hand-built straw bale winery just a few hundred metres from the vines.
Our name Muddy Water is a literal translation of 'Waipara' - and, like our wines, is a direct reflection of the environment around us.
The fertile limestone-washed soils impart a certain evocative darkness to our wine, a richness and distinct texture that's a signature characteristic of our range. The soil type is ideal for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, mirroring the calcareous clay soils that are the natural home of these classic varieties. Warm summers with cool nights extend into dry, gentle autumns for a long growing season. With no rush to pick in the height of summer, grapes are allowed to hang and fully ripen with complex varietal expression and intense flavour.
Muddy Water was the first certified organic winery in Canterbury, and all our wines are certified AsureQuality organic. As many New Zealand wines become more commercialised, we aim in the other direction, making small batch wines with soul.
We believe true fine wines are temporal, each vintage a fleeting snapshot of a place in time. MUDDY WATER
Our name Muddy Water is a literal translation of 'Waipara' - and, like our wines, is a direct reflection of the environment around us.
The fertile limestone-washed soils impart a certain evocative darkness to our wine, a richness and distinct texture that's a signature characteristic of our range. The soil type is ideal for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, mirroring the calcareous clay soils that are the natural home of these classic varieties. Warm summers with cool nights extend into dry, gentle autumns for a long growing season. With no rush to pick in the height of summer, grapes are allowed to hang and fully ripen with complex varietal expression and intense flavour.
Muddy Water was the first certified organic winery in Canterbury, and all our wines are certified AsureQuality organic. As many New Zealand wines become more commercialised, we aim in the other direction, making small batch wines with soul.
We believe true fine wines are temporal, each vintage a fleeting snapshot of a place in time. MUDDY WATER