Zephyr picks up Champion Organic Wine trophy with their first certified organic Chardonnay 

Zephyr Wines has been awarded the Vit Management Ltd Champion Organic Wine trophy at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Ben Glover says the winning wine, Zephyr Chardonnay 2020, was produced following the family business’ first official certified organic vintage, making the award extra special.

The Glover family has been growing grapes in Marlborough for nearly four decades, transitioning to organic farming in 2017. He shared with us why this was an important move for Zephyr, and a little about the work involved…

Congratulations for picking up the Champion Organic Wine Trophy at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show! How long have you been producing organic wines and how did it feel to take the top spot in this category this year?

Thanks! Zephyr began almost 40 years ago when Owen and Wendy decided to plant grapes at our families farm on Dillons Point Road back in 1985. We were one of the first families to plant within that subregion. We converted part of the family farm to organics in 2017, transitioning almost 20ha to organic farming practices.

2020 for us was the first official vintage that was certified organic so this win is very special for us. We’re thrilled that our first organic Chardonnay release now carries the title of Marlborough Wine Show Champion Organic Wine, it’s a testament to the site and the people we have in our team who’ve helped us achieve this accolade. 

As many organic producers will know, it takes years and some patience to convert vineyards to organic practices, but we’re definitely seeing the results now and haven’t looked back.

What do you think makes the Zephyr Chardonnay 2020 special? What flavours could one expect from it, and was there anything particularly special about the 2020 vintage that makes it a standout?

The fruit from our 2020 vintage was handpicked and pressed directly to barrel. It’s flinty, funky, and full of flavour. Think lime, lemon curd, spice, that’s juicy and textural and great minerality. We haven’t made it to be cellared, but we think it’s going to look spectacular in a decade, it’s got longevity and length.   

Chardonnay is an early-ripening grape variety so it suits our maritime, cooler climate here in Marlborough. With this, it creates a really lovely, consistent ‘house style’ for our Zephyr Chardonnay which is all about bright acidity, intensity of flavour, vivid fruit and excellent length.

This single vineyard Chardonnay expresses the ethereal, aromatic and structural flair of the Dillons Point subregion, something we’re super impressed with and glad it’s now being showcased as a benchmark organic grape-growing site in Marlborough.

Marlborough continues to show off what it can do in terms of varieties other than its famous Sauvignon Blanc. Why is it a great place to grow and produce Chardonnay?

 Being one of the sunniest and driest areas in New Zealand, Marlborough Chardonnay is all about long, slow, flavour-intensifying ripening that creates the perfect balance for our style of Organic Zephyr Chardonnay. 

Our Dillons Point vineyard is located on the Opawa River which has resulted in the 40-year-old vines having fertile, silty loam soils. We think this gives our Chardonnay the savoury, salinity character that sets it apart.

Overall, for us as a family, it’s also about sustainability, putting an emphasis on wine growing through soil health, biodiversity, regenerative farming, and ultimately mindful consumption.

As you know, Marlborough is celebrating 50 years of modern winemaking this year. Does the organic winemaking process differ greatly from conventional winemaking, and do you see organic production growing in years to come?

The short answer is yes, absolutely. We want to leave this wine-growing region set up for the next generation to farm and creating a sustainable, healthy farm is key.

Here are some thoughts on this from my father, Owen Glover, grape grower and part-owner of our Dillons Point Road Vineyard, who first planted grapes on the site in 1985:

“I think anyone taking up the organic challenge is very brave, and has to be admired, particularly in Marlborough where the region is dominated by conventional viticulture. 

Total buy in by owner and vineyard staff is the key to successful organic wine growing. As to the future of organic production, I believe it will be market led. By that I mean the next generation of wine consumers will be more aware of fossil fuel based fertilisers, herbicides and synthetic canopy sprays that are currently used for conventional wine grape production and its effect on the environment.

The key pillars of organic wine growing; healthy soils, minimum inputs, and minimal intervention in the wine making process, will need to be reflected in a price that results from  lower per hectare yield of organic grown wine grapes.”

The Marlborough Wine Show encourages local wine producers to put their wines out there to be assessed by fellow Marlborough producers. Why is this an important competition for Zephyr and/or the wider Marlborough wine industry?

 Regional shows are really important for the key varietal and typicity of the region. For Marlborough, being so strongly known for Sauvignon Blanc, it is great to see the evolution with Marlborough Pinot Noir, which is now winning the Champion of Show, and our Organic Chardonnay becoming a benchmark.

The region has evolved with other varietals really punching through and showing off how great this region is for grape growing. The Marlborough Wine Show has a rule that only allows wine with grapes that are 95% grown from Marlborough, so it’s a true expression and a benchmark against proper regional wines.

We strongly believe in the show system, it’s not always about the results. It brings the industry together which is important for all producers, big and small. My brother, Jack and I are firmly ingrained in the show system globally and both having chaired the Marlborough Wine Show, it’s something we as a family are passionate about building and creating noise for Marlborough on the global stage.