As a small, family-run winery in West Auckland, Matua Vally quickly gained a reputation for innovation, award-winning New Zealand wines.
In 1974, two brothers, Bill and Ross Spence, began their dream of making wine finer than any of their contemporaries could imagine. While they were the sons of a winemaking father, theirs was a winemaking tradition in the old style, one that neither was inclined to follow. They wanted to make wine in New Zealand that was as good as any in the world.
The name Matua (mah-too-ah) in Maori means “main stem”, “foremost” or “head of the family”. A very appropriate title, as this is the winery credited with producing New Zealand’s first Sauvignon Blanc.
In 1975, the 'Burgundy' won the first competition trophy for Matua Valley in what has become an illustrious tradition of awards, being made the Champion Red Wine at the Royal Easter Show in Auckland.
A less publicised triumph was the impression the Sauvignon Blanc had made amongst the other winemakers, leading to the decision to include large quantities of this variety in the first vineyards to be planted in the now famous Marlborough region.
www.matua.co.nz
