Paddy Borthwick Wines is a Wairarapa estate defined by heritage, resilience, and a winemaker’s instinct for balance. Nestled in the Gladstone subregion of the greater Wairarapa, the vineyard lies in a landscape shaped by gravel riverbeds, cool breezes, and long, dry autumns — a place well-suited to thoughtful, site-driven wines of tension and structure. Fifth-generation farmer Paddy Borthwick brings a global winemaking lens to this rural corner of New Zealand, crafting wines with precision, energy, and a grounded sense of place.

The estate vineyard is planted across free-draining alluvial soils, rich in stony gravels and clay loams, ideal for low-vigour vine growth and natural concentration. Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are the signature varietals, supported by Riesling, Chardonnay, and Merlot, all farmed sustainably with a focus on soil health, canopy management, and minimal irrigation. The vineyard is fully accredited under New Zealand’s Sustainable Winegrowing program, with deep attention paid to every row and block.

In the cellar, Borthwick’s winemaking is unshowy and clear-eyed. Fermentations are largely spontaneous, oak is used with restraint, and each varietal is handled according to its natural strengths. Pinot Noir is hand-harvested, partially whole-bunch fermented, and aged in French oak to retain elegance and site transparency. Sauvignon Blanc sees a combination of stainless steel and old oak to build texture while preserving aromatics. Across the board, the aim is purity over power, definition over density.

The wines are lithe, expressive, and finely structured. Pinot Noir leads with red cherry, wild thyme, and earth — supple and precise, with a mineral core. Sauvignon Blanc is herbal and saline, with citrus peel and subtle tropical tones. Riesling and Chardonnay show quiet complexity and length, built on freshness and restrained oak. These are wines made to reflect the rhythm of the seasons and the soil beneath — crafted with intent, not intervention.

What defines Paddy Borthwick Wines is its quiet clarity — a project rooted not in spectacle, but in the steady, attentive work of place and craft.

These are wines that don’t push forward — they hold steady, built for those who value focus, subtlety, and the long arc of honest winemaking.