Corofin Winery

Location: Southern Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand

Founded in 2014 Corofin is owned by Mike and Anna Paterson and is a study in the depth and diversity of Marlborough pinot noir. Working with growers who farm their land with respect for the biodiversity of its soils and environment, they craft small scale, single block wines revealing the individuality of each micro-site. Their goal is always to transmit a sense of place and season first, over fruit intensity or winemaking ambition.

Point of Differentiation

• Each wine carries a specific vineyard and ‘block’ designation to denote the specific section of the site
• This is micro-batch winemaking where production ranges from 100 – 200 cases per vineyard bottling
• Winemaking is deliberately uniform across the three Pinot Noir sites in order to reveal each vineyard’s individuality
• There is very little-to-no new oak used in the winemaking, so as not to mask the transparency of the site
• The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve purity of expression
• A focus on exploring Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a region synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc
• Corofin prefers to work with growers whose operations are organic or biodynamic

The History

Corofin is an artisan family wine company in Marlborough, New Zealand established in 2012 by Mike and Anna Paterson.

Together they have lived in Marlborough for most of their careers and in that time have gained considerable experience growing, making and marketing Marlborough wine, supported in their journey by several visionaries of the local industry. From their early days in the region, they had a desire to start their own small wine label, to be established without compromise for quality and with complete authenticity.

It was the emergence of hillside pinot noir plantings in Marlborough in the early 2000’s that captivated their imagination and cemented their desire to establish Corofin, as a way to shine a light on these compelling sites.

Corofin and the Paterson family are inextricably linked through people and place. Corofin village, situated on the river Fergus in County Clare Ireland, was the home of Clifden House, the residence of Marcus Joseph Paterson and his young family before emigrating to New Zealand. The significance of Corofin as a spiritual home to the Paterson family has been recognized by every generation since Marcus and his family settled in Hawkes Bay in 1927. The connection is symbolized on the Corofin label by the Paterson family crest.

The Terroir

Corofin works with three grower vineyards: the Cowley Family Vineyard, the Churton Vineyard, and the Settlement Vineyard. All three vineyards are located in Marlborough in the Southern Hills and range from 13-23 years old.

The Settlement Vineyard is a dedicated Pinot Noir vineyard planted on the slopes of the Omaka Valley in Marlborough. Owned by Dog Point and managed with immense intelligence and insight by viticulturist Nigel Sowman. The ‘East Slope’ lies in a North/Northeast orientation and is planted at a density of 1,620 vines per acre on clay-rich soils. The Settlement Vineyard is BioGro certified.

The Cowley Family Vineyard is located in the Ben Morven foothills of Marlborough. A magnificent site planted intricately and nurtured meticulously by the Cowley family. Clay-rich soils formed through the slow mixing and layering of glacial outwash and volcanic uplift. Facing North/Northeast, the Main Slopes are planted at a density of 1,540 vines per acre.

The Churton Vineyard has a Northeast orientation, a remote and elevated location at 650 feet above sea level, spanning a ridge between Marlborough’s Omaka and Waihopai Valleys. It captures the cool morning and warm daytime sunshine ideal for long, slow ripening. Loess above a clay subsoil which, at deep levels, has good water holding capacity and protects the vines from drought. Planting density is 1,875 vines per acre. The ‘Clod Block’ that Corofin’s Pinot Noir grows in, is one of 17 individual vineyard sections, all of which are planted to the hillside contours. Churton Vineyard is BioGro certified.