Whitehaven Winery
When wine lovers open a bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, they know they're in for a distinctive treat. Marlborough’s cool coastal climate and long sunny days make it the heart of New Zealand’s winegrowing, home to over 80% of the country's vineyards and the renowned Whitehaven Wine Company.
Whitehaven Wines, a family-owned business, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024. Founded by Sue White and her late husband Greg in 1994 the winery has flourished thanks to a strong foothold in the US market.
This year, Whitehaven’s 2023 Sauvignon Blanc was named #41 in the highly coveted Wine Spectator Top 100 wines for 2024, one of only four New Zealand wines on the list and the sole Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This accolade highlights wines that exemplify quality, value, and excitement.
Sue credits the entire team for their dedication to crafting exceptional wines. “This success is a credit to the entire Whitehaven team who work hard to create wines of exceptional quality,” she says.
The US is Whitehaven’s largest export market, with 85% of production heading there. Since 2004, Whitehaven has grown from exporting 5,000 cases to over half a million annually, driving growth in the Ultra-Premium (USD$15+) Sauvignon Blanc category:
- #1 Ultra-Premium Sauvignon Blanc
- #4 Sauvignon Blanc brand across all price points
- #1 Ultra-Premium+ Import Brand (all varietals)
As the market for Whitehaven wine continues to surge Sue says that the speed in which the business has expanded could not have been achieved without the financial backing and support of Rabobank.
“They’ve been fantastic actually, they’re very attuned to our needs and have an understanding of the wine industry that is invaluable,” she said.
“The account managers we’ve had understand the industry and our business so well that they’ve even occasionally challenged us, in a good way, and asked questions of us that have often brought about better outcomes.”
“We regularly receive the agri research from the Bank and we’ve been fortunate on a number of occasions to have Rabobank agri research experts here to visit and the knowledge they’ve shared has been excellent.”
Whitehaven continues to grow while focusing on quality and sustainability as the key planks of the company’s strategic direction. They recently began regenerating a 760ha property in Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, demonstrating their commitment to native regeneration and ecological stewardship.
This long-term and multigenerational project has the potential to sequester 6,000-8,000 tons of carbon annually. This would significantly exceed all production and shipping related emissions, meaning all Whitehaven wine would reach the shelf as carbon neutral.