The winery has a history of 150 years of winemaking over six generations, and the ‘Tiraki’ brand was established in 2020. The Tiraki brand was established in 2020 to commemorate the unique, clear-sky climate of the Marlborough Sounds, which allows the winery to make its most elegant wines. The winery pays homage to the region's original Māori name “Ke Puta Te Wairau”, honouring Māori traditions and blood ties to the land.
The spirit of Tiraki is one of adventure and new experiences. In addition to making great wine, the winery hopes that the clear skies will become a topic of conversation, a cause for expansion. The ‘parting of the clouds’ is synonymous with new beginnings and optimism, and through Tiraki's wines, it fuels the joy, passion and desire for adventure that the winery enjoys sharing with the rest of the world.
The winery's ancestors were the first to migrate from Europe to the Marlborough region, and the Longfields farm was founded by the winery's forefathers in 1870. After 150 years and six generations, the 260-hectare property has evolved considerably. However, Tiraki's commitment to the highest quality has never changed, and the property has been carefully guarded for future generations.
Since 1999, the property has evolved into an extensive vineyard planted with a wide variety of grape varieties, including Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The long hours of sunshine, the great temperature differences between day and night, the clay soils and the careful teamwork of the winery combine to produce grapes of exceptional quality, which the winemakers are able to turn into world-class wines of exceptional quality.
The clay soils of the Longfields vineyard are ideal for producing concentrated, balanced wines. From the start of flowering in late November to harvest in mid-March, the cool nights and warm days allow the grapes to ripen for as long as possible, which is key to developing flavours and balancing acidity and sweetness.
Vineyard management is fully aligned with the requirements of the New Zealand Wine Sustainability Strategy. In order to promote biodiversity in the Longfield vineyard, the winery has planted a number of native plants along the watercourses in the hope of attracting native birds and insects to the vineyards to eliminate pests and keep the grapes healthy.
In the autumn, sheep walk the vineyards, providing the most natural fertiliser and weeding the vines without the need for machinery.