Supernatural Wine Company
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Gregory Collinge and Gabrielle Simmers started the Supernatural Wine Company in 2001. They purchased their land and started replanted right away but their first commercial vintage wasn’t until 2009. They have been organic since the beginning and have always produced wines by hand that are naturally vinified, fermented with indigenous yeast, low in sulphur, unfined, barely filtered if at all and completely different than any other wines we have had from Hawke’s Bay. With a real focus on skin fermented white wines Supernatural is leading the pack of a new generation of New Zealand wine growers interested in the natural wine movement. They have been certified organic with BioGro since 2015 and have practiced Biodynamics since then as well.
The Millar Road Property is 19.4 HA with 8.9 HA planted to vines, the majority of which is (you guessed it) Sauvignon Blanc planed in 2004 and 2005. All of the wines are made from estate fruit from north facing, sloping vineyards in Hawke’s Bay. This vineyard rests on lime right clay with volcanic influence (known there are Matapiro sandy loam over Kidnappers Group sandstone and Carbonaceous mudstone… It's a mouthful, we know). Most of the sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand is planted on flat alluvial soils so having sloping vineyards at 30 degrees is unique for the region. The property overlooks volcanoes, olive groves and the Pacific Ocean
Now Hayden Penny makes the wines. He travelled the world learning about organic viticulture and organic winemaking methods before returning home to New Zealand to join the supernatural team. The wines are generally inspired by the aromatic wines of Alsace and Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire Valley. Interestingly, most of the Supernatural team doesn’t care for Sauvignon Blanc from their region (neither do we). Their goal was to produce a completely new style. We think they’ve done it. All wines are sealed with a crown cap (beer cap). Current production is around 3000 cases per year
2014 The Supernatural
Seriously different New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Smoky and spicy with richness and texture from skin and lees contact. Grapes are harvested and then soaked on skins for about 6 hours before a gentle pressing. Settled overnight at 15°C before racking off heavy lees while maintaining contact with light lees. Fermented with indigenous yeast at cool temperatures. Extensive lees contact and stirring for six months. Prepared for bottling with a small sulphur addition. Unfined, lightly filtered.
2015 Green Glow
Grapes are hand-picked from the Eastern section of the vineyard, which due to bonier, dustier soils and more wind exposure produces smaller, riper berries and lower yields. De-stemmed without crushing, fermented at cool temperatures with indigenous yeast. 2 to 3 weeks on skins, pressed off through a traditional basket press, fermentation finished off skins to ensure minimal oxidation. Extensive lees contact over six months to develop the characteristic texture before being prepared for bottling. Unfined and unfiltered. Oh, and the label glows in the dark.
2016 Spook Light
100% skin-fermented Pinot Gris. Grapes are hand-picked from the steepest slopes of the vineyard which has bonier, dustier soils and good drainage. De-stemmed, pied de cuvée ferment for 2-3 weeks, pressed off at 5 Brix in a small basket press and rested on fine lees in stainless steel until bottling. Unfined and unfiltered.
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