Release of The Max Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Limited production of just 300, hand-numbered bottles of each wine

This first ever release of The Max is a special collaboration between us and renowned New Zealand artist, Max Gimblett. Just two wines – a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir – a combination of provenance, tradition, and innovation with Max’s extraordinary artwork as the label. His strikingly bold, powerful brushwork, balance, depth and choice of colours hinting at the power and complexities of both the art and the wine.

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These wines have been destined for some time. They are made from grapes grown on our revered Waihopai and Wairau Valley vineyards and crafted following traditional Burgundian methods. The Max is the culmination of more than 30 years of knowledge and experience embracing the art, nature and science of winemaking.

The Chardonnay is from our coastal vineyard in the Wairau Valley, with vines in excess of 20 years old. The grapes were pressed and the juice went straight into French oak for fermentation. It was left for almost a year before bottling.

The Pinot Noir is a combination of grapes from the company’s Waihopai Valley vineyard and the Barnsley Block, also in the Waihopai Valley. These vineyards are both 20 years old. It was small batch fermented, then pressed to barrel. Clones are 5, 667 and 115 and oak was medium toast, Damy.

Born in New Zealand, Max has been primarily based in New York since 1972 and continues to exhibit regularly in both locations. The mix of cultures and aesthetics evident in his work convey various associations and meanings connected to the oval, rectangle, tondo, keystone, and the quatrefoil, for which he is most recognised.

In New Zealand, Max has a prominent profile and his works are held in the collections of all major public institutions. He became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Art in 2015 and in 2017, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The University of Waikato for his contribution as an artist, scholar, teacher and philanthropist.