Our Land

Our small single-estate vineyard is located in Bannockburn, a sub-region of Central Otago’s Cromwell Basin, which stretches along the southern side of the Kawarau River.

must credit tourism central otago will nelson web
The Carrick vineyards and winery are situated between the Bannockburn Inlet and Kawarau River. Credit: Will Nelson / Tourism Central Otago

We are guardians of this land

We have a fundamental respect for the natural resources we are blessed with at Carrick. Our vineyard has been farmed organically since 2008 and is certified organic through Biogro. Our company is also certified sustainable by SWNZ.

We believe this approach is better for our vineyard, our winery and the wider environment; ensuring healthier habitats for flora and fauna, and a safer workplace for our people.

Vineyard cover crops are planted annually to help us naturally maintain the health of our soils. The custom blend of seeds includes four different kinds of clover, mustard, radish, rape seed, buckwheat, and white oats.

Chickens are employed to help with the kitchen waste from our restaurant and compost creation that feeds our sandy soils. They also alleviate our vineyards of unwanted pests and help scratch and aerate the soil. Best of all, their fresh eggs go directly to the restaurant to be enjoyed by our guests.

Organic materials are composted and spread throughout our vineyards to increase organic matter in our soils and provide nutrients for our vines. It also helps increase water holding capacity in our sandy soils, helping to mitigate water stress.

carrick cover crops web
chickens
carrick vines
chickens
carrick vines

Wine is our expression of place

Carrick has always been about place. Our name derives from the old gold mining town and mountain range to which we overlook. The symbol of the ‘Carrick Bend’ on our labels is symbolic of the union between our land and our people.

To express this beautiful place, we make wines using only hand-picked, organically-certified, estate-grown fruit, with 100% indigenous yeast and minimal winery additions.

The firm tannin profile, linearity and strong acid line of our wines are reflections of the striking landscape, semi-continental climate, wind and poor alluvial glacial soils.

Not every grape is lucky to make it in the barrel. We harvest by hand, allowing any unripe or inferior fruit to be left behind.

Carrick soil mapCarrick varieties map
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Land rich in gold-mining history.

In earlier days Bannockburn was the centre of gold mining operations in Central Otago. The rich pioneering heritage is still evident today, from the dramatic sluiced hills to crumbling mud-brick and stone buildings left behind by fortune seekers in search of gold.

Carrick was founded by Steve Green and Barbara Robertson-Green in 1994 who planted a rabbit infested block of land in Bannockburn. The first vintage was in 2000. Much has changed since, including the winery and restaurant opening its doors in 2002 and the change to organic practices in 2008. 

Carrick started a new and exciting chapter with Tony & Alison Cleland purchasing Carrick in January 2021. 

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