I attend many media events, some press-worthy and some not, so when both the wines and the story impress me, I roll up my sleeves and set to typing it up to serve you hot off the theoretical presses. I was duly enchanted at a recent dinner with Brent Marris, winemaker at Marisco Vineyards, a New Zealand wine producer headed by Marris and two of his daughters. They are not only killing it at sustainability but also making very delicious wine. (Delicious wines are the first part; the rest is icing on the cake. The bubbles on the champers? Wax on the cork? JK on that last one, I hate waxed corks even more than capsules.) Back to the winery at hand: Marris’ roots in and connection to New Zealand winegrowing run deep. His father was an original planter of Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough, and Marris didn’t mind being put to work as “we got to drive the tractor.” The takeaway is that child labor is clearly acceptable if it’s fun (I jest again). Since shortly after those plantings in 1973, good old Sauvy B has been synonymous with Marlborough. Building on the tractors in the vineyard experience, Marris first made a name for himself as a winemaker at a handful of other wineries. Still, in his 40s he wanted to do his own thing and founded The Ned, named for the mountain overlooking Marlborough. He has since added Leefield Station and Fernlands to his roster. With the goal of making wines that express the region’s fruit purity, Marris wants them to make us feel the fresh air, grass and water from whence the fruit is taken—and guess what, he does a swell job. It’s an interesting time in NZ. The Sauvignon Blancs are overcoming a reputation for being super pyrazine-y (green pepper, green grass, asparagus, green peas, pipi de chat). The dinner started with a trio of Sauvignon Blancs, each with their own personality that steps away from the stereotype. The 2024 Fernlands Sauvignon Blanc is a (rather successful) stab at quietly moving away from the expected NZ style while still maintaining the telltale pyrazines. It is vibrant and slightly textured on top of asparagus and white pepper notes, becoming slightly more tropical with time. The 2024 Leefield Station Sauvignon Blanc is stonier with tons of citrus fruit, a little passion fruit and minerally salted-margarita vibes all day. The 2024 The Ned has a softer nose but, packs a zingy punch on the palate. It is spritzy and textured, held up by a hint of potting soil and iris florals. All three were absolutely Sauvignon Blancs but uniquely their own. Pinot Gris was next in the line-up and my absolute favorite of the evening, so I’ll suspend your anticipation by seeding in some fun facts about all that Marisco Vineyards is doing in the name of sustainability. Marris embraces an ethos of repurposing, stating, “Nothing leaves the property.” Water is collected in dams for future dry spells, and even the grape skins return to the vineyards. A nursery grows plants to offset the winery’s carbon footprint. Six thousand sheep roam the vineyards, and the wool is used for clothes. Marris aims to leave the land “better for the next generation.” Back to The Ned Pinot Gris 2024! It is made in the Ramato style, aka it looks like a rosé. Marris initially apologized for this on the bottling’s debut in 2007, but the wine was a smash hit so he never looked back. The nose gives pear, spice, a bit of teacup rose and lactic notes. I am in LOVE with the palate which reads soft, lees-y and candied without becoming sweet, yielding apricots, myrrh and rose petals tarted up with grapefruit pith. With the main dishes came the Leefield Station Pinot Noir 2023 and The Ned Pinot Noir 2022. The Leefield Station is a medley of tart and dried red cherry on the nose with earth chiming in on the palate. It is a sprightly Pinot with delicate tannins and a slightly prickly texture, but in a fun way like a dry sense of humor. The Ned Pinot Noir 2022 feels fresher (despite being older, so basically me), showing ripe cherry and mocha notes. Both had a refreshing acidity and grounded nature that vibed with the truffle pasta. What’s next for the winery is near and dear to my heart, given that I live to champion women in wine. Marris’ daughter Emma will take the reins in winemaking while Georgia is on the marketing team. I know the critical journalistic question you have is, what is my shower wine? Obvi, the Pinot Gris has the right amount of skin contact. Want to read more from Ellen? Check out her recent articles: The Oscars 2025: Best Picture Pairings Tube-Wines Interview with the Winemaker: Adam Casto Wine Situation Final Five: Fahara Zamorano Wow Oak, Wowwww You can also listen to Ellen's podcast The Wine Situation here.