Osawa Wines is a boutique winery in Kereru Road, Maraekakaho, Hawke’s Bay, NZ.

It produces premium quality, single-site wines from grapes grown exclusively at the Maraekakaho vineyard.

Hawke’s Bay has 22 different soil types and varying microclimates, making the region ideal for a large range of wines. The region experiences high summer temperatures with cooler nights, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly, concentrating the flavour and creating wines of great intensity.

The Maraekakaho vineyard has its own unique microclimate influenced by the proximity of the Kaweka Ranges. It sits on a river terrace in the Mangatahi Valley next to the Ngaruroro River.

Osawa Wines is the realisation of a dream had by Taizo Osawa, a Japanese wine lover who travelled to New Zealand some years ago and was inspired to plant vines in the idyllic rural setting of Hawke’s Bay.

Groundwork began in 2005, with vines being planted a year later and 2008 was the first harvest.

Osawa Wines carefully selects parcels of land out of the 100 acres under vine that is most perfectly suited for each varietal: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. In conjunction with their winemaker, Rod McDonald, the winemaking techniques and philosophies are developed to protect the unique natural flavours and characteristics of the grapes.

Osawa Wines are dedicated to growing grapes of superb quality and using them to make benchmark premium varietal wine. - Daniel Jess