A True Reflection of This Piece of Land
Rippon is a distinct parcel of land overlooking the Southern Alps on the western shores of Lake Wanaka — one of the most spectacular vineyard sites in the world. [^314^] The land has been cared for by the Mills family for four generations, dating back to 1912 when Nick's great-great-grandfather bought Wanaka Station. [^306^] Winegrowing began in 1982 when Rolfe Mills — Nick's father, a former submarine navigator who saw schist soils in Portugal and recognised their potential at home — planted the first commercial block with 30 different varieties. [^306^] Nick Mills has been in charge since 2003, farming the vineyard biodynamically with his wife Jo. [^306^] The property sits on a gentle slope leading down to Lake Wanaka, whose water mass moderates temperature by acting as a heat sink. [^306^] The vineyard is separated into a number of smaller parcels, each performing differently — Tinker's Field, Emma's Block, the Hill Block, and others — all farmed with minimal intervention and wild fermentation. [^306^] The wines are a true reflection of this piece of land: pure, structured, and built to age. Rippon has been organic since inception and biodynamic since 2003. [^306^]
From Submarines & Portugal to the Shores of Lake Wanaka
The Rippon story begins with Frederick Sargood, who married Emma Rippon — daughter of the Chief Cashier of the Bank of England — and moved to Melbourne in 1850, where he built a home called Rippon Lea. [^306^] One of their sons, Percy, came to New Zealand and bought Wanaka Station in 1912 — 80,000 hectares, practically all of Wanaka. [^306^] It was Percy's grandson, Rolfe Mills, who first brought vines to the property.
Rolfe had been serving on submarines during the war. On his way back home, he visited Portugal and saw vineyards planted on schist soils. He realised he had the same soils on his estate, and the seed was planted. [^306^] But on his return, he was ushered into the family warehousing business. It wasn't until 1975 — after his first wife died, his business was absorbed, and he left with a golden handshake — that he met Lois (Nick's mother) and moved back to Wanaka to build the homestead and experiment with vines. [^306^]
The government had warned people not to plant vines in Central Otago — it was deemed too cold and marginal. Banks wouldn't invest. So Rolfe and Lois started as goat farmers, selling land to fund their dream. [^306^] They went to France for a year, working in vineyards in the Dordogne, then returned and planted their first commercial block in 1982 with 30 different varieties — all propagated through their own nursery. [^306^]
Nick Mills took over in 2003. He and Jo farm biodynamically, seeing Rippon as their own farm system — a self-sustaining organism where every element is interconnected. [^306^] The vineyard is now 15 hectares, mostly on own roots, with 8.5 hectares of Pinot Noir, 2.5 of Riesling, 2 of Gewürztraminer, and small parcels of Gamay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Osteiner. [^306^]
"New Zealand came out of the Ocean, so everything here flew or swam here. All the grazers were birds rather than sheep or cattle. Everything got spiky, with a skeleton on the outside and flesh in the middle. It was a really tough land."
— Nick Mills
Schist, Lake Wanaka & A Natural Amphitheatre
Rippon sits on a gentle slope that leads down to Lake Wanaka, whose water mass moderates temperature by acting as a heat sink. [^306^] The soils are schist — ancient, mineral-rich metamorphic rock that gives the wines their distinctive stony, mineral character. The property is on a north-facing slope with spectacular views across the lake to the Southern Alps, including the iconic Ruby Island. [^315^]
The vineyard is incredibly parcellated — divided into a number of smaller blocks, all of which perform differently. [^306^] Tinker's Field, planted in 1982 and 1989 on own roots, is on coarse schist gravels and is not irrigated. [^306^] Emma's Block, planted in 1991, sits closer to the lake front with some clay in the soil — "because of the clays you get a sleekness in the phenolics at the back of the palate." [^306^] The Hill Block is a gravelly, exposed site that may become another single-block wine in time. [^306^]
All vines are on their own roots — a rarity in modern viticulture. Visitors are asked not to wear shoes that have been in other vineyards, to prevent the introduction of phylloxera. [^306^] The vines are comfortable in their environment, having been selected and propagated specifically for this site over four decades. "All the plant material is suited to its site," Nick says. "It is comfortable in its environment, doesn't need adjustment, and has been selected for this site." [^306^]
The vineyard has been organic since inception and biodynamic since 2003. [^306^] Nick and Jo see Rippon as a farm system — a self-sustaining organism where soil health, biodiversity, and the natural rhythms of the land guide every decision. Composting, cover crops, biodynamic preparations, and careful hand-tending are the foundation of the approach.
Planted 1982 and 1989 on own roots. Not irrigated. Coarse schist gravels with no clay. [^306^] The most structured and mineral of the Pinot Noir blocks — taut, spicy, and built for long ageing. The flagship single-vineyard wine.
Planted 1991 on the lake front. Schisty gravels with clay levees running through. [^306^] "Because of the clays you get a sleekness in the phenolics at the back of the palate." [^306^] The softest environment at Rippon — elegant, floral, and supple.
The property slopes gently down to Lake Wanaka, whose water mass moderates temperature — acting as a heat sink that buffers the vineyard from extreme temperature swings. [^306^] This maritime influence is unique in Central Otago and contributes to the wines' balance and finesse.
No synthetic chemicals have ever been used. Biodynamic preparations, compost, cover crops, and biodiversity central to the approach. [^306^] The farm is seen as a self-sustaining organism — every element interconnected and working together.
Phenolics, Dry Matter, & Noble Extraction
Nick Mills' winemaking is guided by a profound understanding of phenolics and dry matter. "We're interested in phenolics and dry matter," he says. "So our wines can be a little compressed when they are young." [^306^] The Pinots spend 16–18 months in barrel with no fining or filtering. The 2013s were so compressed as to be undrinkable in their first year in bottle — but with time, they unfold into wines of extraordinary complexity. [^306^]
"We look at fruit as having two different purposes," Nick explains. "There's the attraction factor of the fruit, but what we are more led by is the seed: the information a vine takes from a place. You can't taste and smell a seed. It is texture, shape and feel. Our task in the vineyard is to issue as much noble dry matter into the grapes. If you get this, then you can extract it." [^306^]
Nick uses 25–40% whole bunches in the Pinot Noir ferments, but decisions are made on the sorting table — not by recipe. "The sorting table isn't about taking stuff off, but it's for me to taste pips and skins, and figure out what raw material we have. If we can chew the stems through then we'll put them in. I'd put in 100% whole clusters if we could. It's a better ferment." [^306^] The stems give the wine better structure, allow the yeasts to move around more easily, and improve pressing. [^306^]
All wines are wild fermented. The Tinker's Bequest — a no-sulphur Pinot Noir from a small parcel in Tinker's Field — is made by harvesting CO2 from fermenting Gewürztraminer to keep air away from the bunches, then carrying out a typical Pinot fermentation. [^306^] The Gamay is made with a line from a Gewürztraminer ferment to do carbonic maceration — "but it isn't a full carbonic." [^306^] This is winemaking as improvisation, guided by the materials at hand.
Emma's Block 2013 — 96 Points, Wine Anorak
"Fine, fresh red cherry fruit nose is very lively with a sappy, green edge and nice floral notes. The palate is fresh and elegant with nice acidity and a hint of green. It's lovely." [^306^] This is the Emma's Block Pinot Noir — from the softest environment at Rippon, with clay in the soil giving sleekness to the phenolics. It is a wine that captures the paradox of great Pinot Noir: light in colour, yet profound in structure; fragrant and floral, yet savoury and complex. Nick Mills has spent two decades learning how to extract the "noble dry matter" from these vines — the seed information, the texture, the shape and feel of the place. The result is wines that demand patience but reward it extravagantly. Rippon is not about immediate gratification. It is about the long game — wines that unfold over years, revealing new layers with every encounter.
A Family, A Community, A Culture
Rippon is more than a winery. It is a family legacy, a community hub, and a cultural institution. The Rippon Hall — built from compacted earth dug from the hillside, with trusses and beams from the family's larch forest — hosts weddings, conferences, and events overlooking the vines, the lake, and the mountains. [^315^] The natural amphitheatre adjacent to the hall is a beautiful outdoor space for ceremonies. [^315^]
Nick Mills is deeply connected to the history and identity of Wanaka. "We believe in land form influencing human culture," he says. [^306^] For the early Māori, Wanaka was a place of rest and education — a soft area in a tough land. Nick sees this heritage as central to the region's identity today. [^306^]
Rolfe Mills was one of the five pioneers who established the collective culture of Central Otago wine — "the inclusive culture in the region is indeed one of its strengths." [^306^] Nick continues this tradition, sharing knowledge, hosting visitors, and contributing to the region's reputation as one of the world's great Pinot Noir destinations.
The future of Rippon is rooted in the same principles that have defined it since 1982: biodynamic farming, minimal intervention, wild fermentation, and a deep respect for the land. As the vines mature and Nick's understanding of the site's many micro-parcels deepens, the wines will only become more expressive. This is a four-generation project — and it is far from finished.
"Our task in the vineyard is to issue as much noble dry matter into the grapes. If you get this, then you can extract it."
— Nick Mills
The Rippon Range
Rippon produces a focused portfolio of estate-grown, biodynamic wines from its Lake Wanaka vineyard. The range centres on Pinot Noir — the estate blend and single-vineyard expressions from Tinker's Field and Emma's Block — alongside Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and small parcels of Gamay and Osteiner. [^306^] All wines are wild fermented, with no fining or filtering for the Pinot Noirs, and minimal sulphur. [^306^] The style is one of purity, structure, and age-worthiness — wines that are "a little compressed when young" but unfold into profound complexity with time. [^306^] Prices are approximate and in NZD.