True Terroir, Made as Naturally as Possible
Supernatural Wine Co. is a producer of certified organic, naturally vinified, low sulphur white and skin-fermented white wines from a north-facing hillside estate in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. [^119^] The Collinge family — Ginny, Jeremy, and son Gregory — purchased their Millar Road estate in 2004 and planted their nearly 50-acre vineyard in 2004 and 2005. [^124^] Initially, they sold their grapes to other producers. In 2009, they started their own winemaking company, and the Supernatural brand was born. [^124^] Full organic certification with BioGro New Zealand was achieved in March 2015, and biodynamic farming practices commenced the same year. [^119^] The philosophy is simple: great terroir and traditional processes. All wines are made as naturally as possible — indigenous vineyard yeasts for fermentation, unfined, unfiltered (for skin-fermented wines), and only a little sulphur added before bottling. [^119^] The vineyard is dry-farmed — no irrigation. Soils are lime-rich clay with volcanic influence. [^124^] This is wine that tastes like the place it comes from, because nothing has been done to hide it.
From Grape Growers to Natural Winemakers
The Collinge family's wine story began with land. In 2004, Ginny and Jeremy Collinge purchased the Millar Road estate in Hawke's Bay and planted their vineyard across 2004 and 2005. [^124^] For the first five years, they were grape growers — selling their fruit to other producers, learning the rhythms of the site, and understanding what the land wanted to give.
In 2009, they took the next step: starting their own winemaking company and launching the Supernatural brand. [^124^] The name was deliberate. From the beginning, the brand aimed at organic, low-intervention winemaking — a radical proposition in a region better known for conventional, volume-driven production. [^127^] The Collinge family believed that Hawke's Bay's diverse soils and warm, dry climate could produce something more interesting than the standard template.
The transition from grower to maker was not instantaneous. It took six years of organic farming before full BioGro certification was achieved in March 2015. [^119^] Biodynamic practices were introduced the same year. [^119^] This was not a marketing pivot — it was a genuine conversion, driven by the belief that healthy soil produces better grapes, and that better grapes need less help in the winery.
Today, son Gregory Collinge is deeply involved in the family business, bringing a new generation's energy and perspective to the estate. [^116^] The family works together — vineyard, cellar, and market — with a shared commitment to natural wine that has only deepened with time.
"Our philosophy relies on great terroir and traditional processes. We aim to make all of our wines as naturally as possible in order to produce true terroir driven wines."
— Supernatural Wine Co.
North-Facing Hillside, Dry-Farmed & Volcanic
The Millar Road estate sits on a north-facing hillside in Hawke's Bay — one of New Zealand's most celebrated wine regions, known for its diverse soils and warm, dry climate. [^119^] The vineyard spans nearly 50 acres, planted across 2004 and 2005. [^124^] It is dry-farmed — no irrigation is used, forcing the vines to send roots deep into the subsoil in search of water and nutrients. [^124^]
The soils are lime-rich clay with volcanic influence — a combination that provides both drainage and mineral complexity. [^124^] Hawke's Bay's soils are mostly volcanic and geologically young, deposited by rivers over time. [^124^] The famous Gimblett Gravels — left by an 1867 flood on the Ngaruroro River — hold heat and are particularly well suited to Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. [^124^] The Millar Road site benefits from this geological diversity, with the north-facing aspect ensuring maximum sun exposure and ripeness.
Farming is certified organic with BioGro New Zealand since March 2015, and biodynamic practices have been in place since the same year. [^119^] The estate uses no synthetic chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides. Cover crops, compost, and biodiversity are central to the approach. The goal is not just to grow grapes, but to cultivate a living ecosystem where the vineyard supports itself.
Harvest is by machine using a Pellenc selective head harvester — a precision tool that allows for careful, gentle picking of the fruit. [^128^] The focus is on preserving grape integrity from vine to press, ensuring that the natural qualities of the fruit are maintained throughout the winemaking process.
Located on Millar Road in Hawke's Bay, one of NZ's premier wine regions. [^119^] North-facing hillside aspect ensures maximum sun exposure and even ripening. [^119^] Nearly 50 acres planted 2004–2005. [^124^] Dry-farmed — no irrigation, forcing deep root systems. [^124^]
Soils are lime-rich clay with volcanic influence — good drainage and mineral complexity. [^124^] Geologically young, deposited by rivers over time. [^124^] The volcanic component adds a distinctive mineral thread to the wines, particularly noticeable in the Sauvignon Blanc and skin-fermented whites.
Full organic certification with BioGro New Zealand — March 2015. [^119^] Biodynamic farming practices commenced 2015. [^119^] No synthetic chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides. Cover crops, compost, and biodiversity central to the approach. A living ecosystem where the vineyard supports itself.
No irrigation — vines rely entirely on natural rainfall and deep root systems. [^124^] Harvest by Pellenc selective head harvester for gentle, precise picking. [^128^] The combination of dry farming and careful harvest ensures fruit of concentration and integrity.
Indigenous Yeast, Unfined, Unfiltered, Low Sulphur
Supernatural Wine Co.'s winemaking is defined by restraint. The goal is not to impose a style on the wine, but to allow the terroir to speak. Every decision in the cellar is filtered through one question: does this help the wine express where it comes from?
Fermentation is carried out by indigenous vineyard yeasts — naturally present on the grapes and in the cellar. [^119^] No cultured yeasts are added. This means fermentation is slower, less predictable, and more complex — but it also means the wine carries the microbial fingerprint of the vineyard itself. [^119^]
All wines are unfined. [^119^] Skin-fermented wines are unfiltered. [^119^] The only addition is a small amount of sulphur before bottling — enough to ensure stability and longevity, but not enough to mask the wine's natural character. [^124^] This is minimal intervention not as a trend, but as a conviction: the less you do, the more the wine has to say.
The house style leans into texture and savouriness. Skin contact — where white grapes are fermented on their skins — adds tannin, colour, and a grippy, tea-like quality that transforms familiar varieties into something unexpected. The Sauvignon Blanc is not the typical NZ expression — it is smoky, spicy, textured, and salty. [^115^] The orange wines are earthy, approachable, and genuinely food-friendly. [^115^] These are wines for people who want to taste something different — something that challenges the template.
The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc — Not Your Typical Savvy
"Enzed Savvy, but not as you know it." [^115^] The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc is the estate's calling card — and it is nothing like the mass-market Marlborough style that dominates the category. Smoky and spicy notes with richness and texture from skin and lees contact. Full malolactic fermentation softens the acidity and adds a creamy, savoury dimension. [^115^] Master of Wine Stephen Wong describes the finish as "refreshingly and surprisingly salty... where the phenolics, high acidity and minerality converge into a crystalline and delicately etched finish." [^115^] This is Sauvignon Blanc reimagined — not a fruit bomb, but a wine of texture, savour, and place. 800 cases produced. 12.5% alcohol. A wine that proves a familiar grape can become unfamiliarly beautiful when handled with patience and restraint.
A Family, A Hillside, A Point of View
Supernatural Wine Co. is a family operation in the truest sense. Ginny and Jeremy Collinge planted the vineyard, built the brand, and navigated the transition from conventional growing to organic and biodynamic certification. [^124^] Son Gregory has taken on an increasingly central role, representing the next generation of Collinge winemaking. [^116^]
The family's approach is not ideological — it is practical. They believe that organic farming produces better grapes, that indigenous yeasts produce more complex wines, and that low sulphur allows the wine to express itself more clearly. [^119^] These are not abstract principles. They are the result of 15+ years of trial, error, and refinement on a single hillside in Hawke's Bay.
The wines have found an audience both in New Zealand and internationally. They are exported to the USA, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, and other markets — proof that natural wine from a small family estate can compete on the global stage. [^115^] The brand's distinctive packaging — dark, esoteric labels with occult imagery — sets it apart on shelves and signals that this is not conventional wine.
The future of Supernatural Wine Co. is one of continued exploration: new varieties, new techniques, new markets — all within the framework of organic, biodynamic, low-intervention winemaking that has defined the estate since 2009. The Collinge family has proven that Hawke's Bay can produce wine of genuine individuality, and that natural winemaking is not a niche — it is a better way.
"Refreshingly and surprisingly salty on the finish where the phenolics, high acidity and minerality converge into a crystalline and delicately etched finish."
— Stephen Wong MW, on The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc
The Supernatural Range
Supernatural Wine Co. produces a focused portfolio of certified organic, naturally vinified wines from its Millar Road estate and select partner vineyards. All wines are made with indigenous yeasts, unfined, and with minimal sulphur. [^119^] Skin-fermented wines are unfiltered. [^119^] The range spans textured Sauvignon Blanc, approachable orange wines, chillable light reds, and a serious Martinborough Pinot Noir — each with a distinct personality and a shared commitment to natural expression. Prices are approximate and in NZD.