Rippon

Tastings run by appointment and focus on terroir—expect conversation about site and season as much as what’s in the glass. You’re here for Pinot Noir and Riesling first, but you’ll also encounter Gewürztraminer, Gamay, Sauvignon Blanc and the rare Osteiner. The setting invites lingering; allow extra time to soak up the lake‑and‑mountain panorama.

The Mills family has worked this land for generations. Vineyard development began in the 1970s with Rolf “Tinker” Mills, who was drawn to the decomposing schist that underpins the site. Shallow glacial and alluvial topsoils and those schist outcrops shape Rippon’s mineral, site‑driven wines. Today, Nick Mills steers a biodynamic, minimal‑intervention approach—often foot‑crushing grapes and adding nothing beyond a little sulfur—seeking texture and energy over flash. In exceptional years, tiny “Bequest” releases are made with no added sulfur.

Waterfall Creek Track passes nearby along the lakefront, making an easy add‑on before or after your tasting. Public toilets are at the Waterfall Creek car park if you’re walking the track. Rippon Hall on the property hosts events and weddings, leveraging those same postcard views.

You’re shooting straight across the vines to Lake Wānaka, Ruby Island and the Southern Alps—wide lenses capture the sweep, while a short telephoto compresses the island and peaks for dramatic frames.