Morworth Estate Vineyard
Block Rd, RD 6, Christchurch
Ph: 03-349 5014, fax: 03-349 5017
Email: info@morworth.com
www.morworth.com.
Winemaker: Sarah Morkane Deans
Wine sales: Cellar door, retail
Price range: $20-$35
Winery tastings: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm
or by appointment; casual platters served
Winery tours: By appointment
Winery function facilities: By prior
appointment
In 2004 Morworth Estate’s winemaker Sarah Morkane Deans had the pleasure of seeing her wine included on the wine list at The French Laundry, celebrity chef Thomas Keller’s famous San Francisco restaurant – quite an achievement for a small Canterbury producer not widely known, even in New Zealand.
Around 14,000 cases of wine are produced each year at Morworth Estate, of which roughly half (the Sauvignon Blanc) comes from a 10-hectare vineyard in Marlborough’s Wairau Valley owned by Chris and Leonie Morkane.
The remainder, consisting of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, is sourced from another vineyard of a similar size owned by the Morkanes at Templeton, on the outskirts of Christchurch. Lincoln-trained Sarah, who has been winemaker at Morworth Estate for three years, is the daughter of Chris and Leonie.
When asked which wines give her the most pleasure as winemaker, Sarah names without hesitation aromatics like Riesling, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. She acknowledges that these are wines made in the vineyard rather than in the winery. Good vineyard management – such as keeping the crop loads low – is the key, she says. 
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