144 Islands

Finding this distinctive winery feels like a true discovery, or more aptly, a small miracle. The northern region of NZ is better known for sun-soaked white sand beaches and an epic marine playground than for its unheralded wineries. Time for Dhall & Nash to change that and for you all to taste these delectable gems!

We welcome to our D&N portfolio whanau 144 Islands from the Bay of Islands – the spectacular region of 144 islands. We wholeheartedly believe Northland is one of the rising stars of NZ’s wine growing regions. Moreover, Northland winegrowers like proprietor Jake Dromgool of 144 Islands, is much like the vintner pioneers of the past, daring to search for the perfect combination of soil, grape variety, and climate.

Anyone whose been to the Bay of Islands knows what stunning natural beauty abounds with over 144 islands making for an easily accessible aquatic wonderland. Not to mention, the area is rich in history and culture – as many of the pivotal moments in Aotearoa New Zealand’s story happened here, including the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi).

This tiny winegrowing region is still turning up gems two centuries after Reverend Samuel Marsden planted the first vines. Northland is not only the oldest, but it is also the warmest growing region in New Zealand, making it uniquely suited to ripening a wide range of grape varieties. Warm spring temperatures, hot summers, and calm, clear autumn days mean fruit ripens early, creating full-bodied, rich, and generous wines.

We all love wines that tell a story – enjoying a compelling, intriguing yarn of the provenance of the wine in our glass. Such as that of 144 Islands and Jake Dromgool. So, this story starts…

Jake’s family has been farming in the hills outside of Kerikeri, overlooking the beautiful Bay of Islands, for generations. In 2014, when he was 22, he took a job in viticulture back in the Northland region, so it was perfect timing to return home.

In an unrelated coincidence, Jake’s family had also just purchased a block of land bordering their own farm, in the middle of which was a block of bush. Exploring this bush one afternoon, Jake & his father were surprised to find a long abandoned garden, with grapevines, not having been pruned in over 70 years, which had reverted to their wild state, growing to the tops of the canopy of Totara trees, and amazingly, they were loaded with delicious fruit.

Obviously, this unexpected discovery prompted Jake & his father to discuss the prospect of planting a vineyard on this site. Both being “men of action”, they put plans into motion fairly quickly, so within a few months they had planted approximately 1ha of vines, of multiple varieties, with the aim of discerning what varietals would be best suited to the site over the course of time.

As the years went by, Jake continued planting more, continuing to experiment, and as the vineyard grew, so too did his passion for wine, his skillset, and his breadth of understanding for what was required to make truly singular fine wines from this special site that has since become their revered Home Block.

Shortly into the hard work of establishing the vineyard, Jake met Melika. Being quite a practical bloke, on their very first date Jake put her to work in the vineyard – what a romantic! But it worked and within a year they had started a family. Since then, they’ve developed the Home Block together, with their 3 young children Remy, Marnie and Coco following close behind.

Over the intervening years, they have found what works well on their sites, and they’ve begun to understand how to craft unique and singular wines which are not only luscious, but also convey a sense of time and place, and reflect their stunning site.

The discerning D&N wine geek palates have been marvelling at the deliciousness and quality of the 144 Islands wines. Dare we say these vinous jewels are somewhat eccentric yet decidedly delightful and pair remarkably well with a broad range of foods. Which brings us to their white wine blends that are the signature of 144 Islands.

European vineyards have produced white wine blends for millennia. It has been an age old practice to collect a variety of grapes from various vineyards, blending them to attain the qualities and consistency the winemaker is looking for. The different grape varietals contribute to make the whole greater than a sum of the parts.

On a practical level in the vineyard, as some varieties flower and ripen at different times, working with more than one grape spreads the risks posed by challenging weather over the growing season and vintage. Many of the new wave of blends we’re now seeing are “field blends”, where instead of varieties being kept separate and blended as finished wines, they are harvested and fermented together. Not only can fermenting varieties as one makes for more harmonious wines, field blends shift the focus from the character of the grape to that of the vineyard, offering fascinating profiles of the places they’re from. Exactly what 144 Islands has set their sights on achieving. There’s a broader palette of flavours, textures and structure which makes it fun for the drinker and the winemaker.

Let’s delve into the luminescent 144 Islands white wine blends: