The Herd

Three Marlborough wine producers, one vineyard, and three unique expressions of Pinot Noir.

21/01/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐩𝐭.𝟑— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭

With decades of combined experience, Stu Dudley and Richard Ellis guide The Marlborist in creating site-driven wines for The Herd project.

Stu has extensive experience across Marlborough vineyards, with strong technical knowledge and a practical understanding of vineyard management.

Richard contributes blending expertise, project oversight, and a focus on regional expression, ensuring the wines reflect the full potential of the site.

Working closely together, Stu and Richard bring precision and vineyard insight to craft Pinot Noir that lets the site speak.

The Marlborist

📍 Two people, one philosophy: letting the vineyard lead.

14/01/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐏𝐭. 𝟐— 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

Daniel Sorrell, Roberta Di Marco, and Matt Duggan joined forces for The Herd project, combining vineyard and winery expertise.

Daniel and Roberta bring a thoughtful, small-batch winemaking approach shaped by extensive experience overseas. They have seen Pinot of all shapes and forms and fell in love with the potential of The Herd site. Their focus remains on elegance and purity.

For The Herd project, they were joined by Matt Duggan, a viticulturist with more than a decade of experience in New Zealand and overseas. Matt contributes practical knowledge of vineyard management, vine balance, and site expression.

Together, they bring a hands-on, collaborative approach— grounded in craft, curiosity, and a shared commitment to expressive Marlborough Pinot Noir.

🍷 Three people. One clear focus: honest, site-driven Pinot.

Sorrell Wines

12/01/2026

NEW ARRIVALS FROM 'THE HERD' PROJECT

'The Herd' is a collaborative Pinot Noir project inspired by shared curiosity and an ongoing quest for true expression of terroir.

Three winemakers, one vineyard, and an open invitation to explore how instinct shapes Pinot Noir. These are wines that speak the same language, but with entirely different accents.

Ben & Luc at Auntsfield Estate, Richard and Stu at The Marlborist and Dan and Roberta at Sorrell Wines, have all selected fruit from a single block within the Auntsfield vineyard, set in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys. Each team takes care of their own shoot thinning, leaf plucking, fruit thinning and hand picking.

All three wines are made entirely from this fruit, using a 50/50 mix of the two Pinot Noir clones, 777 and Abel, to keep the focus entirely on winemaking style rather than clonal variation.

Watch this space for my tasting notes on the 3 wines, and a Feature about this exciting new Pinot Noir collaboration - in the meantime buy them and try them yourself at: https://theherdproject.co.nz/

07/01/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐏𝐭. 𝟏 — 𝐀𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞

Auntsfield is led by Luc and Ben Cowley, the brothers behind one of Marlborough’s most characterful and heritage-rich estates.

Luc, the winemaker, brings deep knowledge of the site, shaping wines with balance, structure, and character.

Ben oversees the vineyards, taking a practical, hands-on approach to farming and long-term vine health, ensuring the fruit reflects the character and heritage of Auntsfield.

Together, the Cowley brothers bring authenticity, craft, and a shared respect for history. Their work forms the foundation of The Herd’s character and sense of place.

📍 Two brothers. One historic site. A deep commitment to Marlborough Pinot.

Auntsfield Estate

17/12/2025

All the three Herd wines are now available for tasting and sales at cellar door. Join us and explore the full expression of The Herd.

Auntsfield Estate Sorrell Wines The Marlborist

14/12/2025

A big thank you to everyone who joined us at Soif Wine Shop for The Herd tasting. It was so great to see familiar faces, meet new ones, and share plenty of good conversations along the way. We’re very grateful for all the support as we begin this journey.

Auntsfield Estate Sorrell Wines The Marlborist

06/11/2025

Welcome to The Herd— a collaboration between Auntsfield Estate, and The Marlborist.

Born from shared curiosity and a deep respect for place, The Herd explores how instinct and terroir shape Pinot Noir.
Three producers. One vineyard. Three unique expressions— each speaking with its own accent, yet all part of the same conversation.
This is where collaboration meets character.
Together, we are The Herd.

Follow along as we share the story behind The Herd— from vineyard to glass.

Address

Blenheim

Website

http://theherdproject.co.nz/

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