We have been making Grüner Veltliner for fourteen years from New Zealand vines, and were among the very first in the country to try our hand at this distinctly intriguing Austrian variety. It holds special relevance for us, being one of the first of two wines we ever produced under the Blank Canvas label.
Our 2024 release marks an exciting milestone - the first vintage from Axehouse Vineyard in the Omaka Valley, which is home to one exceptional hectare of some of New Zealand’s oldest Grüner vines.
Growers Jonathan and Robyn Falloon care for these vines with meticulous attention, while their award-winning home lends the property its bold, memorable name. Planted in 2011, this small but significant property lies in the heart of the Omaka, within Marlborough’s Southern Valleys subregion. Its complex soils, comprising free-draining alluvial gravels layered with clay loams, combined with the warmer microclimate produces fruit of exceptional purity, concentration, and aromatic lift.
With only 42 hectares of Grüner Veltliner planted across the entire country, this single hectare is rare indeed and is further amplified by the Falloons’ hands-on approach. Every vine is trained, pruned, and harvested by hand. This dedication translates into a wine of outstanding varietal clarity.
Our same Blank Canvas winemaking philosophy applies to the Axehouse Vineyard - find the best way for the site to express itself. Here, handpicking, crushing and thoughtful use of French oak puncheons and lees ageing elevate the vineyard’s mineral precision and layered texture without overshadowing its character.
It is the Omaka Valley’s warm days, cool nights, and clay-loam soils that deliver perfect ripening conditions, allowing our Axehouse Grüner Veltliner to express a full-bodied richness, vibrant yuzu citrus and classic white-pepper aromatics. It pays homage to its Austrian heritage with savoury complexity and textural intrigue, while embracing Marlborough’s hallmark fruit-driven elegance.
The journey of our Blank Canvas Axehouse Vineyard Grüner Veltliner is only just beginning. For now, we invite you to savour this stunning variety in our debut 2024 release.
