Vineyard: 

All fruit was sourced from the Akarua Estate vineyards in Central Otago. The vines are approximately 21 years old and grow at an average of 270 metres above sea level on a north-westerly facing slope. The vines are planted on alluvial, sandy loam based soils overlaying schist rock.

Vinification:

Grapes for the 'Rua' were cold soaked for five days before fermentation commenced and the cap was punched down twice daily. The wine was given another six days on the skins post fermentation to provide the tannic backbone it requires. It then spent seven months ageing in 100% French oak barriques, of which 10% were new.

Producer: 

The Skeggs family were among the first people to buy and plant vineyard land in Central Otago in the mid 1990s, so were lucky enough to acquire a superb north-facing site in Bannockburn. Planted in 1996, this 50-hectare site has since provided the backbone of the Akarua wines. Due to the short growing season in Central Otago, site selection is one of the key elements in making a great wine, and Akarua have a site that is among the very best. We were introduced to Akarua through the late Tony Jordan, who was the first to make their sparkling wines. Tony built Domaine Chandon in Australia, and was one of the world's leading experts in sparkling wine production. He had always believed in the potential for Central Otago to make top quality fizz and finally realised his ambition to make premium sparkling wines here when the first Akarua sparkling wines were released in 2011.