New Zealand is the perfect place to produce organically farmed, uniquely crafted wines due to its diverse climates, great terroir and wonderful people who care for the land. Enter Walnut Block, an organically certified winery with a passionate team at the reigns and a recent addition to the Winestock Family we would like to introduce you too.

The People.
Founded by brothers Clyde and Nigel Sowman in 2005, Walnut Block is a boutique winery lying in the Rapaura sub-region of Marlborough. Here, Nigel leads the charge for organic viticulture, whilst Clyde lends his expertise to the direction and management of Walnut Block Wines. Alongside them, Helen Sowman and Gordon Ritchie collaborate and complete the team. Helen looks after the challenging task of packaging the wine and organises its movements to the buying markets whilst Gordon brings a wealth of technical winemaking expertise and knowledge to the table in the winery.

Clyde and Helen Sowman enjoying a glass of wine at they look out at the Vineyard and Walnut Tree.

The Vineyard.
First planted in 1996, the Walnut Block vineyard lies in the world-renowned Wairau Valley in Marlborough. The unique winegrowing conditions found here reflect the amalgamation of soils deposited over thousands of years from an ancient riverbed that flowed between the mountainous borders of the valley, the regions high sunshine hours and the temperate climate of New Zealand.

Certified Organic with Bio Grow New Zealand, Clyde and Nigel followed their beliefs and began practicing organics in the vineyard in 2002. Since making that decision and following their passion, their vines have become more self-sufficient, naturally balanced, and are seen to adapt easily to seasonal variations whilst remaining consistently healthy. This combined with the alluvial soils and stony, free-draining subsoils lying beneath enables Walnut Block to produce outstanding wines that naturally highlight not only the region’s diversity but also the vineyards.

The Wines.
The Nutcracker Range is Walnut Blocks flagship brand. The Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are handcrafted wines that deliver elegance and finesse along with a full spectrum of delicate fruit flavours that result from the dedicated organic vineyard management and winemaking. Recent accolades for the Nutcracker Range include the 2018 chardonnay and 2017 pinot noir winning gold at the 2020 NZ Organic Wine awards along with the 2019 Sauvignon blanc winning Silver.
The Collectibles Series is Walnut block’s premium range and delivers wines that are vibrant and intensely fruit driven. The Collectables 2019 Sauvignon Blanc won Champion Sauvignon Blanc at the 2020 New Zealand Organic Wine Awards.