Claire and Mike Allan planted the first vines at Huia in 1994 and formally started Huia Vineyards in 1996. From then until now, the health of the earth and the happiness of the people at Huia have always been the most important factors. It takes great land and great people to make great wine. Those early years were spent gaining valuable experience in wineries in Marlborough, with Mike at Cloudy Bay and Vavasour while Claire was at Corbans and Lawson’s Dry Hills. They also both worked and made wine in Champagne at Veuve Clicquot and Taittinger respectively. Huia Vineyards, a boutique hands-on producer, uses no pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides in the vineyards, adhering to minimal intervention where possible, allowing the earth and the elements to be expressed in the final wine. Huia wines are known to have great natural texture and finesse.