Barker's Marque

Barker's Marque is a wine producer in Blind River, with a contiguous vineyard planted in 2004 and 2005. Winemaker Simon Barker oversees the vineyards, production and winemaking, while CEO W. Gillett Johnson specializes in distribution and building brand equity. Simon's wife, Vanessa, is a viticulturalist.

The estate-grown wines come from clay and gravel soils half a mile from the sea and are certified sustainable under the Sustainable Winegrowing Program (SWNZ). For one of its wines, Simon uses very cold fermentation to preserve aromatics and acidity, while lees ageing adds texture and depth. Its wines include Arona, Three Brooms, The Loop and ranga.ranga, alongside a single-estate Riesling.