Explore Our Wines
This is our first wine made at Fernbank—picked only three months after we arrived and began to understand the character of the land. It’s the wine that starts our story.
We chose to ferment in the vineyard itself, believing that the purest expression of place begins at the source. After 16 months in oak and bottling under cork, it’s ready to speak for itself.
No tasting notes. The discovery is yours.
STORIES gives us the opportunity to weave together all the elements that make our region so special. By working with fruit grown beyond our gates—by friends and growers we trust—we’re able to explore other varietals and craft wines we genuinely love to drink.
This 2025 Chardonnay is our second year producing wine with fruit from the LongSmith Vineyard, located on Georges Road on the south bank of the Waipara River. The fruit is handpicked from a 0.25-hectare Mendoza block, carefully tended by Maura and her incredible network of friends and colleagues alongside the wider vineyard.
True to our style, this Chardonnay is well balanced and fruit-forward, with thoughtfully integrated oak that supports the wine and lets the vineyard character come through naturally.
We started making rosé in the woolshed, just for ourselves. The brief was simple: a crisp, refreshing wine for the end of the day.
Our story is always evolving, and while we love seeing things develop and progress, we’re mindful that if all we ever do is turn up and do the mahi, we miss the beauty of what we have here. So when the day’s work is done, we take the ute bar to the top of the block and let things slow down — taking in the season, our place in the valley, and what we have here at Fernbank.
What began as a quiet end-of-day ritual quickly became something others wanted to be part of. Turns out the Ute Bar experience is a hit, so we made it official. UBW is a wine for stopping, sharing, and enjoying the rest
Matt and Helen here…
Welcome to Fernbank, our little slice of paradise in Waipara, North Canterbury.
In 2020 we started with a simple belief in the potential of this hillside vineyard, rooted in clay and limestone soils.
From the outset, our philosophy has been guided by intention: to observe carefully, nurture thoughtfully, and allow the land to express itself. Each vintage is a reflection of that commitment.
We’re two people growing something genuine — and we’re stoked you’re here to share it.
Join our story online…
We share what’s happening in the vineyard and how our wine finds it’s way through the season and into your glass. Simple. Honest.
Contact Us
We’d love to stay in touch with you, nothing spammy- just a responsible amount of wine aroha.