Wines

We make small batch wines from vineyard sites discovered around New Zealand. Focusing on organic and sustainable viticultural practices and making intriguing wines.

Winemaker, Laurence and partner, Rebecca started Gravel Down Wines in 2018 wanting to establish a creative and sustainable micro-winery. Gravel Down wines are a pure expression of site with strong attention to detail. Laurence’s winemaking philosophy is one of gentle and thoughtful processes. Selective hand-picking complements managed natural ferments and maturation. We avoid mechanical crushers, destemmers or pumps and all our wines are unfined and unfiltered with only a small addition of sulphur at bottling.

Gravel Down is a nod to the interrelationship between the vines and alluvial soils of New Zealand’s vineyards. Our name references the contrasting textures required to develop balanced and harmonious wines. Gravel – the structured, the hard and angular. Down – the soft, ethereal, and elegant.

We source fruit from both Hawkes Bay and West Auckland. Primarily selecting parcels from certified organic vineyards that we believe to be unique and interesting sites. Depending on the year we are making anywhere from 3-7 barrels of wine (900-2000 bottles).

2021 Syrah

Organically grown Syrah sourced from a single vineyard on the banks of the Oratia stream in Auckland. Hand-picked, made and bottled by family and friends. 100% whole bunch, wild yeast fermentation. One month on skins. Gentle basket press to neutral French oak. 8 months maturation. Bottled with minimal added sulphur <10ppm.
Two barrels produced.
2021 Field of Feathers

Organically grown field blend sourced from a single vineyard on the banks of the Oratia stream in Auckland. 70% Grüner Veltliner, 20% Petit Manseng and 10% Verdelho. Hand-picked, made and bottled by family and friends. Whole bunch basket press to neutral French oak. Wild yeast, full solids co-ferment, on lees for 8 months. Bottled with minimal added sulphur <10ppm.
One barrel produced.
2021 Petit Verdot

Organically grown Petit Verdot sourced from a single vineyard on the banks of the Oratia stream in Auckland. Hand-picked, made and bottled by family and friends. 100% whole bunch, wild yeast fermentation. Three weeks on skins. Gentle basket press to neutral French oak. 8 months maturation. Bottled with minimal added sulphur <10ppm.
One barrel produced.
2020 Light Red

Sustainably grown Pinot Gris from the limestone slopes of Central Hawkes Bay. Hand-picked, made and bottled by family and friends. Wild yeast fermentation on skins for four weeks. No punch downs or pumps used. Gentle basket press to neutral French oak. Aged on fine lees for 8 months. Blended with a splash of Hawkes Bay Syrah. Enjoy lightly chilled. Unfined and unfiltered. Minimal Sulphur. Vegan friendly. 2 barrels produced.

About Us

Kia ora!

We're Rebecca and Laurence. The idea to create Gravel Down Wines was formed during time spent working and traveling in Europe. We were inspired by the culture of small, family run wine businesses and wanted to create something similar in New Zealand.

All our wines are hand-picked, made, and bottled with the help of family and friends. The winery space is a repurposed old Kauri barn in the foothills of the Waima ranges in Hokianga, Northland.

Laurence Brand, Winemaker

An interest in the connection between art and science and a love of travel led me to pursue a career in winemaking. I spent my early twenties working in vineyards across Australia and New Zealand, then went on to graduate from the esteemed bachelor program at the University of Adelaide. Since then I have worked twelve vintages across Australia, France, Austria, UK, US and New Zealand, allowing me to gain experience in a wide range of winemaking styles.

Rebecca Thorne

I work from home as a Campaign Manager for HarperCollins Publishers and spend the remainder of my time bottling & labeling wine with Laurence and our pup, Rua. I love that Gravel Down Wines allows us to create unique wines each year while working with different grape varieties from around New Zealand. It's important to us that Gravel Down Wines is run as sustainably as possible – from packaging to power and water consumption through to composting all our grape marc (which our vege garden loves!).