Element

About

Coming from a background in hospitality and wine appreciation, it had always been a dream for Rachelle and Dominic to get into the wine industry, so when an opportunity to do so came their way, they made the quick decision to move from Auckland to Hawke’s Bay. A small Gimblett Gravels block was on the market and equipped with a house and vines, it was perfect. They purchased this vineyard in 2012 and Element Wines was born.

Element was established in 2015 and launched into sales with Syrah, Viognier and Rosé, followed by a Cabernet Merlot the next year. A decision was made in 2014 to stop spraying chemicals that could affect the health of them, the vineyard and the environment. So from that point, no herbicide has been used and the use of cultural and biological controls has increased the overall resilience and quality of the fruit and vines.

All the winery work from start to finish is done by Dominic, Rachelle and their girls, Zoë and Zaymia, at a local facility. Their family and friends also help to prune, thin and harvest the grapes, making the experience a family affair. With the approach of using no new oak in their wines, Element stays true to their vision and makes pure, varietal and terroir driven wines. When you taste Element’s wine, you’re tasting a piece of their 2.66 hectare block tucked away in the famed Gimblett Gravels – bliss.