Scout Wines
South Island
Facts.
First Vintage: 2017
Scale: 600 cases or 2 – 3 hectares spread over 8 sites!
Range: Lowburn Pinot Noir, Waipara Pinot Noir, Marlborough Pinot Noir, Lowburn Chardonnay, Marlborough Chardonnay, Marlborough Pinot Gris, Waipara Riesling, Pinot Gris/Pinot Noir Blend. (woah!)
Did you know… The lower half of the Scout labels are prints made by Greg’s mum, based on the landscapes of each region.
About
Sarah, Scouts owner/winemaker/administrator etc, tripped and fell into wine when she was deciding what to study at university. She always loved science, especially Chemistry, but wanted to do something that allowed her to be outside – winemaking all of a sudden stood out. Peregrine was Sarah’s first job in wine. From there, she went on to work in Loire Valley, France, Sonoma Valley, California and Marlborough.
Greg (Sarah’s partner, also a winemaker) and herself settled in the Clare Valley for a few years, making wine for the esteemed Clare Valley Riesling producer, Jim Barry’s, and also worked a harvest in Germany for Weingut Wittman. This experience gave Sarah her love for Riesling. Following Jim Barry’s, she moved to the Adelaide Hills and worked for a small, family owned winery called Deviation Road. Finally, Sarah was able to get stuck into the making of high-end sparkling wines (another passion of hers!). Most importantly, this is where the Scout label was born. An Adelaide Hills Chardonnay was the first wine under the Scout label. Today, Sarah lives in Wanaka with her partner, and is producing wines from around the South Island that are site specific with a modern take on traditional styles. Sarah says, “This is really at the heart of what Scout is all about – interesting, thoughtful wines that are above all delicious and accessible”. All of Sarah’s wines are handpicked and made with the intention of showcasing what the South Island has to offer.
“I love almost everything about the wine industry, it has taken me around the world and I have met seriously amazing people while doing that. My favourite time of the year is harvest time, I love the rush of it, the long days, the hard work and in the end the reward of all of that.” – Sarah, Winemaker.
