The Zephyr Portfolio: Freshness and Balance in Dillon’s Point
Ben Glover built his career working with some of New Zealand's most prominent and some now corporate-owned wineries, gaining vast experience in winemaking across multiple scales. When launching his own label, his beginnings were small, with wines made at a custom crush facility for the first ten years.
It wasn't until 2016 that Ben bought his own winery and, using his keen sense of ingenuity, blended his small, quality-focused vision with his larger-scale influences. He established ‘The Coterie’, a small-batch, organic, premium contract winemaking space. This co-working hub is where he makes his own wines and supports smaller, up-and-coming producers. The project is rooted in transparency and collaboration, aiming to champion innovation and diversity to better the architecture of Marlborough wine. The Coterie is also a part of Appellation Marlborough Wine, ensuring a focus on origin and environmental stewardship.
This technical background translates to a straightforward winemaking style for Zephyr: Ben favors native yeasts and sometimes uses neutral Champagne yeasts—like for his estate Sauvignon Blanc—to intentionally mitigate the overly ripe tropical characteristics New Zealand can sometimes show. He is minimal with oak, using only a little used wood for the Pinot Noir, and isn't afraid of experimentation, such as utilizing Amphora for his skin-contact Orange Wine. Overall, this 'simple' approach allows the grapes and vineyards to speak, producing fresh, approachable, and endlessly tasty wines.
Massey Dacta Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking: This is the value-driven label from the Glover family, producers of Zephyr. The fruit from two conventionally farmed vineyards goes straight into tank to ferment with native yeasts to maintain the distinct vineyard characteristics. The wine is left on its lees to develop complexity before blending and bottling.
Tasting Note: A classic and expressive Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The wine pours pale straw with green highlights, opening to a fragrant nose of peach, white grapefruit, tropical passionfruit, and subtle herbaceousness. The palate mirrors the aromas with bright notes of lemongrass, rock melon, juicy lime, and a savory umami-like finish.
MSRP: ~ $16/bottle
Zephyr 'Agent' Orange Wine
Winemaking: This orange wine is make as a field blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. The wine spent around 75 days on skins to extract color, tannin, and texture. It is bottled with nothing added or taken away, save for a tiny addition of sulphur at bottling.
Tasting Note: A delicious and slightly wild wine, it pours a beautiful golden-orange color. The nose is aromatic with notes of mandarin, pear, and peach, all complemented by complex, spicy phenolics from the extended skin contact. It's a textured, savory, and compelling wine for those looking to explore. Ben describes this wine as being similar to a ‘breakfast negroni’, amazing!
MSRP: ~ $25/bottle
Zephyr Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking: This is Zephyr's signature, single-vineyard organic Sauvignon Blanc from the Dillons Point sub-region. The winemaking is focused on expressing the vineyard's specific terroir, intentionally steering away from overt tropical notes to capture a more savory, complex profile.
Tasting Note: A taut, mineral-driven, and crystalline expression of Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is salty and intense, with a vibrant, pristine texture. The citrus fruit core is complemented by subtle savory notes and fresh salad greens, finishing with a precise, mineral edge.
MSRP: ~ $20/bottle
Zephyr Riesling
Winemaking: Sourced from the estate's mature organic Riesling vines. This wine is crafted in a classic off-dry style, designed to balance its high natural acidity with a touch of residual sugar.
Tasting Note: A lively, bright, and taut Riesling that is electric on the palate. It shows bracing lemony fruit and finishes with distinct, aromatic lime oil notes. The wine has a beautiful clarity, purity, and a pithy texture that makes it both refreshing and complex.
MSRP: ~ $20/bottle
Zephyr Pinot Noir
Winemaking: This is the estate's organic, single-vineyard expression of Pinot Noir. The fruit is sourced from their family vineyards in the Dillons Point sub-region, known for its fertile loam soils which lend depth and aromatics to the finished wine.
Tasting Note: A juicy and vivid Pinot Noir focused on bright, supple fruit. It shows lovely raspberry and red cherry notes that are both fresh and floral. While vibrant and easy-drinking, it finishes with a hint of seriousness and structural grip that speaks to its quality.
MSRP: ~ $25/bottle
