28-Aug-2026
Hayden Johnston of Tarras Vineyards recently sent over four upcoming releases for review, along with key updates on estate certification, distribution shifts, and broader collective partnerships.
A highlight for Tarras Vineyards' Bendigo estate is achieving official BioGro organic certification in 2026. The vineyard has been managed strictly without synthetic inputs or non-organic applications since 2008, so this official milestone formalises nearly two decades of dedicated organic viticulture on the site. These efforts show in the wine; lifted aromatics and purity reflect this commitment.
Beverage Brothers now manages national distribution across New Zealand. This partnership also provides national representation for all producers within the TUKU Collective, which includes Tarras, a member of the collective of Māori winemakers. Currently, Beverage Brothers focuses on expanding retail representation throughout the South Island via the Foodstuffs Distribution Centre.
Alongside these distribution shifts, Hayden shared a few adjustments to harvest allocations and brand architecture. For the 2022 vintage, all Pinot Noir harvested from the organic Bendigo site was channelled entirely into the Kuru Kuru label, meaning no wines were released under the standalone Tarras Vineyards label for that year. While the standard retail price for the Kuru Kuru Pinot Noir 2022 sits at $46, promotional Super Saver pricing through Foodstuffs drops that figure below $30. It's an absolute bargain!
Looking ahead, Tarras Vineyards is consolidating its packaging and online presence. The Kuru Kuru digital platform is being merged into the main Tarras Vineyards website, and starting from the 2024 vintage, the core Tarras label will integrate the moko design previously featured on Kuru Kuru packaging.
Find out more about Tarras Vineyards.
Read the full reviews in extensions below.
