Welcome to the Sugar Loaf Winery e-cellar door

Born out of a youthful enthusiasm for the wine industry, Sugar Loaf Wines was founded in 2007 by the then 26-year-old Kate Acland, with little more than a love of wine, a healthy dose of optimism and a determination to give it a go.

What began as a young woman’s dream has survived the good times and the difficult ones, built on passion, dedication and plenty of hard work. Today, Sugar Loaf remains proudly family-owned, with Kate, her husband David and their three children part of a family story that spans six generations of farmers and growers.

The Acland’s are passionate about both wine and food production, with their farming roots firmly planted in the Canterbury foothills, where the family runs the extensive sheep station, Mt Somers Station. That connection to the land runs deep. Generations of farming have instilled a respect for the seasons, a long-term view of land stewardship and an appreciation that quality comes from getting the fundamentals right.

Today, Sugar Loaf has four vineyard sites spread across Marlborough’s diverse winegrowing landscape, each chosen for what its particular place brings to the bottle.

At Te One, on the banks of the Awatere River, we grow Sauvignon Blanc with stunning intensity and aromatics. The Papillon, in the clay hills of Marlborough’s Southern Valleys, is home to our cool-climate Pinot Noir and Syrah. Lake Timara, at the base of the Waihopai Valley, produces classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, while our home vineyard here around the winery is dedicated to small batches of Chardonnay, Riesling and Chenin Blanc, as well as the grapes for our Blanc de Blanc.