Mahi Wines was founded in 2001 by winemaker Brian Bicknell, who had over 15 years of experience making wine around the world before settling in Marlborough, New Zealand. Arriving in Marlborough in 1996, Bicknell recognized the region's remarkable diversity, with each valley producing distinct wine profiles. Wanting to showcase this depth and complexity, he hatched the idea of creating a label that would spotlight different Marlborough vineyard sites.
The impetus to finally start Mahi came in 2001 when Bicknell's father developed terminal cancer, spurring him to turn his long-held dream into reality. Mahi's very first vintage that year was tiny, just 1.5 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir grapes from the Byrne Vineyard in the Conder's Bend area of Marlborough. This inaugural release set the tone for Mahi's winemaking approach - hand-picked fruit, whole-cluster pressing, indigenous yeast fermentation, and minimal intervention to allow the unique vineyard character to shine.
Over the years, Mahi has expanded to work with additional exceptional vineyard sites across Marlborough. In 2003, they began sourcing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the cooler Twin Valleys Vineyard, resulting in a series of elegantly structured wines. The Francis Vineyard, located closer to the sea, provided richer, more tropical-leaning Sauvignon Blanc starting in 2004. These two contrasting Sauvignon Blancs perfectly encapsulate Mahi's original vision of showcasing Marlborough's diversity.
In 2007, Mahi gained their own winery, allowing for complete control over the winemaking process. This was a long-held dream and enabled them to broaden their focus, introducing a regional Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to complement their single-vineyard releases. Today, Mahi remains committed to celebrating Marlborough's exceptional terroirs, with their Sauvignon Blancs, Chardonnays, and Pinot Noirs particularly renowned for their elegant, textural styles.
KūKū (noun) New Zealand pigeon, kererū, Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae. A large green, copper and white native bush pigeon, often seen in the surrounds of the Marlborough Sounds. KūKū is a fresh, young and exciting label from the Marlborough region and a sister brand of Mahi. The wines are made to encapsulate the combination of classic varieties and the ways that they express themselves in this cool valley. They are modern wines to suit the foods we eat and the way we live.
