Our Story
An evolution of Central Otago wine
Mora (Latin) means to linger, to take pause. A second-generation New Zealand family-owned company, Mora Wines is the latest wine venture for the Skeggs Group, which also produces the internationally successful RUA brand.
History
Sir Clifford and Lady Marie Skeggs entered the wine business when they purchased land in Bannockburn in 1995 and commenced planting their first vines in 1996. They developed multi-award-winning wine brand Akarua (now owned by Edmond de Rothschild Heritage), as well as the standout brand RUA, which is one of the most popular Central Otago pinot noirs in both NZ and key export markets. RUA remains a staple of the Skeggs’ wine portfolio today, alongside Mora.
Guests can enjoy a range of our wines at Mora Wines & Artisan Kitchen in Arrowtown
Location
Central Otago, as a viticultural region, arguably more than any other New Zealand wine growing region, has rapidly gained international market and media credibility for producing some of the world’s best Pinot Noir.
Situated at 45 degrees south, we are at a magical latitude for Pinot Noir. Our vines thrive in this environment, which is situated within a dramatic mountainous, snow-capped terrain, next to winding turquoise rivers and glacial lakes. As New Zealand’s only continental climate, the intense sunlight and long summer days deliver us optimally ripe fruit and luscious, vibrant wines.
This region is also renowned for producing pure and intense white wines, such as Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Gris. For a relatively young region, Central Otago has quickly developed a well-established international reputation for premium cool-climate wines.
Situated at 45 degrees south, we are at a magical latitude for Pinot Noir. Our vines thrive in this environment, which is situated within a dramatic mountainous, snow-capped terrain, next to winding turquoise rivers and glacial lakes. As New Zealand’s only continental climate, the intense sunlight and long summer days deliver us optimally ripe fruit and luscious, vibrant wines.
This region is also renowned for producing pure and intense white wines, such as Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Gris. For a relatively young region, Central Otago has quickly developed a well-established international reputation for premium cool-climate wines.
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1Flowering thyme is prolific in our Bannockburn vineyards in springtime -
2The Pisa Range towers above our Eden Vineyard in the Cromwell Basin -
3Ace, our vineyard manager's canine companion, is a great help in the Eden Vineyard -
4Our Felton Terraces Vineyard is situated at the end of Felton Road in the heart of the desert, Bannockburn
Philosophy
We farm our vineyards in the Bannockburn and Pisa subregions sustainably, encouraging each parcel to balance naturally and find its own voice. Our viticulture team, led by Cat MacLachlan, makes decisions that are best for each parcel, always being mindful of treading lightly on the land, and with an eye for the future.
Since purchasing Central Otago’s oldest certified organic vineyard in 2018, our company has launched into organic farming and has since converted a second vineyard to organic certification. Regenerative projects such as composting of grape skins, mulching, soil enrichment, cover cropping, undervine weeding, native replanting and sheep grazing all contribute to improving the health and balance of the Mora estate.
Since purchasing Central Otago’s oldest certified organic vineyard in 2018, our company has launched into organic farming and has since converted a second vineyard to organic certification. Regenerative projects such as composting of grape skins, mulching, soil enrichment, cover cropping, undervine weeding, native replanting and sheep grazing all contribute to improving the health and balance of the Mora estate.
