Inland from the city of Auckland, lies Nobilo's home at Huapai.
It all began in 1943, when Nikola Nobilo, having arrived in New Zealand from Croatia, planted his first vines and began to turn a dream into reality.
Combining over 300 years of family winemaking tradition with innovative approaches to winemaking and viticulture, Nikola was an early champion of premium New Zealand varietals.
Today, our winemakers continue his passion, selecting from our Nobilo vineyards to craft pure classic wines of distinct regional character.
Nobilo Regional Collection and Nobilo Icon wines are internationally acclaimed, especially our classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, which have received numerous awards and accolades over many years.
In the 1930s the threat of war in Europe prompted Nikola Nobilo and his wife Zuva to leave their home on the Croatian island of Korcula, and seek a new life in New Zealand.
They brought with them over 300 years of Nobilo family winemaking tradition and planted their first vines at Huapai, west of Auckland, in 1943. The early years were not easy, as archaic laws did not favour the wine industry and in contrast to Europe, the local culture didn’t embrace drinking wine with meals.
Nikola persevered, making all his equipment by hand, and maintaining a farm to support his family while he nurtured his wine business. He also successfully lobbied the government, alongside other recently arrived Croatian winemakers, to change the country’s antiquated liquor laws to allow wine to be served with food in restaurants.
By the 1970s, Nobilo’s determination and hard work had paid off. He’d become an established and successful winemaker, leading the move to premium varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, and developing new winegrowing regions, notably Marlborough.
He was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire medal) in 1994 for his contribution to the New Zealand wine industry.
Nikola Nobilo died in 2007 at the age of 94. His wife Zuva, now in her 90s, still lives next door to the original homestead where they first settled in New Zealand. He would be proud to know that Nobilo wines, particularly Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, continue to enjoy great international success.
Nobilo Regional Collection and Nobilo Icon wines are internationally acclaimed, especially our classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, which have received numerous awards and accolades over many years.
In the 1930s the threat of war in Europe prompted Nikola Nobilo and his wife Zuva to leave their home on the Croatian island of Korcula, and seek a new life in New Zealand.
They brought with them over 300 years of Nobilo family winemaking tradition and planted their first vines at Huapai, west of Auckland, in 1943. The early years were not easy, as archaic laws did not favour the wine industry and in contrast to Europe, the local culture didn’t embrace drinking wine with meals.
Nikola persevered, making all his equipment by hand, and maintaining a farm to support his family while he nurtured his wine business. He also successfully lobbied the government, alongside other recently arrived Croatian winemakers, to change the country’s antiquated liquor laws to allow wine to be served with food in restaurants.
By the 1970s, Nobilo’s determination and hard work had paid off. He’d become an established and successful winemaker, leading the move to premium varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, and developing new winegrowing regions, notably Marlborough. He was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire medal) in 1994 for his contribution to the New Zealand wine industry.
Nikola Nobilo died in 2007 at the age of 94. His wife Zuva, now in her 90s, still lives next door to the original homestead where they first settled in New Zealand. He would be proud to know that Nobilo wines, particularly Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, continue to enjoy great international success.
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