Whitehaven is a boutique winery located in the world-renowned Marlborough region of New Zealand. With vines nestled in the Wairau, Awatere and Southern Valleys, Whitehaven grapes bask in warm sunlight and cooling breezes from the New Zealand coast, coaxing bright fruit characteristics and crisp acidity from the vines. Whitehaven Winemaker Peter Jackson has earned a reputation for crafting 100% Marlborough-grown Sauvignon Blanc that pays respect to the subtleties of the different vineyard sites while remaining true to the region’s celebrated fruit intensity.
Founding Story
Whitehaven was founded in 1994 by Sue and Greg White during a sailing expedition along the New Zealand coastline. What was meant to be a mere stop along the way became a spontaneous new course charted by the Whites. Gaining a fresh perspective and discovering a world of possibilities in the idyllic region, they dropped anchor permanently and established Whitehaven. Two decades later, the company is headed by Sue White, an enthusiastic advocate of the spectacular Marlborough wine region who continues to fulfill the dreams she shared with her late husband Greg.
Growing up in Queensland, Australia, Peter Jackson didn’t have much familiarity with wine. The journey that ultimately led him to a career as a winemaker began in high school French class. With his interest piqued, he double majored in French and Law at university before taking a yearlong hiatus to travel through France on a bicycle. While cycling through France’s many wine regions, Peter was captivated by the history and culture, but especially by the elegant and diverse wines. So much so that soon after returning to Australia, he left his unfinished Law degree behind and moved to Adelaide to study Oenology at Adelaide University.
Since then, Peter has had the privilege to craft wine in some of the world’s most renowned growing regions in Australia, France, Italy and the United States. Peter's initial encounter with Marlborough was the 2005 vintage, an experience that cemented his love for cooler climate wines. “I remember being in awe of the beauty and tranquility of the region almost immediately. I couldn't imagine finding a better place to grow and produce wine,” he says.
Peter first joined the Whitehaven team in 2008, spending three years at the winery. He returned to Whitehaven as Chief Winemaker 2020, where he seeks to create beautifully balanced Sauvignon Blanc that showcases the Marlborough region with honesty and integrity. He believes his role is to cultivate the best grapes sourced from the best sites, capturing Marlborough’s renowned fruit intensity while respectfully conveying the subtleties of different vineyard sites. “We have a multi-dimensional approach to fruit selection and an absolute commitment to quality in the winery. This makes for a consistency to our wine style, always offering a vibrant and layered expression with broad appeal — quintessential Marlborough,” says Peter.
Outside of wine, Peter is a keen jetty jumper in the Marlborough Sounds, plants many trees and enjoys baking a decent sourdough. He and his wife Nadine are busy raising three kiwi children, Eddie, Matilda and Heidi.
