Coal Pit is a family vineyard, owned, operated and cherished by Rosie Dunphy and her family. It’s located in the stunning Gibbston Valley of Central Otago and is known for its high-altitude vineyards. They have been producing elegant, complex and bold wines there since 2006 - wines which reflect the region’s distinctive climate and schist-based soils and which showcase the best of the region.

Their focus on regenerative farming and reforestation further highlights their dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship. And it’s one of the few single vineyards in Gibbston where the grapes are grown, handpicked and crafted into wines on site.
The Coal Pit name is derived from the historical area in the nearby mountain ranges which provided the early pioneers, musterers and gold miners with coal.

Coal Pit Vineyard covers 12 hectares nestled on the warm north-facing slopes of Gibbston. The vineyard is planted with 7 hectares of Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc vines that date back to 1994, some of the oldest in the area, and is run in accordance with the proactive environmental management programme, Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.
The vineyard is planted on the glacially formed schist-based soils, with a mix of clones for added complexity and balance. Coal Pit typically yields intensely aromatic wines with strong minerality.

The weather here is extreme, with snow covered winters and hot summers. The landscape is arguably one of the most detached and volatile grape growing regions in the world, and the extreme seasonality in the climate, and significant diurnal temperature variations, allows for slow grape ripening and enhanced flavour development.