Ara

Ara is a New Zealand wine brand founded in 1999 in the Marlborough region, producing a small alcohol-free range alongside its conventional wines under the ownership of Giesen Group. The estate sits at the confluence of the Wairau and Waihopai rivers in the Wairau Valley, and Ara is one of the largest single-estate vineyards in Marlborough. The brand name derives from the Māori word for "pathway", a reference to the estate's origins in transforming a rugged corner of the valley into a commercial vineyard.

Ara launched its Zero alcohol-free range in 2021, beginning with a Sauvignon Blanc before adding a Rosé. Both wines are made using spinning cone column technology, a low-temperature method of separating alcohol from the finished wine that operates under reduced pressure to protect the volatile aromatics associated with Marlborough's cool-climate growing conditions. This approach is shared across the Giesen Group portfolio, reflecting a group-wide commitment to the AF wine category rather than a one-off experiment.

The Zero range sits in the premium bracket and is available through specialist alcohol-free retailers as well as broader online grocery channels. For sober-curious drinkers seeking a recognisable regional style in an alcohol-free format, Ara's Marlborough provenance gives the range a clear point of difference in a category where origin credentials are still relatively rare.

The Collection

Zero Marlborough Rosé

Zero Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc