Exciting Updates
what's new in 2026?
what is new?
It’s been a strong start to 2026 for our wines,
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Red Hut is announcing a three-year partnership with Backcountry Trust!
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As we prepare our Winter trade book, we’re also getting ready to introduce some exciting new additions to the portfolio later this year.
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2026 is also the Year of the Horse, making it the perfect moment to celebrate with our beloved Black Stallion Estate Winery range.
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Fresh awards and glowing reviews already coming through.
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Take a look below at the highlights from across the portfolio.
*​If you’d like to receive a copy of the trade book, please get in touch with our team or find more information here.
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red hut & backcountry trust have announced their three year partnership
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Red Hut Wines is proud to announce a three-year partnership with Backcountry Trust uniting two organisations connected by a shared commitment to celebrating and
protecting New Zealand’s extraordinary landscapes.
Named after the iconic back country huts that dot the length and breadth of Aotearoa, Red Hut Wines draws inspiration from the very places that Backcountry Trust works tirelessly to restore and preserve. These huts serve as remote shelters for hikers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts and represent resilience, heritage and a deep connection to the land. Through this partnership, Red Hut Wines will support Backcountry Trust’s mission to
restore and maintain these historic huts, ensuring future generations can continue to experience New Zealand’s wilderness in its most authentic form.
“Backcountry huts are a special part of New Zealand’s outdoor culture, they provide shelter, connection and a gateway to some of our most remote landscapes,” said Kevin O’Connor, Chair of Backcountry Trust. “It’s fantastic to partner with a brand like Red Hut Wines that genuinely understands that heritage and wants to help protect it. Support like this enables us to keep restoring huts and ensuring people can continue to experience the back country for generations to come.”
At the heart of this collaboration is a shared vision: to celebrate the landscapes that define New Zealand while actively contributing to their protection. Together, Red Hut Wines and Backcountry Trust will raise awareness, drive support, and champion the stories of the land and the communities who care for it.
“New Zealand’s landscapes are more than scenery, they are part of our identity,” said Mike Farrugia of Red Hut Wines. “From remote backcountry huts to vast alpine ranges, these places connect us, challenge us and bring us together. The partnership between Red Hut Wines and Backcountry Trust is rooted in that connection. Inspired by the huts that shelter and unite communities, and committed to preserving them, this collaboration reflects a shared belief: that what shapes us is worth protecting. Caring for our wild places, together, so they endure. That’s the legacy we’re proud to stand behind.”​
Backcountry Trust
Founded in 2017, Backcountry Trust is a New Zealand-based charitable trust dedicated to restoring, maintaining and preserving the country’s network of back country huts. Working in partnership with the Department of Conservation, community groups and volunteers, the Trust ensures that remote huts remain safe, accessible and structurally sound.
Backcountry Trust operates through a practical, hands-on model funding materials and logistics while mobilising skilled volunteers and local communities to complete restoration projects. The organisation is supported by corporate partners, philanthropic donors and a passionate nationwide network of volunteers who share a love for the
outdoors. Its work safeguards not only physical structures, but also an important part of New Zealand’s cultural and recreational heritage.
Red Hut Wines
Named after the Huts that scatter the New Zealand landscape offering adventurers shelter and safety, Red Hut is a partnership between long term friends and wine professionals Corey Ryan and Mike Farrugia. An Australian winemaker, Corey Ryan has had a long-term love affair with New Zealand wine driven by his time as chief winemaker of Villa Maria. A native New Zealander, Mike has worked in the New Zealand wine industry for decades, spending a great deal of time travelling the world selling NZ wine to almost every country on the globe.
Corey and Mike approached their many friends and connections throughout the New Zealand industry to source fruit from their preferred sub regions to create Red Hut – a collection of small parcels, contemporary wines demonstrating the excellence and diversity of New Zealand winemaking. Both keen bush walkers, Corey and Mike were drawn to the communal love of the outdoors and the willingness to help others that the Red Huts represented.
The three-year partnership with Backcountry Trust formalises a natural connection between name, inspiration and purpose, ensuring that the landscapes and huts that inspired the brand continue to endure.
New Additions to the Stone Pony Portfolio
(Arriving May 2026)
We’re excited to announce two new brands joining the Stone Pony portfolio this year. While they won’t be available until May, we wanted to give our partners a first look at what’s coming.
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Patisserie
Patisserie brings flavour, elegance, and indulgence to the wine shelf. Lightly sparkling and slightly sweet, the wines are inspired by global flavour trends and designed for consumers seeking sophistication without complexity. Premium packaging, a distinctive glass bottle, and clear flavour cues create an experience that’s instantly appealing, easy to understand, and fun to enjoy. Patisserie delivers a charming, modern treat for wine lovers looking for something delicious and refined.
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Ask the Elephant
Ask the Elephant is tailored for younger consumers who want wine to feel simple, approachable, and enjoyable. Affordable, straight-talking, and easy to understand, the range removes the intimidation often associated with wine, offering easy-drinking styles and clear branding. Ask the Elephant gives customers confidence to choose quickly and enjoy with ease — a friendly, flavour-forward addition to the shelf.
2026 - year of the horse
The Year of the Horse is known for momentum, confidence, and getting things done. It feels like the right moment to highlight one of the standout Californian wineries in the Stone Pony Wines portfolio: Black Stallion Estate Winery.​
A Napa Winery with Real Heritage
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Black Stallion sits on the grounds of what used to be a well-known equestrian centre in Napa Valley. The name isn’t just branding; it links back to the property’s past. Today, the winery focuses on producing clean, well-made wines that show the character of Napa without being overdone.​Their team sources fruit from several sub-regions across the valley, allowing them to craft wines with balance, consistency, and broad appeal.
black stallion at stone pony
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LOS CARNEROS NAPA VALLEY CHARDONNAY
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Tasting Notes;
Black Stallion Estate Winery Chardonnay opens with aromas of citrus, golden delicious apple, stonefruit and hints of butterscotch. The flavors are tantalizing notes of bright, juicy pear and toasted bread. This Chardonnay is medium bodied with ripe fruit flavors, balanced with a bright acidity and gives way to a long, lingering and silky finish. Sip this wine on its own or pair alongside goat cheese, salads and dishes such as crab, lobster, grilled shrimp or roast chicken.​
Awards;
​GOLD - Mundus Vini 37th Grand International Wine Awards 2025
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NORTH COAST CHARDONNAY
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Tasting Notes;
The 2023 Chardonnay is the inaugural vintage of Black Stallion Wines coming from the North Coast – a prestigious appellation on the California coast that is known for cool coastal breezes, refreshing fog and crisp mountain air. This Chardonnay opens with aromas of orange blossom, lemon curd, and toasted almonds followed by tantalizing flavors of luscious fruit, toasted bread, caramel, and a light butter finish.
Awards;
93/100 - Wine Enthusiast
92/100 - The Tasting Panel
GOLD - Mundus Vini 37th Grand International Wine Awards 2025
HERITAGE CABERNET SAUVIGNON - MAGNUM
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Tasting Notes;
The 2019 vintage continues our signature profile of a slightly softer, and approachable Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This rich and refined wine does not require years of further aging to achieve ideal balance and enjoy upon release. The full-bodied structure is a hallmark. The wine opens with stunning aromas of black cherry dried cranberry and toasty notes of cedar; the palate is concentrated with bold, velvety red flavors of cherry, raspberry, and hints of spice. Intense, concentrated mature fruit and integrated tannins with beautifully balanced acidity extends to an elegant finish.
Awards;
93/100 - Decanter
GOLD - Mundus Vini 31st Grand International Wine Awards 2022 *8 consecutive vintage
