Miladiou! It’s an apt exclamation for just how profoundly Lauren Keenan and Simon Sharpe have impacted natural wine in New Zealand since relocating there in 2020. This ancient colloquialism, hailing from their former winemaking base in South Western France, literally translates as ‘A Thousand Gods’ – the name they’ve given their impressive joint venture. Their wines themselves are revelations, challenging conventions, while achieving remarkable interest and finesse.

Lauren Keenan, originally from Australia’s Hunter Valley with an Adelaide University winemaking degree, and Simon Sharpe, UK-born but Auckland-raised with a Masters in Wine Science, found their calling in the vineyards of Europe. This involved formative stints at leading environmentally-focused estates: Lauren at Wittmann in Germany, Simon immersing himself in organic and biodynamic viticulture over 18 months at Burgundy’s Domaine Leflaive. It was here Simon became interested in organics and biodynamics and recognised vineyards were paramount to producing great wines. In Europe, Lauren embraced a more intuitive approach, while valuing her technical education, as “when you go back to basics, you can understand what can go wrong”.

A subsequent decade based in Cahors saw them further refine their craft. Simon worked alongside the adventurous Fabien Jouves at Mas del Périé, while Lauren contributed her expertise to the biodynamic Château de Chambert. It was a dynamic time for the region as it increasingly embraced organic and natural practices.

“There was a real resurgence of fresh young blood,” Simon recalls.

“We learned a lot from the experimentation happening, as well as from others’ mistakes.”

This period cemented their commitment to minimal intervention winemaking, and equipped them with the skills to pursue their own adventurous path.

From France, they brought back the ‘Zero-Zero’ philosophy of winemaking with no additions or filtration. Setting out to produce high-quality natural wines, they wanted to prove that these could also be fine wines.

“Our aim is to make clean, ageworthy wines without sulphur, that are not just for early consumption,” Simon explains.

“However, this does take lots of time and good fruit.”

Simon Sharpe and Lauren Keenan of A Thousand Gods. A Thousand Gods

Thankfully, they found an ideal fruit source in the organic and biodynamic Churton Vineyard in Marlborough, working closely with its owners Ben and Sam Weaver. While the costs of buying their own vineyard are currently prohibitive, they do have their own tiny winery underneath their Christchurch home. Here they embrace an attentive but hands-off approach to making their wines from multiple small parcels.

Serendipitously, Marlborough sauvignon blanc became an early focus. Its aromatic profile was the subject of Simon’s Masters research. But while he’d travelled to Europe to take a break from the variety, New Zealand’s flagship grape has proved a fascinating medium to demonstrate his and Lauren’s non-mainstream vineyard-focused winemaking approach. Eschewing the overtly fruity style, they have been coaxing untapped potential for texture and complexity.

“We wanted to make something that would stand up with French examples,” Simon states.

Their sauvignons have certainly achieved this. A Thousand Gods’ Blanc offers a pure, taut and mineral-driven expression with refined botanical nuances that’s recognisably sauvignon, but nevertheless distinct. In contrast, Giara, made from the same fruit, emphasises texture. Described by Simon as “Marlborough sauvignon blanc through the lens of ancient winemaking practices,” it spends an extended period on skins in terracotta amphorae. That’s more “for infusion than extraction” he explains, to achieve a subtle, “chalky tannin line”.

“We think sauvignon is one of the best white varieties in the world,” Lauren asserts.

“New Zealand may have backed one style, but we can have a vast range.”

Their work illustrates the variety’s diversity in New Zealand.

Innovation characterises everything they make. The La Java Pétillant Naturel, is a blend of sauvignon blanc and viognier that sits between Champagne and Prosecco, while perhaps their most boundary-pushing release is their newest No Devices. This bone-dry petit manseng, a rarity from the mere hectare planted in New Zealand, is fermented and aged in glass demijohns. Some of these vessels were left un-topped, imbuing a subtle umami-rich ‘rancio’ character to this immensely characterful amber wine.

With experimental spirit and skill, Simon Sharpe and Lauren Keenan are guiding exceptional fruit towards new expressions, reimagining familiar varieties and championing the less common. The result is wines marked by personality, precision, and intrigue that have established the pair not only as rising stars, but also beacons illuminating a bright path ahead for New Zealand fine wine.