Tinker's Field is Rippon's oldest single parcel, planted to own-rooted vines on a warm, exposed north-facing slope of rocky schist above Lake Wanaka, and named after a member of the Mills family. The whole estate is farmed biodynamically and certified organic, with the lake buffering the cool Central Otago climate. The 2022 vintage here produced a notably savoury, mineral and serious wine, more statuesque and structured than the supple 2021, reflecting a season that gave the fruit clarity and a steely line. Cover crops, compost and livestock maintain soil health as part of a closed farm system rather than added inputs.

The parcel was hand-harvested and fermented with wild yeasts in open fermenters, incorporating whole bunches and gentle plunging to preserve perfume and build fine, taut tannin from the ancient vines. The wine was raised in French oak, a small share new, for well over a year, then bottled unfined and unfiltered with no added sulphites in line with the estate's low-intervention practice. Sealed under Diam at 13.5% alcohol, it is bracing and firmly structured in youth, with a cold, mineral cut and length that point to a long life in the cellar.