2024 Reserve Pinot Noir – @autistic_ian Collaboration

Across the country, the 2024 vintage has been hailed as one of the best in recent memory. Some truly special wines emerged from this year. Home Fields’ Reserve Pinot Noir was so exceptional that owners Caroline and Brent Eddy felt it deserved something extraordinary for its label. Thanks to circumstance, social media, and a bit of “vibe filtering,” they found the perfect collaboration with brilliant UK artist @autistic_ian.

The Art of Blending

“When it came to blending wine from the 2024 Pinot Noir vintage, two barrels stood out.

“Because we handpicked targeted parts of the vineyard and kept these selections separate during the making and barreling process, we could really see how the vineyard was performing,” says Caroline Eddy, Home Fields winemaker. “It was a revelation, really.”

“When it came to blending trials, we sat gobsmacked in the winery lunchroom, tasting barrel samples and comparing notes. Each barrel was so pleasing and distinct. Our notes and scores indicated we had something special here. But two barrels in particular just sang. There was unanimous agreement that a lovely alchemy had occurred in the vineyard and the winery. We knew we had to present these in a manner befitting their character and quality.”

A Brand is More Than a "Thing"

Home Fields has thought deeply about how their wine presents itself—whether in the bottle, packaging, or through various customer interactions. Their brand is visible and intentional.

The graphical lines on the front label are a stylized topographical representation of their home block vineyard and the surrounding vineyards, farms, and properties in the Opaki area, just north of Masterton in Wairarapa. Their labels convey a sense of location and community, as well as the unvarnished realities of the growing process. Caroline explains, “Yes, the labels are a nod to the land, the neighbourhood, and community. Having neighbouring properties on the label helps us speak with customers about where we’re from and where our wine is grown. This is an interesting conversation, we think, and needn’t stray into the tricky territory of claims of ‘terroir.’”

A Brand is What You Do, Who You Are

Having moved into the area and industry without any real connections, the Eddys have crafted every element of their wine endeavors. Brent Eddy, who focuses on viticulture, says, “We were, in every sense, a blank sheet when we started. Many choices were entirely ours to make—how we operate, who we deal with. It was sacrosanct to us that those choices, how we act and behave, be consistent with what we say via the messaging elements of our brand—labels, website, etc. It couldn’t be any other way. To this end, we had a rule when we moved to the country and into the wine industry—no negativity; welcome and trust everyone, but cultivate relationships with people and partners we feel have goodness at heart. A vibe filter!”

“And it worked! Particularly in the world of social media. ‘Filtering in’ goodness seemed to bring us into the orbit of some excellent people online and elsewhere. This is where UK artist @autistic_ian entered our lives.”

Brent and @autistic_ian struck up a conversation over Instagram based on Ian’s gorgeous, thoughtful, and vibrant artworks. Ian’s story is a deeply human tale—a triumph of character and kindness-at-heart in distressing circumstances. It is well worth searching out @autistic_ian. “The more we got to know Ian and this art, the more we saw a beautiful soul making a difference through his craft and relationships. His works are alive with positivity and joy, with a sage eye and appreciation for the beauty of simple things. You can see that this joy and conviction are received and reciprocated by Ian’s customers. Ian often visits his customers to deliver his pieces. You can tell from the Instagram photos that there is a deep connection.

This resonated with me. In its way, it is very much akin to our attitude regarding wine. I don’t think you can make exceptional wine with a negative heart. So much of you goes into growing and making wine. If you aren’t sustained by a love of your vineyard, the vines, and the wines, and a focus on sharing this with customers, there’s no doubt in my mind that it will show up in your wines. You may skimp on nurturing your soil, or you might push your vines too hard in the pursuit of yield. A million choices you make can, unless driven by passion and conviction, result in poorer vines and lesser wine. We hope this comes across to our customers in the same way it does for Ian’s.”

The Collaboration with @autistic_ian

Midway through 2025, @autistic_ian created an artwork for Caroline and Brent to use on their limited release 2024 Reserve Pinot Noir. The artwork consists of three pieces, titled Inherent.

As Ian describes it, “The pieces respect the art of tradition in the modern world. They are a nod to the beauty of your vineyard, depicting the mountainous backdrop, mother earth from which we all are born, and a hint of modern flair you bring to your life and your business.”

The 2024 Pinot Noir wines have been resting in the bottle for 12 months and are now available for general purchase. Each has been reviewed by Michael Cooper, (★★★★★).

2024 Moss Oaks Pinot Noir – Texture is an edgeless velvet with a slow deep river flow that delivers complete and rounded flavours from the first sip. Smoky, cherry, cinnamon, dried manuka, and dark chocolate. Nut and caramelized apricot.

2024 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir – Complex, subtle wine with depth and gravity. Dark cherry, ripe plum, vanilla, and mushroom. A sense of black liquorice strap and nutty spices.

2024 Reserve Pinot Noir – Full-bodied, rich fruit, and deep resonant flavours. A dark, savoury, vibrant wine with presence and poise. Rare and fine wine, deserving of a special presentation; the label shows an original painting, Inherent, by @autistic_ian. Limited quantities available.

Each wine is unfiltered, unfined, and hand-harvested.

10 May 2026

Instagram: @autistic_ian

Enquiries: hello@homefieldswine.com

Available: Regional Wines, Beers & Spirits, Wellington or directly here.