wine shop

Soif is a newly opened fine wine shop located at 1 Market Street in Blenheim, showcasing exceptional Marlborough wines alongside a curated selection of premium imports.

Arthur & Nesta

Bonjour, I’m Arthur Griffoul, and this is my real homie Nesta—loyal companion and Soif’s unofficial mascot. I was born in Arles, in the South of France, surrounded by the vineyards of the Rhône, Provence, and Languedoc. That early connection to wine led me to become a certified sommelier in 2016, after working a few harvests in the South.

I trained at the Michelin-starred Oustau de Baumanière, then moved to Aotearoa in 2018 to work with Hans Herzog, followed by five years managing the wine programme at Scotch Wine Bar in Blenheim—named New Zealand’s Best Wine Experience by Cuisine Magazine in 2022.

After stepping away from hospitality to reconnect with the land at Cobden Farm in the Awatere, I felt inspired to create something new: Soif Wine Shop. Marlborough, New Zealand’s wine capital, needed a place fully dedicated to wine—where people could feel welcome, curious, and informed.

At Soif, I showcase wines with integrity—crafted by independent producers who value sustainability and authenticity. Whether you’re just beginning your wine journey or deep into it, my goal is to help you discover something real, memorable, and delicious.

Drop in, have a chat, and let’s share a glass.

what's coming up

  • A Soif Series

    Taste With the Maker

    Thursday 20 Aug 4-7pm

    🍷 GRAVEL DOWN TASTING · THIS THURSDAY

    Free. Walk in. No booking needed. 📍 Soif, 1 Market Street, Blenheim 🕓 Thursday, 4–7pm

    Some of the most under-the-radar wine in the country is being made in a restored Kauri barn tucked into the Waima ranges of Hokianga: by hand, with wild yeast, barely 2,000 bottles a year.

    That's Gravel Down. Rebecca and Laurence make wine the old way, hand-picked, wild-fermented, unfined, unfiltered, next to no sulphur, from certified organic fruit out of Hawke's Bay and West Auckland. No machines, no shortcuts, just family and friends around the same few barrels every vintage. The name says it all: gravel is the structured, the hard and angular; down is the soft, the ethereal, the elegant. That tension is the whole wine.

    This Thursday we're pouring through the range, including the 2021 Syrah (100% whole bunch) and the Golden Slumbers, a limestone-grown Sauvignon Blanc aged 24 months on lees until it forgets what Sauvignon Blanc is even meant to taste like.

    Pop in anytime between 4 and 7!

    • Price Free
    • RSVP Walk-In

A Soif Selection - 6 Pack #16

The Soif Selection – 6 Wines

A handpicked collection of six wines I’ve discovered along my journey, from iconic classics to exciting small producers. 

Last month, the selection was the following: 

  • 🍾 Auntsfield - Méthode Ancestrale - Marlborough, NZ
  • 💐 15 minutes bottles - Test Pots Sauvignon Blanc 2024 - Waipara, NZ
  • 🟡 Ramon Jané - Baudili blanco 2020 - Penedes, Spain
  • 🍊 Atípico - Syzygy 2025 - Marlborough, NZ
  • 🍇 Marcel Lapierre - Raisins Gaulois 2024 - Beaujolais, France
  • 🇨🇱 Millaman - Carmenère 2022 - Valle de Curicó, Chile 

    Expect something different this month, but with the same philosophy in mind, introduce you to wines you may never had but wish you had! 

    Limited packs – reserve yours now.
$240.00 NZD View Details
Image of A Soif Selection - 6 Pack #16

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