The stone-filled river terraces are free-draining while the top soils vary from slope to slope. A rain shadow effect created by the Rimutaka Ranges to the south-west and the Tararua Ranges to the west keeps the region dry.
This combination of ‘terroir’ factors means that Martinborough vineyards are typically low-yielding, enhancing fruit intensity. Martinborough’s long ripening season, with cool night and warm daytime temperatures, slowly builds the structure needed to create complex Pinot Noir’s and aromatic whites. Best known for our Pinot Noir across these core vineyards there are over 60 distinct Pinot Noir sites taking into account, clone, soil, trellising and vine density age and orientation. Our ‘gravity’ designed winery is ideal for minimal handling high quality Pinot Noir production with multiple small fermenters to enable specific blocks to be vinified separately.
Our flagship wine John Martin, made only in exceptional years, is named in honour of the founding father of the Martinborough Township with our winery and home vineyard located on part of his original land.
Winemaker: John Kavanagh
