In 1979 Ivan and Margaret Sutherland planted their first vines at the foothills of the Southern Valleys on Dog Point Road.

After work and in the weekends, Ivan and Margaret along with cousin Robin and Bernice Sutherland excitedly began developing their land on Dog Point Road which they had purchased from Bill Walsh, planting over three successive years Muller Thurgau, Riesling, and Chardonnay.

Initially they grew for Penfolds Wines with grapes trucked, at times with great difficulty, across Cook Strait and up to the Auckland winery. Penfolds ultimately selling to Montana (now Pernod Ricard).

They later bought out Robin’s share in 1985 and called the property Ashmore, honouring Sutherland’s forebear who came into Nelson on the ship Ashmore in 1854.

Gradually they accumulated more land, removed the Muller Thurgau, and planted Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as plants became available.

In 1991 a substantial portion of the Fairhall Estate sheep and cattle property located at the confluence of the Brancott and Omaka Valleys, and conveniently the other side of Dog Point Road was purchased and plantings carried out on the flats and rolling hills. Thus, Dog Point Vineyard was established and is now the largest certified organic vineyard in NZ. 

In 1986 David Hohnen approached Ivan to supply fruit from the family vineyards and to lead the Cloudy Bay viticultural program. Ivan developed the Company’s land holdings and secured long term contract growers until leaving at the end of 2003 to focus on producing wines under the Dog Point label, the first vintage being 2002. 

Few would have predicted Marlborough’s rapid ascent to become one of New Zealand’s preeminent – and internationally renowned – wine-growing regions. From August 2023 the region’s winemakers and growers are celebrating 50 years of Marlborough’s official beginning as a wine region, and inviting the country to re-discover the depth of Marlborough wine.

Discover the history of our region’s wine brands and explore stories about our people and place that make it special here. https://www.marlboroughwinenz.com/2023

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