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.

Lawson’s Dry Hills was one of the few wineries in Marlborough when it opened in time for the rain-besieged 1995 vintage. Its owners Barbara and Ross Lawson, who planted Gewürztraminer on Alabama Road in 1981, had put in decades of hard work to get to this point. But that wet vintage took the cake, Barbara says. “We’d planned to do 100 tonnes. Suddenly we had winemakers from all over New Zealand here.”

Te Whare Rā is the oldest little winery & vineyard in Marlborough - first established in 1979. Both the winery and vineyard are certified organic. Since 2003 it has been owned and operated by two winemakers - Anna & Jason Flowerday. She's an Aussie from South Australia and he's a kiwi from Marlborough. Both have wine in their veins literally & metaphorically, and after years of working for other people they made the leap to doing their own thing. The Flowerdays have spent the last 20 years bringing their old vines back to life by farming organically with a regenerative mindset.

Rapaura Springs is proud to be a Marlborough based, New Zealand family-owned and operated business with intergenerational strength. The team is a down-to-earth bunch who have been hands-on in building vineyards and significant winery infrastructure from the ground up. The story begins with two families brought together by premium Marlborough produce. Together they have forged a strong friendship and business partnership.

Named after the majestic Catalina flying boats and the iconic Marlborough Sounds at our doorstep, Catalina Sounds produces wines that are true to the region and our vineyard sites while building an extra textural dimension –wines that are uniquely Catalina Sounds.

More than a decade after a grape growers’ cooperative began in Marlborough, it continues to help lift returns, says one of its founders. Ross Flowerday says the 2008 global financial crisis flattened grape prices in the region, but also kickstarted the grower-owned Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative (MGGC). “We are there for the good of the industry. Without the co-op, the industry wouldn’t be what it is today.”

Patrick Materman began wine work in 1990, riddling Montana’s first release of Deutz Méthode Champenoise, a blend of Chardonnay and several ‘Pommard’ and Swiss Pinot Noir clones. Little did Patrick realise that within a few years he’d be overseeing the production of quite possibly more Pinot Noir than any other winemaker in the world.

August 2023 marks 50 years since the first vines were planted to launch the Marlborough wine industry. BRENDON BURNS looks back at some of the major challenges and monumental achievements over the past half century. These stories were first published in our Winepress Magazine in 2023.

Dave Pearce loved chess as a kid, which perhaps explains his habit of looking ahead before making a move.

It’s the kind of considered foresight that saw him and a handful of others launch the groundbreaking Screwcap Initiative in 2001, and made Grove Mill the world’s first carbon neutral winery in 2006, having already pioneered the use of a eucalypt woodlot for winery wastewater.

Years later Dave adopted the term “the bleeding edge” to describe the times people considered him “crazy” for bypassing the status quo. “I spent I don’t know how many years being ‘an idiot’ because I thought carbon zero was a good idea,” he says. “It’s great to be at the bleeding edge, but generally you bleed.”

A wine made only once every few years was this year crowned the Barrel Finance & Logistics Champion Sweet Wine at the Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Wairau River Reserve Botrytised Riesling 2022 picked up the trophy, after a warm, humid growing season resulted in optimal fruit to make the wine.

Winemaker Mary Schneier says to win the trophy with a wine they only have limited opportunities to produce was exciting for the team.

She shared a little about the wine, including what you might like to pair it with this summer…

One of Marlborough’s pioneering winemaking companies has picked up the trophy for the region’s flagship wine at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc 2023 was presented the WineWorks Champion Current Vintage Sauvignon Blanc trophy at the celebration evening, which was also a celebration of 50 years of modern winemaking in Marlborough.

Chief winemaker Nick Entwistle says the wine is made using grapes from their ‘Home Block’, the first vineyard block established by the Rose Family in 1978.

To receive the award in this milestone year was special for the team. He shared with us a little about what sets the wine apart…

A standout vintage topped off 10 years of careful winegrowing for the Babich Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2023, helping it to pick up the title of champion Rosé at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Jens Merkle says to receive the Scenic Hotel Marlborough Champion Rosé trophy was hugely rewarding for the team, which selected the site for the grapes some 10 years ago.

Since then, careful thought has been put into nurturing just the right clones, and harvesting them at optimal ripeness to create an award-worthy Rosé.

He shared a little about the process and how it felt to pick up the trophy…

The Vintech Pacific Best Low Alcohol Wine trophy returned to the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

It was the first time for a number of years that the trophy was up for contention, and it was taken home by The Doctors’ Riesling 2022.

Forrest Wines General Manager and Winemaker Beth Forrest says the company, founded by her parents in 1988, has been making low alcohol wines for 20 years.

She shared with us a little bit about the wine, how their low alcohol winemaking journey began, and where she sees the Marlborough wine industry heading…

The Marlborough Wine & Food Festival has taken a delicious leap forward this week, confirming more top chefs and – in a ‘festival-first’ – adding pop-up restaurants to the programme.

Wine Marlborough Ltd General Manager Marcus Pickens is delighted to announce Michael Meredith, Matt Lambert, Andy Hearnden and Sam Webb are firmly on the festival menu. These award-winning, celebrated chefs are set to inspire, entertain and share a few new culinary tricks in the Culinary Pavilion throughout the day.

Fifty years on from breaking ground with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Triplebank has been awarded the QuayConnect Champion Awatere & South Marlborough trophy with their Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc 2023.

The award was presented at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, which was also a celebration of 50 years of modern winemaking in Marlborough. Then Montana, the company was among the first producers to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the region in the 70s.

This year was the first year the show recognised champion wines from Marlborough’s subregions. Winemaker Lan Zhang told us what makes the Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc worthy of the 2023 title for Awatere & South Marlborough…

The 2017 vintage of Deutz Prestige Cuvée has left a lasting impression on judges of the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Careful work to ensure winemakers were able to make the best of a ‘vintage of two halves’ paid off, resulting in the wine being awarded the Vitis and Winemakers Champion Sparkling trophy at the Show in both 2022 and 2023.

Winemaker Laura-Kate Morgan told us about some of the crucial decisions that set this wine up for success…

Lawson’s Dry Hills has had their focus on Pinot Noir recognised, winning the De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir 2020 & Older trophy at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Senior Winemaker Marcus Wright says the team has been working hard to improve their Pinot Noir in recent years, and to receive the trophy for The Pioneer Tilly’s Single Vineyard 2020 was particularly rewarding, as it was the first vintage under the new regime.

He shares a little about the wine and what makes it special…

Stoneleigh Riesling 2023 has been named the Orora Limited Champion Riesling of the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Tim Mills says the trophy-winning wine is made with care to ensure balance and a showcase of flavours from the vineyard.

He shares some insight into what went into making the wine after a vintage that posed many weather-related challenges…

Jeremy McKenzie saw the potential in Marlborough Chardonnay many years ago, and has been working on perfecting the variety ever since.

He and his team at Isabel Estate picked up two trophies for Chardonnay at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect. In this ‘Q&A’, he shares some insight into the winner of the Bragato Research Institute Champion Chardonnay, 2020 & Older trophy, the Isabel Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2020.

He also delves into the key characteristics of the Marlborough sites capable of producing world-class Chardonnay…

Zephyr Wines has been awarded the Vit Management Ltd Champion Organic Wine trophy at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Ben Glover says the winning wine, Zephyr Chardonnay 2020, was produced following the family business’ first official certified organic vintage, making the award extra special.

The Glover family has been growing grapes in Marlborough for nearly four decades, transitioning to organic farming in 2017. He shared with us why this was an important move for Zephyr, and a little about the work involved…