Wine Timeline

The decision made by Montana in 1973 to plant wine grapes in Marlborough was the most visionary and vital one made in the short history of the New Zealand Wine Industry. It wasn’t an easy road to success, but led by science, our enviable natural environment, and a brave small community who got together and got things done, Marlborough put New Zealand wine on the world map.

Marlborough has quickly grown to be New Zealand’s largest producer and has grown at an outstanding rate, growing from 6,831 hectares in 2002 to 22,819 in 2013. Today, almost 30,000ha of vines (around 2/3 of the national total) are under the care of local wine producers, making it the country's largest wine region.

Coincidentally, 2023 also marks 150 years since Marlborough’s first vineyard of Muscat was planted at Auntsfield by Scotsman David Herd in 1873. These vines were pulled out in 1931 and no others were recorded in the region until 1973.

Hans Herzog
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Hans Herzog

1994

Therese & Hans Herzog, Vigneron from Switzerland planted roots along the banks of the Wairau River. Vines were planted in 1996 pioneering with some alternative varieties not seen in the South Island and maybe just one more in the North Island: Pinot Gris, Viognier, Montepulciano plus known varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Read More
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Grapes unlikely

1972

In July 1972, Marlborough County Council Livestock Instructor, S.G.C. Newdick, wrote “Vineyards: in regard to these, as there is a glut on the market of grapes there does not appear to be any likelihood of vineyards starting up in Marlborough in the foreseeable future.”

Read More
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Montana purchases land

1973

Montana purchase land at Brancott, Woodbourne and Renwick and begin planting at Brancott.

"I sold them nine farms in 10 days and virtually overnight Montana doubled land values in the province from $250 to $500 an acre," said John Marris, a Pyne Gould Guinness land agent at the time, who later developed Wither Hills Wines with his son Brent.

Read More
Montana plants at Brancott
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Montana plants at Brancott

1973

Monday July 30 - Friday August 3, 1973 Commercial planting likely started at Montana. Official celebration held August 24 (Montana).

Read More
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Drought

1975

Worst recorded drought and most of the Montana planting dies and the importance of irrigation was eventually recognised.

Read More
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Under-vine watering

1976

Henk Ruesink was the first grower to introduce trickle irrigation to Marlborough.

Read More
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

First vintage

1977

Montana winery was opened by the Rt Hon Robert Muldoon on the 29th of April 1977. 800 tons of grapes process at the new winery by Gerry Gregg.

Read More
Wairau River Wines
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Wairau River Wines

1978

Vineyards were established by Phil and Chris Rose who were originally growing lucerne for export to Japan. Then the 1970’s oil shock hit which made the harvesting and drying of lucerne uneconomic. The Roses looked to find an alternative use for their land.

They decided to plant grapes. After battling some major objections around land use, Phil and Chris finally gained consent and started establishing their vineyards in 1978.

In true pioneering spirit, they began hand planting vines and raising a family. After contract growing grapes for some years, they decided to produce their own wine in 1991 and the Wairau River label was born.

Read More
Te Whare Ra
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Te Whare Ra

1979

First boutique winery at Renwick. According to Marlborough County Council records, the original vines were planted in 1979 on four hectares of land by Alan and Joyce Hogan, who purchased the property in 1977 . The original varieties planted were Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay and they produced their first wine in 1982.

Read More
Hunter’s
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Hunter’s

1979

The tale of Hunter's Marlborough began with the daring vision of Ernie Hunter, an Irishman hailing from Belfast. In a bold move, he decided to plant approximately twenty-five hectares of grapevines on Rapaura Road. Within that expanse, he allocated three hectares to cultivate Sauvignon Blanc, a relatively unknown grape variety with untapped potential at the time.

Read More
Dog Point beginnings
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Dog Point beginnings

1970s

Ivan and Margaret Sutherland were among the earliest Marlborough wine industry pioneers who planted grapes in Marlborough in the late 1970s. While working at Cloudy Bay Vineyards, Ivan met James Healy, where the pair played an integral part of the evolution of the Cloudy Bay brand. Discovering they shared the same aspirations, Ivan & Margaret and James & Wendy returned to a more 'hands-on' approach launching the Dog Point label in 2004 using fruit from the 2002 vintage.

Read More
Daniel Le Brun
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Daniel Le Brun

1980

Adele and Daniel, along with 4-month-old daughter Virginie, made the move to Marlborough. Daniel brought with him 50,000 cuttings from his Rotorua nursery. These hand-grown vines went into cool storage until they purchased 30 acres along State Highway 6 to plant their first Marlborough vineyard and a site in Renwick (where Mahi is today) for the winery.

Read More
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Phylloxera

1984

Disease found in Marlborough vineyards leading to the use of disease resistant root stock.

Read More
Brent Marris
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Brent Marris

1984

The first Marlborough person to become a qualified wine maker.

Read More
Wine and Food festival
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Wine and Food festival

1985

First wine and food festival where the visitors were bused around different vineyards. This went on to become an annual event, moving from Montana Wines Brancott estate to the Renwick Domain in 2023

Read More
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Great wine pull

1986

Government pays out to remove vines due to wine glut. Growers took the opportunity to plant Phylloxera resistant root stock and popular varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc.

Read More
Hunter’s
Sarah Linklater Sarah Linklater

Hunter’s

1986

Hunter Wines win gold awards at the Sunday Times Vintage Festival U.K. in 1986, 87 and 88.

In April 2016, 30 years after that first win, Hunter’s repeated history by winning the prestigious Wine of the Show at the Sunday Times Vintage Festival in London, UK

Read More