Martinborough

Escarpment   Mention the name Larry McKenna and a discussion of Pinot Noir will soon follow.  Larry made the Pinots at Martinborough Vineyards famous in the ‘90sand received the moniker “King of Pinot Noir” in the New Zealand press.  The name “Escarpment” comes from the kilometer long escarpment (cliff) just behind the winery, which drops sharply down to the river.  It is so steep that walking close to it is not recommended. Escarpment Vineyard is planted on alluvial gravel terraces at the foot of the Aorangi mountains.  There, legend tells us, the Maori navigator Kupe abandoned three canoes after discovering the land Aotearoa (today known as New Zealand).  Kupe’s image features on the wine label and his pioneering journeys inspire Escarpment’s winemaking.

Voss Estate   Voss Estate is an extremely small winery with only three hectares under vine. They insist on low cropping, no irrigation, no leaf plucking, special trellising, and hand harvesting.  In the winery they practice minimal intervention and use French oak for the Pinot Noir.