◆ How did they expand the vineyards and ownership?◆ Are you selective in the blocks you are buying?◆ What are different soils and aspects of vineyards in the main growing areas?◆ How did Lawson’s Dry Hills get started?－6－Marcus WrightAll wines are 750ml unless otherwise specified. Prices do not include Consumption Tax.Village Cellars Wine Catalogue 2024SummerFounders Ross and Barbara Lawson planted their first grapes near Blenheim in 1982, growing fruit for other producers. They launched Lawson’s Dry Hills (LDH) in 1992 and built the successful company it is today, with access to fruit from 120 hectares, half of which are company-owned, and half leased or from long-term, contract growers. Ross passed away in 2009 and when Barbara retired she sold her shares in LDH to long term investors Tim and Pauline Evill. We spoke with winemaker Marcus Wright, who has been senior winemaker at the LDH since 2001. ―― Marlborough is a very good place to grow grapes, it is warm but not hot, we have lots of sunshine, nice cool nights. These climatic conditions preserve both the aromatics and acid profile in the wine, which is perfect for Sauvignon Blanc. And it is also perfect for Pinot Noir, which we are very lucky to have as our second grape variety. Our Sauvignon Blanc is a style nobody else around the world makes, even though they are trying to emulate us, while Pinot Noir requires very exacting climatic conditions to succeed. None of the wines and varietals we make have any sort of winemaking trickery, we really keep it nice and simple. What makes Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc so bright and aromatic is the fairly young soils, the climatic conditions, the clones we have and our approach to viticulture. The high UV is said to encourage thicker skins and the phenol compounds within the skins which give the passionfruit flavours. I don’t think there is one answer, but rather a range of factors.The essential qualities, the brightness, the lovely aromatics, are all pre-determined in the vineyard. We look after the grapes, harvest them when their flavour is optimal, put them in a tank and sometimes it is wild yeast, sometimes added yeast in the barrel, things which change the style of a wine. The less we have to do in the vineyard in terms of crop manipulation, if we have an average flowering which means we don’t do a lot of thinning after crop set, the fruit comes in ripe and clean, we don’t have to do much in the winery, and more importantly the wine quality is wonderful. Rich aromas of lychee, rose and spice, fruity and off-dry. Free-run Gewurztraminer juice from the heavy clay soil vineyards around the winery, first planted by the founder in 1981, was cold fermented and aged on lees for 4 months.CODE12679―― It is a really neat story. Ross and Barbara Lawson bought a few hectares where the winery is now in the 70s. Ross paid for it by possum hunting, and Barbara used to salt the hides and they would sell the possum skins. Ross started looking after a vineyard and doing viticultural work in the late 70s. A few larger companies were getting established to make cask wine, and one approached Ross to plant Gewurztraminer. At the time he would have been thinking, ‘what is Gewurztraminer’, but said ‘yes we’ll do it’. They planted it in 1981-82, then in the early 90s, they were told ‘we don’t want your grapes anymore’. Ross was fairly strong-willed, thought he grew pretty good grapes, so he started a wine Freshly squeezed lemon, passionfruit, and herbaceous notes on the nose. A blend of Awatere Valley (25%) and inland Waihopai Valley in the Southern Valleys (75%). Gold Medal, Drinks Business Sauvignon Blanc Masters 2023.CODE12648company. 1992 was the first harvest, they made Gewurztraminer from their own block, and being Marlborough some Sauvignon Blanc, and Ross only ever drank Chardonnay, so a few barrels of Chardonnay. ―― The initial vineyard wasn’t large at all, probably about 5 hectares, and it is even smaller now because we put the winery and warehousing in. In the early years Sauvignon Blanc was an amazing crop, you would harvest it, and it sold immediately at a very good price. We could be bottling in August, have the cash in the door, buy some vines and land and put them in the ground. That was how fast things were going. We’ve slowly acquired vineyards and brought land, planted, and leased some blocks as well. We are just planting another block over in the Awatere which is very promising. ―― Definitely. Sauvignon Blanc tastes different depending on where it is grown, so we like the geographical diversity and what that brings to the wine. In our estate Sauvignon Blanc we celebrate being able to make a blend from a number of vineyards, and the complexity that brings. A spread of vineyards is more interesting, and it also spreads risk. Being in a cool climate we can have problems with disease and rainfall over harvest. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does happen the grapes are really susceptible to rain, especially the riper they are. With the geographic spread we harvest over a month. If we predict rain several days in advance, we quickly harvest anything that is ripe, have a few days off and let things dry, and then carry on. The grapes that were less ripe don’t even notice the rain. We are enamoured with the Awatere if we can get a nice patch of land. You can harvest really ripe and still retain green characters, and get everything from tropical, melon and passionfruit right through to green bell pepper and jalapeno characters.―― The main Wairau Valley on the northern side of the river is very stony gravels with not a lot of topsoil. As you come across to the southern side of the river you have a lot of clay influence. This changes as you move across the valley and into the Southern Valleys, and over the millennia the rivers changed paths and there are CODE12678◆ Can you give me an overview of Marlborough and why the wines are so special?Varietal: Gewurztraminer Alc. 13.6%RRP ￥2,750Lawson’s Dry Hills Gewurztraminer 2022 (Screw Cap)Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc 100% Alc. 13.0%RRP ￥2,800Lawson’s Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Screw Cap)Grape Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc 100% Alc. 12.9%RRP ￥3,000A blend of late harvest Awatere Valley (70%) and Wairau Valley (30%) fruit. 10% spontaneous fermentation in old oak barrels. Floral and spicy with hints of pepper. Fresh acidity and minerality enhance the concentrated fruit. Five stars, Cuisine Magazine.Lawson’s Dry Hills Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Screw Cap)Our Feature Story: Lawson’s Dry Hills (Marlborough, New Zealand)A mid-sized producer that has grown steadily in step with the Marlborough region, with a focus on expressing the individuality of fruit from diverse vineyards in the three Marlborough sub-regions.――― Marcus Wright (Senior Winemaker)