ESCARPMENT

Escarpment Vineyard was established in 1999 as a joint business venture between Robert and Mem Kirby (of Australia's Village Roadshow), and Larry and Sue McKenna. Collectively, these four directors bring to Escarpment a world of experience, skill and understanding.

Larry has firmly established himself as a leading winemaker in these parts and is particularly renowned and respected as one of New Zealand's pre-eminent Pinot Noir producers. Referred to by various wine writers and authorities as everything from the Prince of Pinot Noir, to the Godfather of Pinot Noir, to a Pinot Noir legend, Larry McKenna has built himself a solid reputation for understanding and gaining the best out of this typically stubborn and capricious grape.

Larry McKenna

Born and bred in Adelaide, Australia he graduated from the Roseworthy Agricultural College there in 1976 and has nearly three decades of wine making experience under his belt. After travelling for a stint through Europe sampling the wine culture, he ‘cut his teeth’ with fellow Roseworthy student, John Hancock, at Delegat’s Wine Estate in Auckland, New Zealand. In 1986 Larry left Auckland to take up the position of CEO/Winemaker at Martinborough Vineyard in the Wairarapa region. From 1986 to 1999 he grew this company from 20 to 160 tonnes and firmly put Martinborough Vineyard and himself on the world map as one of the pre-eminent New World Pinot Noir producers and winemakers. Much of Larry’s success with wine making has come from a deep seated passion for producing the very best wine out of the grapes he has to work with. He takes a collaborative approach to wine making and believes in sharing his knowledge and understanding with fellow winemakers to ensure collective learning and progression occurs. He points to the developments and successes in recent years with NZ’s Pinot Noir and argues that the open exchange the winemakers have shared and the fact they represent a range if nationalities and approaches to wine making and this grape, benefits the quality of the wine produced.