RUSSIAN JACK

The quest for world class wines, especially the capricious Pinot noir, can be said to be a journey rather than a destination. From the humble beginnings of the early 1980's to the highly regarded vineyard of today, it has been a long and spectacular path but the journey is not over and never will be. If you are fortunate enough to visit Martinborough Vineyard today you will find more than a wine producing operation. The drive to produce the very best wines imbues the entire company from every aspect. Martinborough Vineyard is ISO 14001 certified which means there is a clear and audited environmental policy based on the principles of minimum impact on the land and air that provides the bounty. The grapes are hand picked to ensure that only the best fruit makes it to the bottle. Much of the wine making process is based on Burgundian techniques which have produced some of the Worlds most complex and delicate red wines for centuries.

Martinborough Vineyard has gathered World renown for its Pinot noir. A lesser-known story, however, has been the success of its other varieties. Over the past few years Martinborough Vineyard has won acclaim for its Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Late Harvest Riesling. While the spotlight has been on Pinot noir, these other wines have been slowly gathering prominence and a strong following. All the vineyards are situated on the Martinborough Terrace which is famed for its deep, free-draining, alluvial soils which are ideal for making ultra premium Pinot Noir. The region has a cool, maritime climate along with other beneficial climatic drivers including a rain shadow, one of the country’s largest diurnal temperature differentials, windy springs and a long warm ripening period through autumn. All this results in a natural low-vigour site regulating crops and enabling high quality, consistent, ripe fruit.

Paul Mason PG Dip V&O (with Distinction)

Paul is a New Zealander who, after a number of years winemaking overseas, in January 2004 returned home to join the Martinborough Vineyard Estates crew. Initially in the position of Winemaker for the Burnt Spur brand, Paul took over as Chief Winemaker in January 2007. The Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir at the New Zealand International Wine Show was awarded to our 2007 Te Tera Pinot Noir and recognizes Paul in making the 2007 vintage his own.

Paul undertook a harvest in 2007 in France where he was able to work alongside some of the most famous Domaines in Burgundy. This was an opportunity to further expand his international wine background and training. Prior to joining MVEL Paul was a flying winemaker with a UK based company which included stints in Italy and Chile. He’s also worked in both Australia and the US and of course has extensive time in New Zealand with vintages at Coopers Creek, de Redcliffe and Villa Maria. Paul lives in Martinborough with his Amy and their two children Alex and Lydia.