URLAR

A strong connection with the land and the love of a good drop runs thick in Scotsman Angus Thomson's blood. A fifth generation farmer, descended from whiskey distillers, his family's long and proud history of tending the land took a new path when Angus and his wife Davina fell in love with New Zealand. It's here that they decided to put down new roots. In 2004 they planted the first vines at the Urlar Estate and laid the foundations for a new life, all the while continuing the traditions of the hard working and courageous people who had come before them. At Urlar all of our wine is grown and produced using biodynamic and organic practices.

These principles guide how we do things on the vineyard, how we tend the soil and vines, and how we make our wines. Our commitment to being a sustainable business means we're prepared to do things differently, even when it's a challenge. The result is beautifully clean, handcrafted wines that leave the environment, the land, and the soil in harmony. Urlar began the process of organic certification and using biodynamic practices in 2007 and in 2010 became fully BioGro certified.

Guy McMaster

In 2007, winemaker and viticulturist Guy McMaster joined Urlar. Guy is himself a New Zealander with roots in Scotland and the land. Guy graduated from Lincoln University with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology. With numerous vintages from every corner of the earth under his belt, Guy and his family are well settled in to the Gladstone area. Previously, the assistant winemaker at the Escarpment Vineyard, his winemaking philosophy is vineyard-focused with minimal intervention in the winery.