Early Vines and a False Start
While Marlborough is synonymous with modern viticulture, the first grapevines were actually planted in the region by early settlers in the 1870s. The provincial government at the time was keen to encourage new industries, but these early attempts failed to establish a commercial footing due to a combination of factors, including the difficulty of working with unsuitable grape varieties and the overwhelming dominance of the pastoral economy. For the next century, the rolling plains of the Wairau and Awatere valleys remained the undisputed domain of sheep and cattle.
The Montana Gamble (1973)
The modern wine story began with a bold and visionary gamble. In the early 1970s, the large New Zealand wine company Montana (now Brancott Estate) was looking to expand its vineyard holdings. Against the prevailing wisdom of the time, which favoured more established North Island regions, Montana purchased a large block of land in the Wairau Valley. In 1973, they began the first large-scale commercial grape plantings in Marlborough's history. It was a pioneering and risky venture, as no one was certain that grapes could be successfully grown on a commercial scale in the region's stony soils and cool climate.
The Sauvignon Blanc Revelation
Montana initially planted a wide range of grape varieties, including Müller-Thurgau and Cabernet Sauvignon. However, it was a then-unfashionable French variety, Sauvignon Blanc, that proved to be the perfect match for Marlborough's unique terroir. The region's long, sunny days and cool, clear nights allowed the grape to develop a remarkable intensity of flavour, while the free-draining stony soils of the old riverbeds provided ideal growing conditions. The first Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was produced in 1979, and its explosive, pungent, and uniquely fruity style was unlike anything the wine world had ever tasted before.
A Global Sensation
The international breakthrough came in the mid-1980s. Wineries like Cloudy Bay, which launched its first vintage in 1985, captured the imagination of wine critics and consumers in London and around the world. The distinctive "Marlborough style"-with its vibrant aromas of passionfruit, gooseberry, and freshly cut grass-became a global sensation. An export-driven boom began, and the industry grew at an exponential rate. Sheep paddocks were rapidly converted to vineyards, and new wineries sprang up across the Wairau and, later, the Awatere valleys. Marlborough quickly became New Zealand's largest and most important wine region.
An Industry Transformed
Today, the wine industry is the undeniable engine of Marlborough's economy. The region is responsible for over 75% of New Zealand's total wine production, with Sauvignon Blanc remaining the undisputed star. The industry has not only transformed the agricultural landscape but has also redefined Marlborough's identity. It has turned the region into an internationally recognised brand, a major centre for wine tourism, and a hub of viticultural and oenological innovation, a remarkable achievement in less than half a century.
