History

Winemaking in the Wairarapa

The history of winemaking in the Wairarapa goes back to 1883 when William Beetham planted Pinot Meunier and Hermitage grapes at his Lansdowne Vineyard near Masterton.

Twelve years later Romeo Bragato, a graduate of the Royal School of Viticulture and Oenology in Italy, came to New Zealand to investigate the possibilities for winemaking. After tasting Beetham's hermitage wine, which he considered to be of 'prime quality', he concluded that the Wairarapa was 'pre-eminently suited to viticulture'.

The development of Masterton as a wine region was, however, halted by the prohibition movement when in 1908 it became one of the first districts in New Zealand to vote 'no-licence'. Not surprisingly, winemakers went out of business shortly after and the vines at Lansdowne were pulled out.

A 1979 DSIR report identified Martinborough as having similar climate and soil types to Burgundy. This report sparked initial interest in the area’s wine producing potential. The first established vineyards were Ata Rangi, Chifney, Dry River and Martinborough Vineyard, all of which were established in the early 1980s.