Martinborough, nestled in the bosom of the wine region known as Wairarapa, is home to a number of smallish but stellar producers. Ata Rangi, Dry River, Palliser Estate and Martinborough Vineyard are top of mind, but there are others who are fast gaining a reputation for excellent wines from a region that continues to prove that small can not only be beautiful but affordable as well. And frankly, in these perilous financial times, value for money is a godsend for those trying to balance the budget.
Murdoch James had been ticking along nicely, if not spectacularly, since the early 90s. But, as owner/commercial director Roger Fraser observes, "A few years back we weren't happy with the wines and set out to understand what needed to be done to improve quality."
A fresh winemaking approach was required along with a cash injection of new capital to upgrade and expand the existing tired winery and buy extra land for new plantings.
Fortuitously, a young investor with a liking for the wines of Martinborough, in particular Murdoch James, became a knight in the shining stuff. "We're in the process of building a new winery and increasing the size of the vineyard," says Fraser.
"This is helping us achieve all the goals we set for ourselves, we always want to deliver quality over price."
