Escarpment Vineyard Winery

Escarpment are one of the success stories of the Martinborough region in the north island of New Zealand. Steered confidently under the helm of Larry Mckenna, a man many have referred to as the ‘Prince of Pinot.’ Their aim is to craft the very best of tomorrow's definitive New World wines. They cite that "Complexity" "texture" and "structure" are key words (and motivators) in this process. There are three other partners in the business, Larry’s wife Sue and Robert and Mem Kirby.

Escarpment Location

5 kilometres out of Martinborough Village, the 24 hectares of Escarpment alluvial soil vineyards stretch out along banks of the Huangarua River. The vineyards are dwarfed by the stunning backdrop of the Aorangi Ranges and were selected specially by Larry as this was an extension of the famed Martinborough’s terrace land and the site offered all the right attributes. Larry and Sue believe The Te Muna Valley, where they finally found their land, is the future of Martinborough and one of the best sites for Pinot.

"Te Muna", means 'secret' or 'special place' and that is exactly how the people at Escarpment feel about the land and what it means to live, grow and make wine there.

Escarpment Wine Styles

Escarpment Wines specialise in Pinot and have a variety of single Vineyard Pinot’s that best express the site. There is also a Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Gris.

Escarpment Wine Brands

There are three distinct brands, The Edge Series which represent their entry level wines, the Escarpment Range, and the Martinborough Insight Range which are single vineyard, super premium wines.

Escarpment Winery

The majority of Escarpments grapes are grown on site and are accredited with Sustainable winegrowing New Zealand ® a platform to promote New Zealand as a leader in green farming practices. The winery now has the capability to process around 200 tonnes of fruit and they are in the process of developing a Cellar Door and Restaurant in order to showcase the region.