History of the Vineyards
Tresillian Vineyard
Tresillian was the name given to the original 11,000 acre Run No 37 in 1854 by second owner Charles Reed. He named it after the village of the same name in South East Cornwall, England from whence he came. Over the subsequent years, the property was progressively broken up into smaller holdings.
The Tresillian vineyard has approx 6 ha of planted area with 60% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Gris and 20% Riesling.
The first Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir vines were planted in 2001, with subsequent plantings of Pinot Noir in 2002, Pinot Gris in 2004 and Riesling in 2005.
The first commercial vintage under the Tresillian label was harvested in 2005 and entrusted to award-winning winemaker Grant Whelan.
The 2007 season was a heart-breaking disappointment for us. We were hit by an air frost in November 2006 that blitzed the young shoots and put paid to all our plans for the vintage. Our frost-protection systems are effective against normal radiation frosts but ineffective against the air frost. The air frost means that there is no inversion layer of warm air that our system requires.
2008 was a good vintage and saw the first crop from our Riesling.
The 2009 vintage again saw us lose the crop on the home block - we experienced another air (katabatic) frost on 6 November 2008 (we were in Bali attending our son Hamish's wedding) - so we were again dependent on the leased vineyards. We had by then, also taken the lease of the French Farm Vineyard next door to the Sunnybrae Vineyard, in French Farm Bay near Akaroa. The Banks Peninsula vineyards do not suffer from frost as they are both on hillsides and close to the Akaroa Harbour, so they are our insurance against total loss in the home vineyard.
In the 2010 vintage, we yet again suffered frost damage on the home block in October 2009 but this time not a total loss. We did harvest a small crop of Pinot Gris and Riesling but no Pinot Noir. The Dry Riesling was bottled i July 2011 and was an instant hit with several top restaurants. We eagerly await the Pinot Gris
Sunnybrae Vineyard
2007 vintage saw the first wine from grapes sourced from the Sunnybrae vineyard in French Farm Bay, on Banks Peninsula.
The Sunnybrae vineyard is approximately 3 ha, planted in 1992. It has Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Merlot.
The 2008 vintage gave the first full vintage of wines from this vineyard, now leased and fully managed. We offered our first wine from Sunnybrae bottled under our new d’Akaroa label.
2009 was a good vintage and having had a years experience with this vineyard efforts were made to manage the yields and quality that have resulted in some wonderful wines under both the Tresillian and d’Akaroa labels.
2010 gave us a much smaller crop due mainly to the dry season. The bunches were lighter than usual and the berries smaller. This has lead to an intensity of flavours. The Rose' was bottled in July 2011 and is slightly lighter in colour than previous vintages but has the same savoury characteristics. The Riesling (produced our Cerelia) - and was bottled June 2011 and has been well received. We're looking forward to the Chardonnay.
French Farm Vineyard
This vineyard is approx 4ha planted in Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.
2009 also saw the first vintage from the French Farm Vineyard. These wines are in both labels.
2010 produced some lovely fruit, although a smaller crop due to the dry. We had an Indian summer with lovely warm days late in the season after a cool period over December and January. We have high expectations for these wines.
All of our d’Akaroa label wines make a contribution to WWF for their work with the endangered Hector dolphin.
In 2008 we also produced a Medium-Dry Riesling from grapes that we contracted from a Swannanoa vineyard
Tresillian Vineyard
Tresillian was the name given to the original 11,000 acre Run No 37 in 1854 by second owner Charles Reed. He named it after the village of the same name in South East Cornwall, England from whence he came. Over the subsequent years, the property was progressively broken up into smaller holdings.
The Tresillian vineyard has approx 6 ha of planted area with 60% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Gris and 20% Riesling.
The first Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir vines were planted in 2001, with subsequent plantings of Pinot Noir in 2002, Pinot Gris in 2004 and Riesling in 2005.
The first commercial vintage under the Tresillian label was harvested in 2005 and entrusted to award-winning winemaker Grant Whelan.
The 2007 season was a heart-breaking disappointment for us. We were hit by an air frost in November 2006 that blitzed the young shoots and put paid to all our plans for the vintage. Our frost-protection systems are effective against normal radiation frosts but ineffective against the air frost. The air frost means that there is no inversion layer of warm air that our system requires.
2008 was a good vintage and saw the first crop from our Riesling.
The 2009 vintage again saw us lose the crop on the home block - we experienced another air (katabatic) frost on 6 November 2008 (we were in Bali attending our son Hamish's wedding) - so we were again dependent on the leased vineyards. We had by then, also taken the lease of the French Farm Vineyard next door to the Sunnybrae Vineyard, in French Farm Bay near Akaroa. The Banks Peninsula vineyards do not suffer from frost as they are both on hillsides and close to the Akaroa Harbour, so they are our insurance against total loss in the home vineyard.
In the 2010 vintage, we yet again suffered frost damage on the home block in October 2009 but this time not a total loss. We did harvest a small crop of Pinot Gris and Riesling but no Pinot Noir. The Dry Riesling was bottled i July 2011 and was an instant hit with several top restaurants. We eagerly await the Pinot Gris
Sunnybrae Vineyard
2007 vintage saw the first wine from grapes sourced from the Sunnybrae vineyard in French Farm Bay, on Banks Peninsula.
The Sunnybrae vineyard is approximately 3 ha, planted in 1992. It has Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Merlot.
The 2008 vintage gave the first full vintage of wines from this vineyard, now leased and fully managed. We offered our first wine from Sunnybrae bottled under our new d’Akaroa label.
2009 was a good vintage and having had a years experience with this vineyard efforts were made to manage the yields and quality that have resulted in some wonderful wines under both the Tresillian and d’Akaroa labels.
2010 gave us a much smaller crop due mainly to the dry season. The bunches were lighter than usual and the berries smaller. This has lead to an intensity of flavours. The Rose' was bottled in July 2011 and is slightly lighter in colour than previous vintages but has the same savoury characteristics. The Riesling (produced our Cerelia) - and was bottled June 2011 and has been well received. We're looking forward to the Chardonnay.
French Farm Vineyard
This vineyard is approx 4ha planted in Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.
2009 also saw the first vintage from the French Farm Vineyard. These wines are in both labels.
2010 produced some lovely fruit, although a smaller crop due to the dry. We had an Indian summer with lovely warm days late in the season after a cool period over December and January. We have high expectations for these wines.
All of our d’Akaroa label wines make a contribution to WWF for their work with the endangered Hector dolphin.
In 2008 we also produced a Medium-Dry Riesling from grapes that we contracted from a Swannanoa vineyard
