Location: Jackson's Road to the north of Cloudy Bay vineyards
Size: 5.9 hectares
Soils: Shallow silt-loams overlying river gravels. Excellent drainage ensures good control of vine vigour.
Description: Avenelle Vineyard is leased from Christine and Kevin Courtney. Established in 1999, the vineyard is located in the central and warmest part of the Wairau Plains.
Plantings
Sauvignon Blanc - 4.1 hectares
Semillon - 1.8 hectares
Location: Bedford Road, State Highway 63 and Waihopai Valley Road
Size: 14.4 Hectares
Soils: Free draining loams with stony areas
Description
Established in 1994, the Home Vineyard surrounds the winery and extends across State Highway 63 and along Bedford Road.
The Home Vineyard is located just west of Renwick in a higher, cooler area than many in the valley and grapes here ripen some seven to ten days later than those in the central valley vineyards.
This allows us to spread the flavours of the varieties which adds depth and complexity to Grove Mill wines.
Grove Mill is proudly innovative, being the first to plant and make a Pinot Gris in Marlborough. In addition to main plantings for the production of Grove Mill wines, the home vineyards are planted with a number of experimental vines. Research and development is integral to the continued development of the Grove Mill style and quality.
All the 14.4 Hectares are under BioGro organic management which eliminates the use or artificial herbicides, fungicides, pesticides and fertilisers. Organic certification should be achieved in 2010 for the Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling and 2012 for the other varieties.
Plantings:
Sauvignon Blanc - 3 hectares, 4 clones
Chardonnay - 6 hectares, 6 clones
Pinot Gris - 1 hectare, 2 clones
Riesling - 2 hectares, 2 clones
Gewurztraminer - 2 hectares, 6 clones
Gruner Veltliner – 0.4 hectares, 2 clones
Location: Hammerichs Road
Size: 20.25 hectares
Soils: Shallow silt-loams overlying river gravels. Excellent drainage ensures good control of vine vigour.
Description: The land on which this vineyard is planted is leased from Richard and Sandy Dowling. It is also located in the central and warmest part of the Wairau plain.
The soils and mesoclime of this block will ensure ripe fruit flavours and the fruit from this vineyard is destined for Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc.
Plantings
Sauvignon Blanc - 22.5 hectares, 1 clone
Location: Grovetown, off Elliot St and Watson's Rd
Size: 25 hectares
Soils: Deep alluvial silts over clay base
Description
Climate is warm with costal influence. History of site was formally a dairy farm.
Plantings
Sauvignon Blanc - 25 hectares, 1 clone
Location: Riverlands
Size: 19 hectares
Soils: Deep alluvial, sand and clay base
Description
Climate is warm with moderate river influence. This land was formally used for pastrol and cropping purposes.
Plantings
Sauvignon Blanc - 19 hectares
Location: Redwood Pass Road
Size: 31.5 hectares
Soils: The soils on this site comprise a friable stony loess, outrun from the Vernon Hills; and a very light loam overlying a sandy gravel. Both soils are free draining.
Description
This land was purchased in 2000 as part of the major expansion of Grove Mill's own vineyard holdings. The site is unique both in climate and soils, being formed from the outwash of the Vernon Hills (rather than the Wither Hills that lie behind the town). The vineyard nestles in a southern valley off the main Wairau Plain. It is sheltered from the worst of Marlborough's infamous nor-west winds. Lying northeast and close to the sea it is catches the sun almost perfectly. This mesoclime will ripen up to seven days earlier than even the central valley.
History: The site is of historical interest; the fertile valley was used by Maori to grow kumara (sweet potato) and the kumara storage pits are still visible. Grove Mill gifted 4 acres of land on which the pits are sited to the local iwi (tribe), known as Te Rangitane.
Plantings
Sauvignon Blanc - 13 hectares, 3 clones
Pinot Noir - 8.5 hectares, 9 clones
Pinot Gris - 5 hectares, 3 clones
Riesling - 2.2 hectares, 3 clones
Pinot Blanc - 2.2 hectare, 3 clones