Dog Point Vineyard is owned and managed by highly respected husband and wife teams, Ivan and Margaret Sutherland and James and Wendy Healy. Famed for gathering a cult following almost prior to the release of the first vintage in 2002, Ivan and James specialise in producing outstanding wines that are the epitome of both the vineyard and winemakers' skills. The wines are made from grapes sourced from selected vineyard plantings dating back to the late 1970s. These older well-established vines are situated on free-draining, silty, clay loams and supplemented with fruit from closely planted hillside vines with a clay loam influence.
The Dog Point name dates from early European settlement of the Marlborough region and the introduction of sheep. Shepherd’s dogs often became lost or wandered off and they eventually bred into a marauding pack that attacked sheep. Their home was a tussock and scrub covered hill overlooking the Wairau Plains, named Dog Point by the early settlers.
While it might have made sense to have a dog on the wine label, the singular cabbage tree, or Ti Kouka in Maori, makes a stark yet stylish statement. Common in the Dog Point area, the cabbage tree’s remarkable aesthetics have a synergy with the Dog Point wines that are a natural expression of the land from which they are created. The distinctive label was iconic right from the outset.
As well as their popular Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, Ivan and James also make 'Section 94' which refers to a sauvignon blanc made solely from a particular vineyard block. The wine receives extended lees aging in old French oak casks to add complexity and depth to the wine. Dog Point Chardonnay and Pinot Noir also receive the same thoughtful hands-on approach and attention to detail.
In February each year the Dog Point Classic Kiwi Picnic is held among the vines and olives of the vineyard — a thoroughly memorable event featuring the best foods of the region and, of course, superb Dog Point wines to match. For more information on the wines and picnic visit: www.dogpoint.co.nz
*Some excerpts from Celebrate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc https://www.janbilton.co.nz/sh...